Most of the advanced and professional-level flutes are silver or silver plated. Still, it’s not uncommon to see wooden flutes in the hands of either novices or even high-level pros. It’s important to remember that if you’re looking for a good standard flute, always go for the silver/silver-plated instrument. There would be cheaper flutes made of other metals such as nickel, but their quality and overall sound signature would pale in comparison to a silver one.