Every month or so, I will be highlighting a brand of flute and/or piccolo that we carry here in the Indy Flute Shop. First up is Altus and its sister step-up flute, the Azumi! The Altus flute company was started by master flute maker Shuichi Tanaka. He began collaborating with William Bennett in the late 1970s, using Bennett’s influence and knowledge of the finest vintage flutes and Mr. Tanaka’s experience with both flute playing and making. The first Altus flute was built in 1981.

Altus flutes today are known for their wonderful intonation and scale, which is called the Altus-Bennett scale. It was carefully designed to provide effortless intonation, finely tuned harmonics, and exceptionally balanced registers. Many flutes, even at the professional level, have noticeable tendencies, such as going sharp in the extreme high register. The care and attention that the Altus-Bennett scale gives makes this much improved.

In the mid-1980s, Altus started designing a step-up flute, using the same attention to detail and high-quality workmanship to create an affordable and durable instrument for serious students. The resulting flute is called the Azumi, named for the city of Azumino, where Altus flutes are built. Azumi flutes have amazing features such as the same professional-grade headjoints found on Altus instruments, as well as the same French-pointed key arms not generally found on step-up instruments.

Azumi flutes are available on our rent-to-own plan and range from $1,500-$2,400. Altus flutes are available for purchase and come in a wide range of prices, starting around $3,750. Contact Erin to try these amazing instruments!