Flute

From Young Composers

The C Flute.

A flute is a type of woodwind instrument. The term, alone, most commonly refers to the Western concert flute in C, although other variants such as the piccolo, alto flute in G, and bass flute exist. Early flutes were constructed entirely of wood, with the exception of metal keys that would later be added. Theobald Boehm revolutionized the construction of the concert flute when he began implementing a 23-key design on a metal body, which is the usual construction today. Modern concert flutes are made of any of several metals, including nickel-silver and Sterling silver, and can be plated in nickel, silver, gold, or even platinum. The more precious metals are thought to yield a darker, warmer tone than less expensive materials.

This article is primarily concerned with the concert flute in C. Unless otherwise mentioned, flute refers to this type of flute.

Score Placement

In orchestral and wind band scoring, the flute is placed on the top stave of the score, except in the presence of a piccolo part which would be placed above it. The flutes have several auxiliary instruments, most notably the piccolo. Players of lower chair will usually play auxiliary parts while the principle flutists remain on the standard orchestral C flute, where their expertise is most needed.

In a standard modern orchestra, three C flutes are used, with the third flutist playing the piccolo. In the wind ensemble or concert band, however, there may be many flutists on each part. In band music it is common for the flutes to be divided into up to two or three parts, in addition to a separate piccolo part. It is usual practice to have only one piccolo player (rarely, two), even if there are many flutists. Thus, balance can be a problem and should be considered when composing unison lines for the flute in band music.

Timbre and Range

The flute has essentially three registers: low, middle, and high, each with a unique timbral quality.

The lowest register of the flute (from B3 or C4 to C#5) is the weakest as far as volume is concerned. However, it is also a very rich and colourful part of the flute’s range. The entire lower octave can be considered as belonging to this timbral area. In this range, the flute has difficulty competing aurally with other instruments, particularly in an orchestral setting. Particular care should be exercised when scoring accompaniment for the flute in this range.

The middle register (from D5 to G6) has considerably more carrying power, and is where the large majority of flute music resides. Here the tone quality is rich and vibrant, with enough carrying power to carry its own weight in the proper orchestral setting. This octave also is very rich in overtones, giving the flute its unique timbre.

The “extreme” high range of the flute (above G6) has a shrill and piercing quality to it. Due to the somewhat awkward fingerings in this register, the flute loses a small fraction of its agility, in addition to becoming a little bit more difficult to control in very soft nuances, but with a good musician this is not an issue. In loud passages, this range is an excellent doubling of upper partials to solidify an orchestral mass. Notes above the highest 'C' on the flute should only be written in consultation with a competent flutist, as all notes above C7 are extremely difficult to produce satisfactorily and are hard to control.

Illustration of playing ranges for the flute, alto flute, and bass flute.

Impossible/awkward trills or tremolos on the flute/piccolo.

Auxiliary instruments

Piccolo

The piccolo, the most commonly seen auxiliary instrument of the flute family, extends the flute range up by another octave. Written to sound one octave higher, its most common use is to brighten and strengthen the upper partials of an orchestration; however, it should not be totally relegated to this position. Care must be exercised when writing extensive passages in the piccolo's upper octave, as the high-pitched and penetrating sound quickly becomes tiresome to the ear. The piccolo’s lower octave (its lowest note is a D, unlike the flute) has a very special “dry” quality to it. Anyone who has had the pleasure of hearing John Williams’ score to E.T. The Extraterrestrial might have noticed the piccolo solo in the very opening measures of the film score.

Illustration of playing range of the piccolo.

Alto and lower flutes

The alto flute in G and the bass flute in C are both extensions of the flute family into the lower range. Both the alto and bass flute are constructed so as to emphasize the lower two octaves of the instrument's range (written C4 to C6), at the expense of not having a truly balanced upper register. It is for this reason that the majority of music written for these instruments is written in the lower register. While the alto and bass flute can both play and effectively produce the entire range of the instrument, the most characteristic sound for each of these instruments is in the lower two octaves. Also, because these instruments are much heavier and require much more air than the standard flute, extended passages without ample opportunities for breaths are not idiomatic and should be avoided.

The alto flute in G is a transposing instrument sounding a perfect fourth below written pitch. The alto flute brings more carrying power and a richer sound to its lower register in comparison to flute. In a comparable pitch range, the alto flute is much less easily covered and can project more effectively. Caution must still be taken, however, in providing accompaniment to the alto flute in the low register.

The bass flute in C is pitched one octave below the concert C flute. It is a soft instrument and is easily covered in all registers if the accompaniment is not carefully considered. The bass flute is not often heard in the orchestra or concert band; in fact it is typically heard primarily on recordings, or when played live, amplified.

The composer and orchestrator must be wary in using these instruments as they are not always available to orchestras and bands. The alto flute can be uncommonly found, but the bass flute and other, larger flutes are quite rare. The major use for the lower flutes is for filling the lower harmonies in flute choirs, outside of which they are rarely, if ever, seen. Occasionally, when a contrabass flute is not available, it will be substituted with a double bass in the flute choir.