Flute
The flute is a woodwind instrument known for its high pitch and unique sound production, which relies solely on the musician’s breath rather than a vibrating reed, as with many other woodwinds. It is commonly used in classical and jazz music, and its versatile sound helps create rich orchestral harmonies alongside string and other woodwind instruments. Historically, flutes are among the oldest musical instruments, with evidence of their existence dating back over 40,000 years, made initially from materials like bird bones and mammoth ivory. As the instrument evolved, wood became a favored material due to its accessibility and ability to modify tonal quality.
The structure of the flute is typically divided into three parts: the head joint, middle joint, and foot joint, each serving distinct functions in sound production and tuning. The head joint features an embouchure hole where air is blown to create sound, while the middle joint contains most of the keys that alter pitch by covering or uncovering holes. In the 1700s, significant advancements were made in flute design, notably by Theobald Boehm, who developed a more efficient mechanism for playing complex music. With its sweet, smooth tones, the flute remains a beloved choice for musicians and composers alike, featuring prominently in various musical ensembles throughout history.
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Flute
The flute is a musical instrument that belongs to the woodwind family. Flutes are most common in classical music and jazz music. Unlike most woodwind instruments, flutes do not use a vibrating reed to produce sound. Instead, the vibrations produced by the musician's breath are the sole source of the instrument's sound. Flutes produce different notes through the covering and uncovering of holes along the length of the instrument. Covering or uncovering a hole alters the path of air pushed through the instrument. This process changes the vibrations produced by the flute to create different notes.
Flutes are one of the highest-pitched instruments in the woodwind family. They are crafted in a variety of keys and are used together with string instruments and other woodwinds to create powerful orchestral harmonies. Flutes are renowned for creating sweet, smooth sounds that stand out through a chorus of other instruments.
Background
Flutes are the oldest variable-pitch instrument. While the drum is encountered earlier in recorded history, it produces only a single note. The earliest flutes discovered are more than forty thousand years old. The instruments are made from bird bones, which are naturally hollow. They feature five finger holes to alter the instrument's pitch and a carved mouthpiece. Other early flutes were made of mammoth ivory, which was exceptionally difficult to work with. As the instrument developed, crafters began making flutes from different types of woods. Wood was easier to hollow out than bone or ivory, and it was much easier to acquire. Additionally, different types of wood subtly alter a flute's musical tone.
Early flutes were held and played both vertically and horizontally. Over time, most musicians adopted the method of holding the flute horizontally when playing. Some flutes, such as recorders, continued to be held and played vertically, like some of their earlier predecessors.
The flute saw a large jump in popularity in the 1100s, when it was used as an instrument in court. The flute was utilized alongside trumpets and drums to signal the arrival of nobility and during other important court events. Afterward, the flute spread to military units. The small, easily transported instrument was used for military signaling during battles.
The development of consort music made the flute even more popular. Consorts were small groups of musicians who practiced and played together. They featured woodwinds, brass instruments, string instruments, and drums. Consorts were the predecessors to modern bands and orchestras. Because of the instrument's range and pitch, the flute was extremely useful in consorts.
In the early 1600s, artisans redesigned the flute. They separated the instrument into multiple pieces that could be taken apart for transport. Artisans also experimented with changing the sizes of various pieces of the instruments, which expanded the range of notes accessible to the musician.
By 1700s, the range of the flute had been expanded enough that it required complicated finger positioning to play the musical pieces of the time. Famous composers Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach had written musical pieces designed to be led by flutes, and many other composers followed in their footsteps. To make finger positioning easier during complicated pieces, artisan Theobald Boehm redesigned how notes are played on a flute. He engineered a complex system of rods, buttons, and caps over the holes in the flute. They allowed musicians to keep their hands in neutral, comfortable positions while still opening and closing holes along the entire length of the flute. Boehm's system has been modified since the 1700s, but it is still in use today.
Overview
The structure of a flute can be broken down into three sections: the head joint, the middle joint, and the foot joint. These are the most common pieces into which flutes are separated for cleaning and storage. Each joint can further be broken down into a variety of smaller parts.
The head joint begins with the crown. The crown caps one end of the flute. It redirects air past the flute's holes, changing the way the air resonates as it passes. Crowns can be made from several metals and are available in many shapes and sizes. If a musician or an artisan changes the crown on the end of his or her flute, the tone of the instrument may change drastically.
After the crown is a small hole located on a raised plate. This is called the embouchure hole. Musicians blow into the embouchure hole, which forces air through the flute and past the holes. To make the flute produce sound, musicians must blow air through the embouchure hole at a precise angle. This angle may change as the musician attempts to hit extremely high or low notes.
The middle joint is the second segment of a flute. It connects to both the head joint and the foot joint. It contains most of the keys and the tuning slide. Keys are small, padded buttons connected to rods that traverse the length of the flute. Pressing a key raises or lowers a cap over a hole in the flute. Covering and uncovering these holes changes the way air passes through the body of the flute, which alters the flute's pitch and changes the note it produces.
The tuning joint is a small, twistable section of a flute. When pulled or twisted, the tuning joint allows the musician to change the key in which the flute plays. Tuning joints are not present on all flutes. Some musicians try to avoid having metal on the inside of a flute. To accomplish this, they purchase flutes without tuning joints.
The foot joint is the last segment of a flute. It contains either two keys or three keys, depending on the type of flute. A flute designed to play in the musical key of B has three keys, while a flute designed to play in the musical key of C has just two keys.
Bibliography
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"Different Types of Flute." Normans Musical Instruments, 16 Sept. 2014, www.normans.co.uk/blog/2014/09/different-types-flute/. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017.
"The Flute." Oregon Symphony Orchestra, www.orsymphony.org/edu/instruments/popups/flute.html. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017.
"Flute." Philharmonia Orchestra, www.philharmonia.co.uk/explore/instruments/flute. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017.
"History." Vienna Symphonic Library, www.vsl.co.at/en/Concert‗flute/History. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017.
"History of the Flute." The Instrument Place, www.theinstrumentplace.com/history-of-the-flute/. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017.
Owen, James. "Bone Flute Is Oldest Instrument, Study Says." National Geographic, 24 Jun. 2009, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/06/090624-bone-flute-oldest-instrument.html. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017.
Ray, Kathryn Virginia. "Tuning Your Instrument." Music Theory for Parents, 2011, www.musictheoryforparents.com/tune.html. Accessed 29 Mar. 2017.