How to Find the Best Flute Stand [2022]

Do you ever find yourself resting your flute on a table or chair? Consider how to find the best flute stand so that you can keep your instrument safe when you aren’t playing.

Luckily, there are tons of stands out there, so there’s something for everyone. But you need to consider how to find your ideal flute stand.

How To Find The Best Flute Stand

Whether you’re a beginning flute student, a professional, or somewhere in between, you need some accessories. Luckily, you don’t need to worry about reeds, like other woodwind players.

However, you may want to know how to find the best flute stand. Then, you can protect your instrument when you need to take a quick practice break and don’t want to put it in the case.

But with a vast selection of flute stands available, a few factors can help narrow your choices.

Your Flute

Flute Instrument

First, you need to consider the flute you have and what type of flute it is. While you may be able to use the same stand for a flute and piccolo, that isn’t the best approach.

When you know what type of flute you need a stand for, you can make sure to get a stand that will fit the instrument. Then, you can feel better about leaving your flute on its stand.

I have different flute stands for my flute, piccolo, and alto flute. Each stand works great for the correct instrument, so I feel much better about taking a short practice break.

Other Instruments

You should also consider any other instruments you want to use with the stand. This could mean other flutes, but you might also want to use a stand for other woodwinds.

Some of the best flute stands only hold one instrument at a time, while others can hold up to three or four at a time. The bigger stands can be great for rehearsals and gigs where you need to play more than one flute.

However, you should consider the other instruments you have. While you can interchange a flute and piccolo on the same stand, you might need a different style if you also have a saxophone.

Purpose

Another significant factor that can help you choose the best flute stand is the purpose of it. You might just need a stand to use for practicing at home, or you may want something you can take to rehearsals out of your house.

When you need to take a stand to a rehearsal, think about how much space you’ll have around you. In some cases, a stand with a more compact design may be better, even if it’s not quite as sturdy.

If you teach flute lessons, you can get a flute stand with spots for multiple flutes. That way, you and your students will have a safe place to set flutes down during a lesson.

Size

Stand

Speaking of the purpose, you should also consider if the stand will even fit where you want to use it. If you primarily play at home or in a private teaching studio, space shouldn’t be a huge concern.

But it can be more critical if you play in an orchestra or another ensemble. You might not have a ton of space around you to place a flute stand, so you may need to compromise on the stand you use.

Some stands have much longer legs that can take up a lot of room. While that can add some stability to the stand, it’s not always practical for use outside of your personal practice space.

Materials

Plastic is one of the most common materials that flute stands use, but you can also find metal and wood stands. Some stands also feature a velvet lining, which can keep from scratching the inside of your flute.

When looking at flute stands, make sure to find something that won’t scratch. For example, you should only use a metal stand for a wood or plastic flute or piccolo since metal can scratch the metal.

Velvet lining can be even more protective, but it’s not necessary. Make sure the stand you get uses durable materials so that your stand won’t break within the first few months you use it.

Environment

Something I didn’t think of until it affected my ability to use my flute and piccolo stands were my playing environment. If you’re lucky, you’ll usually have plenty of light to help you find your flute stand.

However, if you ever get to play in a pit orchestra for a musical or opera, it can get pretty dark. And most flute stands tend to be black, so finding your stand for a quick instrument change becomes impossible.

For those scenarios, it can help to have a stand with a yellow top. That way, you can see the yellow even when you’re playing in a darker environment, and you won’t have to rest your flute on your lap or the floor.

Support

Wooden Stand

You might also want to consider how sturdy and supportive a flute stand is. Some are much better than others, so you can knock some stands around without knocking your flute over.

However, other stands aren’t as supportive. They can keep your flute upright, but you and other musicians around you need to be very careful not to bump into your flute.

As much as I love my travel-friendly flute and piccolo stands, they don’t have the best support. If I’m not careful, I can easily knock my flute or piccolo over, potentially causing significant damage.

Height

Another factor that can help with a flute stand’s support is how tall it is. Now, most flute stands are a fraction of the height of the instrument, which makes them small and easy to carry.

However, any extra bit of height can give you more peace of mind about using the stand. You can look for flute stands that are slightly taller or that have a spring mechanism to increase their height.

Then, you can place your flute on the stand and not worry as much about it falling over. That can still happen, but the odds are lower with a taller flute stand.

Storage

If you plan to use your flute stand in multiple places, you should think about how you’ll store it. One of the benefits of smaller flute stands is that you can usually fit them in the same bag as your flute.

