Teaching Policies

Instrument Rental Agreement

History Of The Flute

Construction Of The Flute

The Flute Family

Categories Of Flute

Since its earliest forms, the flute has been developed into a highly sophisticated musical instrument. There are many, often very intricate, stages in flute making, requiring technical precision, unique craftsmanship, and many hours of skilled and dedicated work. The end result is an instrument, the flute, as we have come to know and love it today.

In its simplest form, the modern Western flute is a cylindrical tube in three sections, or “joints”: the head, body, and foot. However, there are many more aspects, and complex features, to a flute’s construction:

Head joint - the top section of the flute, accommodating the embouchure hole and lip plate, where the player initiates the sound by blowing air across the opening.

Crown - the cap at the end of the head joint, which unscrews to expose the cork, and which helps keep the head joint cork positioned at the proper depth of insertion, allowing the head joint to remain airtight.

Lip plate - the part of the head joint which contacts the player's lower lip, allowing precise positioning and direction of the air stream.

Riser - a metal section shaped like a “top hat with the top cut off”, which raises the lip plate from the head joint tube.

Embouchure hole - a circular opening in the lip plate, across which the player directs a stream of air in order to produce the sound.

Body joint - the middle, longest section of the flute, where the majority of the tone holes and keys are arranged and situated.

Closed-hole keys, or “plateaustyle” - a term used to describe the status of the keys, where the finger keys are fully covered in the center.

Open-hole keys - a term used to describe finger keys which have a perforated center, which then require to be covered by the player’s finger tips, allowing the use of techniques such as pitch bending.

Pointed arms - arms connecting the keys to the rods which are pointed, and which extend to the centers of the keys; found on more expensive flutes.

Inline G - the standard position of the left-hand G key, (third-finger) key, which is in line with the first and second keys.

Offset G - a G key which is extended to the side of the other two left-hand keys, (along with the G sharp key), thus requiring less bending of the wrist, rendering it easier to reach and cover effectively, making the position more comfortable, and less fatiguing to play.

Split E mechanism - a system whereby the second G key, (positioned below the G sharp key), is closed when the right middle-finger key is depressed, enabling a clearer third octave E. 

Trill Keys - there are two small, teardrop shaped keys, situated between the right-hand keys on the body; the first enables an easy C-D trill, and the second enables C-D sharp tril; used together, enables a C sharp and D sharp trill. A B flat lever or "trill" key, is located in line directly above the right first-finger key. An optional C sharp trill key, which facilitates the trill from B to C sharp, is sometimes found on intermediate- and professional-quality flutes. The two trill keys are also used in playing the high B flat, and B. Although they can be played without them, the flute speaks more clearly with them.

Foot joint - the third, smallest section of the flute, farthest towards the right, and which accommodates bottom C and C sharp.

C foot - a foot joint with a lowest note of middle C; most common, and typically found on student model flutes.

B foot - a foot joint with a lowest note of B below middle C, which is an option for intermediate - and professional-standard flutes.

D sharp roller - an optional feature added to the E flat key on the foot joint, facilitating the transition between E flat/D sharp and D flat/C sharp, and C.

"Gizmo key" - an amusingly named optional key on the B foot joint, which, although cannot be used to play low B, due to the fact that it only puts down the B key and not the C and C sharp as needed to play the low B, It can help in assisting in playing 7th octave C, increasing the tone, and its ability to speak.

Inexpensive Western concert flutes are usually made of brass, polished, then silver-plated and lacquered, to prevent corrosion. They can also be made from a range of metals such as silver, (Britannia or Sterling);
Gold, (yellow, white, or rose); platinum; and even alloys. Composites such as Carbon Fiber, can also be used as well. Flutes can be either gold on the inside and silver on the outside, or vice versa, with either silver or gold keys; or a solid of either silver or gold throughout. While silver flutes create a brighter sound, gold allows for a darker, more multilayered sound. Gold can be more difficult to play, since it requires more expertise in order to create a resonant sound; it is more flexible, but only if the flautist is capable of providing sufficient breath support.

Most metal flutes are made of alloys which contain significant amounts of copper or silver. These alloys are biostatic, due to the oligodynamic effect, and thus suppress growth of unpleasant molds, fungi, and bacteria. Good instruments are designed to prevent, or reduce, galvanic corrosion between the tube and the key mechanism. For example, many quality concert flutes have bronze springs.

Flutes have become, not just a musical instrument, but to the most prestigious flautists, a visual work of art as well. The outer surface of the metal can be etched, to form a frosted effect; whilst paterns can also be engraved on the lip plate and/or keys, (which also serves for a better grip in warmer atmospheres, as well as for decoration); and flutes can even be incrusted with precious stones!