What is a flute?
The flute is, according to
Wikipedia, a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening. According to the instrument classification of Hornbostel-Sachs, flutes are categorized as Edge-blown aerophones.
A musician who plays the flute can be referred to as a flute player, a flautist, a flutist, or less commonly a fluter.
Aside from the voice, flutes are the earliest known musical instruments. A number of flutes dating to about 40,000 to 35,000 years ago have been found in the Swabian Alb region of Germany. These flutes demonstrate that a developed musical tradition existed from the earliest period of modern human presence in Europe.
Types of modern flutes.
1. Bass Flute in C
It evolved during the 1920's as a substitute for the saxophone in jazz music. The bass flute is the bass member of the flute family. It is in the key of C, pitched one octave below the concert flute. Because of the length of its tube (approximately 146 cm), it is usually made with a "J" shaped head joint, which brings the embouchure hole within reach of the player. It is usually only used in flute choirs, as it is easily drowned out by other instruments of comparable register, such as the clarinet.
2. Alto Flute in G
This type of flute has a history of over a hundred years old. The alto flute is a transposing instrument, meaning that music written for it is a pitch different than what it actually sounds. It is notated a 4th above its actual sound.
3. Tenor Flute - Also called the flûte d'amour in B flat.
The flûte d'amour or flauto d'amore is pitched in either A or B♭ and is intermediate in size between the modern C concert flute and the alto flute in G. It is the mezzo soprano member of the flute family. It is also sometimes called a tenor flute. This type of flute has been in existence since Medieval times. It is pitched one step lower than the C flute.
4. Concert Flute in C
The Western concert flute or C flute (most flutes are tuned to the key of C) is a transverse (side-blown) woodwind instrument made of metal or wood. It is the most common variant of the flute. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist, flutist, or flute player.
The C flute is used in many ensembles including concert bands, orchestras, flute ensembles, and occasionally jazz bands and big bands. Other flutes in this family include the piccolo, alto flute, bass flute, contrabass flute and double contrabass flute. This type of flute's pitch is in C and its range is over three octaves, starting from middle C.
5. Soprano Flute in E Flat
The soprano flute is an instrument pitched a minor third higher than the standard C flute and is rather rarely found at present. It has a range of three octaves, it is equivalent to a Concert C Flute.
6. Treble Flute in G
The treble flute is a member of the flute family. It is in the key of G, pitched a fifth above the concert flute and is a transposing instrument, sounding a fifth up from the written note. The instrument is rare today, only occasionally found in flute choirs, some marching bands or private collections. Some 19th century operas, such as Ivanhoe include the instrument in their orchestrations.
7. Piccolo in C
The piccolo (Italian for small) is a half-size flute, and a member of the woodwind family of musical instruments. The piccolo has the same fingerings as its larger sibling, the standard transverse flute, but the sound it produces is an octave higher than written. This gave rise to the name "ottavino," the name by which the instrument is referred to in the scores of Italian composers.
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