Why are flutes made out of silver?
Most student model flutes are plated with silver. The silver helps to create a sweet and expressive sound without being as costly as gold. Silver plated flutes can tarnish quite quickly. However, they can be polished back to their original state, provided its done by a good flute technician.
Where did the flute originally come from?
A flute dating back to approximately 900 B.C. was found in China and called a ch’ie. To date, the oldest flutes have been found in the Swabian Alps region of Germany, and are said to have been from about 43,000 to 35,000 years ago.
Are flutes made out of silver?
Most student flutes are made of silver-plated metal such as yellow brass, which is 70% copper and 30% zinc. Silver-plating gives the flute a more mellow sound. Most professionals play on solid silver flutes (silver content 92.5%) although some, like James Galway, play on flutes made of other metals.
What is a silver flute?
Silver-colored flutes may either be silver-plated, or made of nickel-silver or solid silver. Solid silver (also known as sterling silver) is silver with a purity of 92.5%, and this is used for both the tube and the key system.
How much does a solid silver flute cost?
The all silver-plated Intermediate model flutes range in price between $560-900.
How much is a decent flute?
Beginner flutes usually range in cost from $500 to $1000. Intermediate, or step-up flutes usually cost $1,400 to $2,500 and entry level pro flutes (still largely played by advanced students) around $2500 and up.
Are open hole flutes better?
So, the big question is; Does an open-holed flute sounds better than a closed-hole flute? . The answer in a nutshell is no . Improved volume and tone is a possibility only because it has become a tradition that flutes of higher quality mostly all have open-holes.
Is C flute stronger than B flute?
B-Flute is the flat compression strength is stronger than A flute, and it is suitable for packing a hard thing. Usually used for Packaging boxes for food cases and machine parts. C-flute is the most widely used flute size. C-Flute is ideal for stacking and is generally used for packaging furniture and glass products.
What does a closed hole flute mean?
The closed hole flute which is also called the plateau flute does not have holes in the keys. This means the flautist need only press the keys down. Typically, this is referred to as a German model flute.
What are the holes in flute called?
WHAT IS THE EMBOUCHURE HOLE? A small hole in the head joint of the flute where air blown by the player enters the flute. The embouchure hole is a small hole in the head joint of the flute, found in the center of the lip plate.
Do flutes have holes?
Sixteen tone holes is sufficient for a flute to play in every key. In fact, 16 holes is more than enough, and we probably could have gotten every pitch with fewer. However, the goal of any instrument-maker is to make their instrument easy and intuitive to play.
Why do flutes have several holes?
When we open a hole, it is similar to shortening the length of the pipe as the hole ‘short-circuits’ the flute and a standing wave will be formed between the open end where we place our lips and the first hole. Hence this is why flutes have so many holes.
Are gold flutes better than silver?
There is no empirical way to prove that gold is a better material than silver when it comes to flute making. People can say that gold flutes sound different than silver flutes, but it is impossible to definitively say that they sound better.
Is a gold flute worth it?
– The type and weight of materials have an interrelated effect. So in a gold flute, yes the gold has an effect, but also the overall weight difference too. – Gold and Platinum can be lovely. I wish they were not because of their cost, but for whatever reason, they are very rewarding to play.