Albert Cooper Headjoints

Albert Cooper (1924 – 2011) was a British flute maker and acoustical innovator whose work reshaped both modern flute scales and headjoint design. After beginning his career at Rudall Carte & Co. in 1938, Cooper established his own London workshop in 1959, producing handmade flutes and headjoints that balanced projection, tuning precision, and tonal warmth.

Cooper refined the embouchure geometry of the modern headjoint, creating designs that offered greater dynamic range, color flexibility, and immediate response. His work helped flutists achieve a more resonant, open tone without losing clarity or control. Alongside his famous Cooper Scale, these innovations became the foundation for most contemporary flute acoustics.

While best known for his silver instruments, Cooper also crafted a limited number of gold headjoints, valued for their depth of color and distinctive projection. In 1978, he joined Brannen Brothers Flutemakers as Vice President of Research, continuing to refine headjoint design and influence generations of makers.

Today, both his silver and gold headjoints are regarded as benchmarks of modern flute design — an enduring legacy of craftsmanship and acoustic insight.