A keyed woodwind instrument consisting of a barrel-shaped tube is stopped at one end and has a side opening over which air is blown to create the tone. This is the basic definition of the flute today, which is quite different from when it was first found. We have seen the advancements in almost every aspect of the world, and there’s no reason that musical instruments like flutes are to be left behind. The flute has advanced a lot from its original form. With time keys were added to extend the instrument’s note reach and improve the inflection of the played notes. With the advancements came innumerable buying options. But how the flutes changed? Let’s learn about some key things you need to know about the flute advancement.
- The old v/s modern flutes
A vulture bone flute found in a European cave is anticipated to be the world’s oldest recognizable musical instrument. It was found with fragments of gigantic ivory flutes. It had five finger holes and a V-shaped mouthpiece made from a griffon vulture’s hollow wing bone and was 0.3 inches wide and 13 inches long. It was the first flute to be ever found after that the advancements started. The new flute pattern included one closed key just below the E hole, which produced a note which could not earlier be performed on the keyless flute. The modern flute has three octaves and can play four tones in the fourth octave. Hence with the development came the different options.
- Types of Flutes
Flutes can be made from timber, metal, synthetic composites, bone, and even mud. Depending upon that, there are different types of flutes you can get in the market today. The first one is the Alto Flute. It is described by its rich, soft tone in the lower division of its range. The bore of the alto flute is more significant in diameter and longer than a C flute and requires more breathing from the player. This gives it a powerful presence in the bottom octave and a half of its range. Next comes the Picollo. Piccolos are the second most important type in the flute family. Today, the piccolo is practiced regularly in concert scores and libretto. The piccolo can add brilliance to a march or emulate the sound of birds. Piccolos are widely available and can be purchased from online stores like Flutes and Flutists. The third type is the Bass Flute. It is the least known and least played flute of the flute family. The bass flute size has differed, usually being made anywhere from 50-60 inches in length. There are other types of flutes based on how they are blown, like the Directly blown flute, Side blown flute, End blown flute, etc.
Hence, with time innumerable flute options are now available in the market. So you need not worry about whether you will get your desired flute or not. Just do some research and be clear about what you want.
