FluteThe flute is the smallest and highest pitched beginning band instrument. It is a member of the woodwind family even though it is made of metal and doesn’t use a reed to create the sound. In order to produce a tone on the flute, the player blows across the tone hole of the mouthpiece, allowing the air to split at the far edge of the hole. That creates a whistle sound. It uses the same principle as a whistle or blowing across a soda bottle. In all cases the air splits to create a sound. Aiming a thin air stream at the edge of the hole to make a sound can be a bit challenging at first but it gets much easier with time and practice.
Physical Features Flute players should have a slight “frown” to the upper lip with no tear drop shape in the middle. Flute tones are produced by being able to focus a very small airstream to an exact location on the tone hole. A tear-drop-shaped lip makes it difficult to direct the air so precisely. Flute players should also have agile fingers for playing this instrument through a fast musical passage. Students with large overbites (receded jaw) should avoid choosing flute because that makes it quite challenging to produce a quality tone. Other Concerns Students with double-jointed fingers should avoid selecting flute as double-jointedness can cause lack of agility in the fingers. |
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