If you are interested in the history of the flute, you can go to www.flutehistory.com
The Flute Family
1. The C Flute
- The C Flute is the most popular flute played in bands and orchestras
- Players choose the material according to their preferences of sound (silver, gold, platinum, wood)
- The standard range for the C Flute is c1-c4
2. The Piccolo
- The piccolo is the smallest of all the wind instruments
- It is played in the key of C (range from d1-c4)
- The piccolo sounds an octave higher than the C flute
- It is also the highest instrument in orchestra, concert band, or marching band
- Usually it is made out of silver, plastic, or wood
- Wooden piccolos are for advanced players and can only be played inside (otherwise
the sound gets lost)
- All C flute fingering will work on the piccolo, even though some notes could be out of tune
3. Alto Flute
- The alto flute is not as often used as the C flute, or piccolo
- It is most often used in special ensembles (e.g. jazz groups, flute choirs)
- The alto flute is in the key of G
- It sounds a fourth lower than the C flute
4. Bass Flute
- The bass flute is even rarer than the alto flute
- It is nearly only played in flute choirs, or as a solo instrument
- The bass flute is an octave lower than the C flute
Facts about the Flute
- It belongs to the category of woodwinds
- The flute is often featured as a solo instrument
- It has some of the most powerful repertoire
- The flute is also one of the oldest instruments
Study scheme
If you have to play a difficult passage, here are some tips how to approach your goal of playing it correctly...
- Divide the passage into smaller pieces
- Play each piece slowly
- When you can play them at the slower tempo, group small pieces to larger pieces
- Speed up the tempo bit by bit until you are at the required tempo
- If the passage is slured, tongue each note until you are safe with the fingering
