Is the flute in the woodwind family?
The woodwind family of instruments includes, from the highest sounding instruments to the lowest, the piccolo, flute, oboe, English horn, clarinet, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon and contrabassoon.
Why is the flute in the woodwind family?
So, why is the flute a woodwind instrument? Flutes are considered woodwind instruments because instruments are classified on the basis of how they produce sound and are played, not based on the material that they are made out of.
How are the instruments of the woodwind family similar?
They all look somewhat similar in that they are all long tubes of various sizes with metal keys that cover the holes when played to make different notes. The bigger the woodwind instrument the lower the pitch sound they make. Woodwinds can be divided up into two main types of instruments.
What do all woodwinds have in common?
All woodwinds produce sound by splitting the air blown into them on a sharp edge, such as a reed or a fipple. Despite the name, a woodwind may be made of any material, not just wood. Common examples include brass, silver, cane, as well as other metals such as gold and platinum.
What are the three sizes of flutes?
- Members of the western flute family. The Piccolo.
- Concert Flute. The concert flute is the most common flute.
- Alto Flute. The alto flute is larger than the concert flute (86cm), therefore it is lower in pitch than the concert flute.
- Bass Flute.
- Contra’ alto Flute.
- Contrabass Flute.
- Subcontrabass Flute.
What is a straight flute called?
The end-blown flute (also called an edge-blown flute or rim-blown flute) is a woodwind instrument played by directing an airstream against the sharp edge of the upper end of a tube.
Which size of flute is best?
Generally speaking longer and lower bansuris have a mellow, rich and warm sound whereas smaller bansuris can sound very sweet but also a bit squeaky. In classical North Indian raga music e.g. the most commonly used solo bansuris have a length of 70 to 75 cm.
Are flutes all the same size?
Flutes don’t come in different ‘sizes’ as such, but you can get curved headjoints for a small beginner. This brings the keys of the flute closer to the body, reducing the stretch. For very small players (ages 5 to 7), you could start on the fife or Apprentice flute, both of which are affordable ‘mini’ flutes.
How much time does it take to learn flute?
It can take a few months up to a couple of years to learn the flute. Even though it is not an especially difficult instrument to learn, there are physical and technical aspects of playing the flute that you will need to master like breath control, mouth shape, and finger placement.