Barney learning the flute
Flute
The word “Flute” covers a wide range of woodwind instruments in which sound is produced by directing air across the edge of a hole. Along with the flute, which is pictured here, the family includes instruments such as the piccolo, recorder, fife, ocarina and panpipes. The flute is played by blowing across the mouthpiece hole rather than into the instrument. Apart from the piccolo, the flute is the only instrument in the band that is played in this way.
The flute tone can range from mellow to rich to clear and brilliant. For the lowest notes, the flute is very quiet, but in the middle of its range it can be bright and rich and so is often used to play solo passages, sounding particularly beautiful in quiet pieces. The highest notes can be penetrating and shrill, so are often used to play the high melody lines.
The flute is used in orchestras, wind bands, and jazz bands to give a bright, silvery sound. A single flute cannot produce very much volume, so several players are usually required in the flute section of a concert band, with a large band having as many as 12 flute players. Most band music has 2 or 3 different flute parts.
Most modern flutes are made of metal, usually silver and only occasionally made of wood.
Fact: George Washington and Leonardo da Vinci both played the flute.
Do you recognise our flute player photo from the archives? Do you know what year or concert the photograph was taken during? What instrument does the band member now play?
Why not use the comment button to let us know below.
The word “Flute” covers a wide range of woodwind instruments in which sound is produced by directing air across the edge of a hole. Along with the flute, which is pictured here, the family includes instruments such as the piccolo, recorder, fife, ocarina and panpipes. The flute is played by blowing across the mouthpiece hole rather than into the instrument. Apart from the piccolo, the flute is the only instrument in the band that is played in this way.
The flute tone can range from mellow to rich to clear and brilliant. For the lowest notes, the flute is very quiet, but in the middle of its range it can be bright and rich and so is often used to play solo passages, sounding particularly beautiful in quiet pieces. The highest notes can be penetrating and shrill, so are often used to play the high melody lines.
The flute is used in orchestras, wind bands, and jazz bands to give a bright, silvery sound. A single flute cannot produce very much volume, so several players are usually required in the flute section of a concert band, with a large band having as many as 12 flute players. Most band music has 2 or 3 different flute parts.
Most modern flutes are made of metal, usually silver and only occasionally made of wood.
Fact: George Washington and Leonardo da Vinci both played the flute.
Do you recognise our flute player photo from the archives? Do you know what year or concert the photograph was taken during? What instrument does the band member now play?
Why not use the comment button to let us know below.
Photo from our archives
Piccolo
The piccolo is a special kind of flute that is half the size of the regular flute and pitched much higher, so can be very piercing to listen to! The musicians who play piccolo often also play the flute. The piccolo is extremely difficult to play, and hard to keep in tune while playing even for the most experienced of players. It is the smallest and loudest instrument in the band, and usually only one is used in the whole band. However one of our pieces does use two!
Fact: The piccolo was invented by Theobald Boehm a flautist from Munich, Germany
The piccolo is a special kind of flute that is half the size of the regular flute and pitched much higher, so can be very piercing to listen to! The musicians who play piccolo often also play the flute. The piccolo is extremely difficult to play, and hard to keep in tune while playing even for the most experienced of players. It is the smallest and loudest instrument in the band, and usually only one is used in the whole band. However one of our pieces does use two!
Fact: The piccolo was invented by Theobald Boehm a flautist from Munich, Germany
A piccolo and a flute
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