Flute

The flute is part of a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Flutes make sound when a player blows air across an opening, creating a vibrating column of air. Someone who plays the flute is called a flautist or flutist.

Very old flutes have been found in Germany, showing that people were making and using musical instruments a long time ago. Flutes have also been found in China, Peru, and Labrador, showing that many cultures around the world have used this instrument.

In places like India, the flute holds special meaning. For example, the Bansuri flute is linked to stories about the god Krishna. Flutes have traveled between different parts of the world, becoming popular in many different musical traditions.

Etymology and terminology

The word flute first appeared in English during the Middle English period, spelled as floute, flowte, or flo(y)te. It may have come from Old French or Old Provençal words, or possibly from Middle High German or Dutch. The verb flout has the same root, and the Dutch verb fluiten still means both to play a flute and to whistle.

A person who plays the flute can be called a flutist, flautist, or flute player. The word flutist has been used since at least 1603. The word flautist was used in 1860 by Nathaniel Hawthorne in his book The Marble Faun, after it was adopted from Italy during the 18th century. Other older English words for flute players, like fluter and flutenist, are rarely used today.

History

Further information: Paleolithic flutes and Prehistoric music

People have played flutes for a very long time. One of the oldest flutes ever found is a piece of bone with holes, found in Slovenia. It is about 43,000 years old, but some scientists are not sure if it was really a flute. In 2008, another old flute was found in Germany. This one is made from a bird bone and has five holes. It is at least 35,000 years old and is the oldest known musical instrument that we are sure about.

More flutes have been found in Germany, made from mammoth tusk and swan bones, and they are about 30,000 to 36,000 years old. In China, a 9,000-year-old flute was found. It was made from a crane bone and has five to eight holes. The earliest flute mentioned in writing comes from very old tablets from Sumer, and the Bible also talks about flutes.

Acoustics

A flute makes sound when a stream of air passes over a hole in the instrument, causing the air inside to vibrate. The player can change the pitch by opening and closing holes on the flute. This changes the space where the air vibrates.

The shape of the part where the player puts their lips can affect how the flute sounds. Important factors that influence the sound include the size and shape of the hole where the air goes in. A study showed that the material of the flute does not greatly change how it sounds.

Main article: Bernoulli

resonant cavity

pitch

resonator

resonant frequency

harmonic

fundamental frequency

Nohkan

Materials

In the past, flutes were made from materials like reed, bamboo, wood, glass, bone, and nephrite. Today, most flutes are made from metal, especially silver and nickel. Sometimes, other metals like gold, platinum, grenadilla, and copper are also used.

Types

A flute is a simple tube you blow into to make sound. You aim your breath into a special hole at the top. There are many kinds of flutes. Most are played by blowing across the top, but some, like the recorder and whistle, have a cover to guide the air.

Flutes can be played sideways, like the concert flute, or straight up. Some are open at both ends, while others are closed at one end. Most flutes have one tube, but some have more.

Western transverse

Main article: Western concert flute

Wooden one-keyed

Wooden flutes were common in Europe long ago. They are still played today for special shows.

Concert

The Western concert flute is a modern flute closed at the top. It has a special hole to blow across. This flute was improved a long time ago to make it easier to play. Beginner flutes are often made of metal, while professional ones can be made of silver, gold, or platinum.

Concert variants

The piccolo is a smaller flute that plays higher notes. There are also lower flutes and some that play very low notes.

Other sizes of flutes are sometimes used. There are also older styles used in band music.

Indian

Further information: Bansuri and Venu

The bamboo flute is important in Indian music. Indian flutes are simpler than Western ones, made just from bamboo.

There are two main types of Indian flutes. The Bansuri has six finger holes and is used in Northern India. The Venu has eight finger holes and is used in Southern India.

The sound of the flute depends on the bamboo it is made from.

Chinese

Main article: Chinese flutes

In China, there are many kinds of flutes called dizi. They can be made of bamboo, wood, jade, bone, or iron. Some Chinese flutes have a thin paper on one hole that makes the sound brighter.

Common flutes in Chinese music include the bangdi, qudi, xindi, and dadi. Another type, called the xiao, is played vertically.

Korean

Main article: Daegeum

The Korean flute is called the daegeum. It is a large bamboo flute with a special membrane.

Japanese

Main article: Fue (flute)

Japan has many kinds of flutes called fue. These include the shakuhachi and komabue.

Sodina and suling

The sodina is a flute from Madagascar. It looks like flutes from Indonesia, called suling.

Sring

The sring is a small flute from Armenia. It has a nasal sound and is usually made of wood or cane.

Ọjà

The ọjà is a flute used by the Igbo people of Nigeria. It is made from wood, bamboo, or metal and is used in cultural events.

Breathing techniques

Flute players use special ways to breathe so they can keep making music. One way is called diaphragmatic breathing, which helps them take in lots of air with just a few breaths. Another way is circular breathing, where they breathe in through their nose and out through their mouth. This lets them keep playing without stopping.