{"id":2179,"date":"2016-05-05T14:33:58","date_gmt":"2016-05-05T18:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.musikalessons.com\/blog\/?p=2179"},"modified":"2023-01-25T16:09:26","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T21:09:26","slug":"types-of-flutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musikalessons.com\/blog\/2016\/05\/types-of-flutes\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Flutes: The Modern Flute Family"},"content":{"rendered":"

The concert flute, or C flute, is what we think of when someone mentions the flute, and it is certainly the most widely played instrument in the flute family. Flutists start out learning the C flute, \"C<\/a>and, if interested, add to their skills later by learning to play another type of flute from the flute family. Variety in flutes is not a new thing \u2013 flutes have been around for centuries, and transverse flutes, flutes that are held horizontal across the body rather than vertically, are illustrated in art as early as the Renaissance. If you\u2019re a serious flute player \u2013 or just like to try new things and have a little fun \u2013 you may want to consider expanding your abilities to include other types of flutes in the modern flute family.<\/p>\n

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The types of flutes we find in the modern flute family especially started to develop in the 18th<\/sup> century, with solo players who wanted to extend the range the flute could play. Early attempts at extending range only slightly adjusted the size of the flute. In fact, this is where the separate foot joint was first introduced, allowing the flute to play as low as c1<\/sup> or b1<\/sup>. But elongating the flute this way also caused problems. The difference in length and diameter of the cylinder reduced the fullness of the lower notes and also affected intonation and tone color. Overall, just trying to add more notes to the C flute wasn\u2019t gaining range while keeping the sound and character of the flute. Flute makers needed to develop each size as its own instrument to perfect each of these instruments\u2019 distinctive musical potential.<\/p>\n

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The Piccolo<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The piccolo is by far the second most recognized of instruments in the flute family. Like the flute, the piccolo is a descendant of the military fife of the Middle Ages<\/a>, which sounded at a tone above the piccolo. This is part of the reason piccolo is so popular in modern military marches. The piccolo\u2019s history is very similar to that of the flute, but although it was developed in the 18th<\/sup> century, at about the same time as the flute, the piccolo only gained prominence a century later, when composers began using the piccolo regularly in orchestral works.<\/p>\n

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Composers first used the piccolo to extend the range of the flute. If the composer wanted a higher register than the flute allowed, the piccolo would be put on the melody with the flute playing harmony below it. The piccolo was also often used to decorate the melody using ornamentation.<\/p>\n

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Today, piccolo is used regularly in orchestral scores and opera. The piccolo can add brilliance to a march, or imitate the sound of birds, as in Johann Strauss\u2019s Die Fledermaus. <\/em>High, sharp sounds from the piccolo are used to represent sparks during a storm, and softer tones from the piccolo in unison with the flute can create a feeling of tranquility.<\/p>\n