Flute
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
The flute is a woodwind instrument. A person who plays the flute is called a "flautist" (pronounce: "floor-tist") in British English, or "flutist" in American English. It is played by blowing across a hole in the instrument, rather like blowing over the top of an empty bottle. Flutes overblow at the octave. That means that once you have used up all your fingers for the first octave you can get the notes an octave higher by using the same fingering again but blowing a little harder.
Flutes were traditionally made of wood, which is why they are called woodwind instruments. Nowadays they are mostly made of metal which makes them much easier to mass-produce.
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[change] Classical flute
The form of flute used in western classical music is blown from the side and has keys which are pressed with the fingers to cover the holes. This key system was invented in the 19th century by Theobald Boehm. In the Renaissance, keyless cylindrical flutes made in several sizes were often played in groups, or consorts, and sounded best played specific modes. Baroque flutes, which developed in the third quarter of the seventeenth century, had a single key, which makes it necessary for players to learn to play all the sharps and flats using cross fingerings. By the early eighteenth century skilled players were able to play in tune in as many as eighteen to nineteen keys. By the late eighteenth century several keys were added, but the basic design and technique still derived from that of the one-keyed model. Early flutes were designed to make enharmonic distinctions between notes (i.e. a sharp is slightly lower in pitch than its corresponding flat) in order to play in non-equal-tempered tunings. Modern flute players often find the technique of renaissance, baroque, and classical period ("simple system") flutes to be especially difficult if they come to these instruments from Boehm flute.
There is a very large repertoire of music for the flute. Baroque composers used them in their orchestras, usually in pairs, and composed concertos, chamber music and solo music for them. This has continued to the present day. Orchestras have at least 2 flutes, sometimes three or four. Sometimes there is a piccolo which plays an octave higher, or an alto flute which plays a fifth lower than the flute.
The flute can sound very bright and cheerful when playing high notes. Listen, for example, to the Badinerie from Bach's Orchestral Suite no 2. It can also sound very thoughtful or sad when playing in its lowest register. A good example is the opening of Debussy's Prélude à l'après midi d'un faune.
[change] Flutes of India and China
The oldest kind of side-blown flute was made in India. In India, a flute called bansuri is used. It has no keys and is often made of bamboo or cane.
In China, a simple flute is used, which has no keys. The Chinese flute sometimes has a thin piece of paper over one hole, which adds a bright raspiness to the sound.
[change] Other flutes
There are other kinds of flute that are played by blowing into the end, like a recorder. Some of these are tin whistle, flageolet, tabor pipe, and ocarina.
In Japan there is a kind of flute called a shakuhachi, made from the bottom of a bamboo plant. It is blown at the end, but is not like the recorder because it does not have an opening that guides the air across a hole that makes the sound.
In South America, there is a flute called a quena that makes its sound the same way as the shakuhachi.
The Pan pipes are a form of flute with no holes. It has more than one pipe connected together, with the bottom closed. The player blows across the top of one of the pipes to make a note. The pipes are in different sizes, so that each one makes a different note. They are named after Pan, who played this instrument in Greek myth.
[change] Famous Flutists
The band Jethro Tull features a flute player in many songs. One of which is the hit Locomotive Breath.
