The Flute is a member of the woodwind section of the orchestra. Only the piccolo, a member of the flute family, plays higher. The flute produces a sound that is light, clear and penetrating on its highest notes. A flute player may be referred to as a flautist or a flutist.

History

The transverse (side-blown) flutes can be seen in paintings and manuscripts that date back as far as the 14th century, though most flutes were played like the recorder, blowing air in from the end. By about the 15th century the transverse flute had become quite popular and by 1847 the modern orchestral flute had reached its present form.

How It's Played

A symphonic flute player holds the flute horizontally while blowing in the opening just like you blow across the top of a soda pop bottle to make a tone. The flute player holds the flute steady with the lower lip, the base of the left-hand index finger, and the right-hand thumb. To change notes, the flute player covers various combinations of tone holes. Each change to a different fingering combination determines the length of tubing through which the air will flow before it escapes out of the uncovered holes. Advanced flute-players will also add vibrato to their tone.

*Credit to the Making Music is Fun website

Listen to a flute:

Flute