Flutes: Features and Overview
The flute is an instrument
that plays high notes with a very pretty sound. It often adds color or
interesting trills that complement the main melody in a band or
orchestra. Almost all flutes played today are in the key of C, and are
usually made out of metal.
Flutes are a very common beginning band
instrument, and make a good choice for a first-time player. The sound
is produced by blowing air across a hole in the head of the instrument,
similar to blowing across the top of a soda bottle. The instrument is
played by holding the long tube out to the side of the player’s face,
parallel to the ground. Because of this, some players with very short
arms may need to acquire an instrument with a curved head to shorten
the reach needed to play comfortably, but an average-sized 5th grader
should be able to handle the flute without much difficulty.
Flutes differ from most other woodwinds because the body of the
instrument is cylindrical. It's just a round tube with tone holes to
lengthen and shorten the air column. Grossly oversimplified, but to a
great extent true. It is believed by most that the headjoint is the
most critical are of a flute, and ABI certainly concurs!
The head joint has a slight (parabolic) taper between the crown end
and the embouchure hole. Student model flute headjoints have actually
improved consistently over the last 15-20 years, with computer-guided
machining allowing accurate cutting / finishing on more than one axis.
Having stated this, one should not try to compare a machine-cut head
joint to a carefully hand-cut or hand finished head joint.
As one moves into more expensive instruments, using sterling silver
or gold for the head, you are assured of some degree of hand
finishing. Simply re-stated, a hand-cut Powell or Brannen head joint
played on a quality, well adjusted student body will sound like a
$10,000 to $20,000 professional flute.
Student Flutes :Student flutes usually have several characteristics in common. The head and body of the instrument are generally made out of a nickel alloy, and then plated with another metal such as silver on top to make them shiny. The finger keys will almost certainly be “closed hole” or plateau style, which generally makes them easier to play, especially for young players with small fingers. The foot joint will typically have enough keys to allow the flute to play down to a low C.
At this level, most manufacturers concentrate on making the instrument easy to play for a beginner while keeping the price affordable. This does NOT mean that student flutes should be assumed to be low-quality. On the contrary, a well-built student instrument with proper care and maintenance should last for DECADES, and only need to be replaced or upgraded if the player outgrows the flute’s capabilities.
Intermediate Flutes:When a player decides it’s time to move beyond his or her student instrument, it’s usually because the player has grown in ability and experience to the point that those features that make the student instrument easy to play are now starting to hold the player back. Manufacturers understand this, and so design the next level of flutes to allow more experienced players to draw more out of the instrument. Much like taking the training wheels off a bicycle, the improvements made at this level will allow a stronger player to make the instrument work harder for them.
The single most dramatic change for an intermediate flute is the upgrade to a solid Sterling silver headjoint, often with a change in the embouchure riser. As the headjoint is responsible to creating the flute’s overall sound, changes made here will have a major impact on the way the flute plays. Other common upgrades include open holes (French) design for a more full sound and the extension of the footjoint to increase the range to low B (and warm up the sound of the flute in the process). Flutes at this level will typically have an increasing degree of hand-finishing work used in the manufacturing process.
Advanced and Professional Flutes:
At this level, manufacturers assume that players are well past the basics and expect their instrument to perform as close to perfection as possible, and are therefore able and willing to pay a premium price to obtain that perfection. Since these instruments are built to an extremely high standard, buying decisions generally hinge more on subtle differences in playing characteristics or tone production. Players may make multiple visits trying out different brands and models before making a final decision on how to best invest their money.
Flutes of this caliber will most likely have solid silver headjoints and bodies, open holes, and B footjoints. There may also be additional trill keys not found on lower-priced models, although these are typically more of a convenience than a necessity. Other features of construction will be focused on helping the advanced player fine-tune the flute’s sound and feel. "Hand Built" instruments represent the pinnacle of production, with the highest attention to detail employed to satisfy even the most discerning player.