Some you can even store in the flute, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Storing anything in your flute can cause moisture to build up, which can lead to problems with the flute pads and mechanism.

Either way, consider if you want to store and transport a bulkier stand. You may need a separate bag, which isn’t always a bad thing, but you should decide if that’s worth it for you.

Assembly

Assembly

Along with storing the flute stand, consider how easy or hard it is to assemble the flute stand. Most stands are easy to put together, but some are quicker than others.

For example, my smaller flute and piccolo stands just require me to pop open the legs. But with my bigger flute stand, I need to pop the legs out and screw on the pegs for my flute, piccolo, and alto flute.

If you play multiple flutes, you may want a stand that holds all of them. Using one stand could save you a bit of time when it comes to assembling and disassembling the stand.

Budget

Of course, you need to think about how much you can or want to spend on a good flute stand. Usually, more expensive stands are of better quality than cheaper stands.

However, you can get a good stand on a budget. Be sure to consider how much you can afford and compare that to the features you need or want.

Then, you can make sure you get a stand that will work for you and all of your flutes. And you can keep from having to spend a ton of money on something that you won’t use.

Best Flute Stands

Understanding how to find the best flute stand is fantastic. But it doesn’t tell you much about what stands are out there and which you should try as you learn how to play the flute.

To help you search for your perfect instrument stand, I considered a lot of models.

As I narrowed my search, I looked at stands from trusted companies, that use good materials, and are easy to put together. That way, you don’t have to struggle to find a flute stand you love.

Hercules Flute Stand

Hercules Flute Stand

The Hercules Flute Stand features a sturdy base that you can fold in to store and fold out to use. It comes with one telescoping flute peg, which is taller than some pegs out there.

Locking pins keep the legs in place, so you can use the stand and not worry about it moving or sliding. Meanwhile, the peg has velvet lining to help protect the inside of your flute.

This is an excellent option for people who only play the flute and no other instruments. But it’s a bit bulky, so you may not want to use it with another instrument stand, and it might not fit in your music bag to take to rehearsals.

Pros

  • Velvet lining
  • Tall peg
  • Sturdy base

Cons

  • Not for doublers

K&M Flute Stand

K&M Flute Stand

Another stand that fits a single flute is the K&M Flute Stand. It doesn’t have a separate base, but you do need to unscrew a round part to let the legs come out.

The legs are a bit skinny, so it may not be the most supportive. But it’s an excellent choice for flute players who need to practice in different locations.

You can fit the stand in your flute or music bag. And it’s one of the more affordable flute stands available, so it’s perfect for anyone on a tight budget.

Pros

  • Portable
  • Easy to assemble
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Not the most supportive

Hercules Travelite Flute Stand

Travelite Flute Stand

The Hercules Travelite Flute Stand is one of my favorites. It has a similar design to the K&M stand, but it doesn’t have a round part for you to unscrew.

Instead, you pop the velvet-lined legs out from the bottom of the stand. Then, you drop the legs down and screw them in, and you can pull the legs out to offer even more support.

This stand features a yellow top, so it’s great for playing in dark environments. And you can get a slightly taller version of the stand to make it more stable. Just don’t store it inside your flute, even if you can because you can hurt your instrument.

Pros

  • Lightweight
  • Easy to put together
  • Great for dark environments

Cons

  • A little unsteady

Fortissimo Flute Stand

If you want a single stand to hold both your flute and piccolo, try the Fortissimo Flute Stand. This one has a typical base peg that you would expect for a flute.

On top of that, there’s a smaller peg that works for your piccolo. That makes it a great option if you need to switch back and forth between the two instruments and don’t have space for two stands.

However, its legs are pretty thin, so you may not get the best support. But the legs do have rubber tips, which might help keep the stand from moving around.

Pros

  • Great for doublers
  • Lightweight
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Not a ton of support

Hercules Alto Flute Stand

Alto Flute Stand

You can use a traditional flute stand to hold your alto, but it can get a little unstable. If you plan to play the alto a lot, you should invest in the Hercules Alto Flute Stand.

The stand comes with a sturdy, massive base that can fit the alto flute as well as two other instruments. I place the alto flute peg in the center and use the other spots for flute and piccolo pegs.

This stand’s base has a similar design to the first Hercules stand I mentioned. But it is a bit bigger to support multiple instruments. Everything comes in a bag to keep everything together when you need to transport the stand.