Features In Step-Up and Professional Models
WALL THICKNESS
Modern flute heads and bodies vary in thickness from .014" (thinwall) up to .020" (thickwall). There is a very discernable difference in sound and response. Thinwalls produce a brighter, quicker response whereas heavy walls produce a somewhat darker sound with more carrying power. Choosing an instrument becomes a matter of personal preference, with great attention paid to the interplay between material, design and wall thickness.
FRENCH ARMS
The key "cups" and the key hinge tubes are connected by arms. In most student level instruments and many step-ups, the standard key has an arm that connects to the back side of the cup. In higher level flute building, french arms connect at the back and also across the top of the key, ending in a point in the center of the cup. The musician can play with a nice light touch because the arm takes the pressure of the fingered key and applies it directly to the center of the pad.
ADJUSTMENT SCREWS
Most flutes have strategically placed adjustment screws. When the screw and its surrounding lug are made with a fine thread and fitted properly, the system works reliably. When it is poorly made, the flute goes out of adjustment easily. Poorly made flutes have hurt the reputation of adjustment screws.
SCALE AND PITCH
Pitch is the frequency at which the instrument is designed to play its best (in tune). The old standard at which flutes were built is A=440. Today's standard is A=442. In fact, many of today's major orchestras tune at A=442.
The instrument's scale is the relationship of the toneholes to each other, the size of each hole, and the distance of the toneholes from the embouchure. The musician will play with better intonation while expending less effort with a well built scale. The quality of each note is largely determined by the scale of the instrument.
GIZMO
The high C facilitator, also referred to as the "gizmo", closes the low B tonehole, providing clear response of the fourth octave C. The high C facilitator is standard on most B footjoints. The gizmo can also help to correct the pitch of the High E and A.
INLINE OR OFFSET G KEYS
For years in this country, student flutes have been sold with plateau keys (closed or covered hole) and offset G. In contrast, most professional flutes have open holes and inline G. As a result, people often view the inline as the professional mechanism, in fact, some say that an offset G doesn't "look" professional.
It is often the case, that the offset G can facilitate a more relaxed, natural left-hand position. While this is not true for everyone, some maintain that inline keys demand and therefore help develop a better technique.
OPEN HOLES
French keys (open hole) require that the player cover a hole in the center of the key cup. The openholes are located under the 2nd and 3rd finger of the left hand (A and G), and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers of the right hand (F,E and D). Most flutists favor the french models, there are legitimate arguments for plateau keys.
Openholes can be used for effects such as bending or shading pitch. Playing openholes requires and therefore develops fingering accuracy that is not essential on plateau keys.
Because most fine flutes are built with openholes, there is a greater selection. Openhole flutes can be used as plateau flutes by inserting plugs in them. The plugs can be removed methodically, one at a time, until the technique and feel is developed. Take out the A first, then the F, and then the E. Lastly, remove the 3rd fingers, either the G or D first depending on the individual. Openhole flutes are the standard and therefore retain good resale value.
SPLIT E MECHANISM
This mechanism physically splits the double G keys. When playing G, the keys behave as normal, closing both of the G keys via an adjustment screw between the two. When fingering high E (3rd octave), the mechanism closes the lower of the two G key, creating an ideal venting system stabilizing this usually troublesome note!
Many see the musical advantage while some prefer not to add the additional mechanism. Note: some Japanese makers offer the E-mech as standard on offset G models like Pearl. Many companies offer the E-mech only on offset models.
B FOOT OR C FOOT
The flute's footjoint will normally be built to low C or B. The B foot extends the range of the flute down one half step making the lowest note available B. As a result, the foot is lengthened by about an inch.
The added mass of the extra tube and key weight tends to harness the shrillness of the high register and some hear this as making the flute "darker" in sound. While the low B is increasingly used in repertoire, the extension of the tube has other effects as well. The longer tube creates more resistance in the low register, having the effect of strengthening the low C response. In step up flutes, we sell more B foot instruments than C foot.