Pros

  • Perfect for the alto flute
  • Has spots for multiple flutes
  • Sturdy base

Cons

  • Doesn’t come with extra pegs

Hercules Woodwind Stand

Flute

If you also play the alto or tenor saxophone along with the flute, you may want to get the Hercules Woodwind Stand. The stand can fit one saxophone and either a flute or clarinet.

Adjustable brackets allow you to set the correct height for either an alto or tenor sax. And the flute peg is similar to the peg you get with a Hercules Flute Stand, but it’s a bit shorter.

This stand can work well in your home practice studio, or you can take it with you to rehearsals. Then, you can switch between instruments quickly and easily.

Pros

  • Useful for doublers
  • Adjustable
  • Sturdy base

Cons

  • Somewhat bulky

K&M Piccolo Stand

K&M Piccolo Stand

If you need a stand just for your piccolo, the K&M Piccolo Stand is perfect. This is the stand that I keep in my flute bag and use whenever I need to play the piccolo out of my house.

It has the same design and the K&M Flute Stand, but it’s small enough for the piccolo. That way, you can fit your piccolo on the peg easily, and it will rest on the base.

To assemble the stand, you need to remove the cap around the bottom. Then, let the legs fall out, and replace the cap to keep the legs in place.

Pros

  • Great for piccolo players
  • Portable
  • Easy to assemble

Cons

  • Not the most supportive

Hercules Piccolo Peg

Hercules Piccolo Peg

Perhaps you have the Hercules Alto Flute Stand, but you need a stand for your piccolo. Instead of getting a separate stand, get the Hercules Piccolo Peg.

It fits perfectly on one of the legs of the alto flute stand, so you can house both flutes in one spot. You can also change it out for any other Hercules flute stand, so it’s an excellent replacement if you lose the original piccolo peg.

All you need to do is screw the piccolo peg on the base of the stand. Then, you can put your piccolo upright on the stand until you’re ready to play it.

Pros

  • Flexible
  • Easy to use
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Doesn’t include its own base

Hercules Deluxe Velvet Peg

DS602B

If you need to replace a flute peg, the Hercules Deluxe Velvet Peg is for you. It works just like any other flute peg from the brand, so you can use it on a base you already own.

This flute peg is telescoping, so it’s a bit taller than some pegs. That makes it a great option to give your instrument some extra support when you aren’t playing.

Plus, the velvet keeps from scratching the inside of your flute. And if you also want to play the clarinet, you can interchange the two instruments on the same peg.

Pros

  • Can use with existing stands
  • Versatile
  • Protective

Cons

  • Doesn’t come with a base

FAQs About How To Find The Best Flute Stand

Question: Why do you need a flute stand?

Answer: You don’t need a flute stand, but having one means you have a safe place to rest your flute. If you need to use the restroom or get some water during a practice session, you don’t have to put your flute away.
I know other flutists who have rested their instruments on chairs, but that isn’t secure. Someone could bump into the side of the flute and knock it over.

Question: Why can’t you use the same stand for different flutes?

Answer: While you can put a flute on a piccolo stand or an alto flute on a flute stand, that won’t be the most supportive. If you set your instrument on a peg that’s too small, it can lean to the side.
Then, it will be even easier for someone to knock it over or for the flute to fall over on its own. The only time I’d say you can use a different stand is if you have an alto flute but no alto flute stand and need to put it on a C flute stand.

Question: Why shouldn’t you store a flute stand in your flute?

Answer: Some flute stands, like the Hercules Travelite model, say you can put the stand in your flute’s footjoint. I wouldn’t recommend this because any moisture left in your flute won’t be able to get out.
If that happens a lot, the moisture can start to wear down the pads on your flute. So you might need to press down a little too hard to close the keys and get a good sound.

Question: Do you need more than one flute stand?

Answer: Most people don’t need more than one flute stand, especially if you only play the flute and not the piccolo or alto. But I like to have a few stands so that I can keep one out in my practice area at all times.
I also have small flute and piccolo stands that I keep in my flute bag. Then, I will always have a stand for the instruments when I need to perform or rehearse somewhere else.

Final Note On How To Find The Best Flute Stand

Whether you just play the flute or also play other instruments, you should know how to find the best flute stand. A good flute stand can help protect your instrument during a rehearsal break or a quick instrument switch.

If you want to get the best possible flute stand, you can’t go wrong with any of the Hercules models. But give them all a look and see which meets your needs the best.

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