The document provides an overview of various types of flutes, detailing their unique characteristics, historical significance, and classifications such as modern concert flutes, wooden and bamboo flutes, and vessel flutes. It discusses specific types like the piccolo, concert flute, alto flute, and various traditional flutes from different cultures. Additionally, it highlights notable features of these instruments, their playing techniques, and their roles in music.

1. DIFFERENT TYPES OF
FLUTES
Phamox Music

2. Introduction
Different types of flutes come in different shapes
and sizes, which makes them unique to one
another. The sizes range from the largest double
contrabass flute to the smallest piccolo.
Each type of flute has its own historical
background and identifiable form and sound.
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3. WHAT IS FLUTE?
The flute is an aerophone instrument
and a member of the woodwind family.
It produces sound by blowing air across
an opening in its body, rather than using
a reed for their sound production.
Depending on the form of the flute, it
can only be played by playing vertically
or horizontally.
The flute is made from a tube with
different holes along its body. These
holes are used to play the flute.
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OF
FLUTES
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4. Brief History of The
Flute
The flute is one of the oldest instruments
known to man, dating back to prehistoric
times. It was a common instrument among
the ancient peoples of Egypt, Greece and
the Sumerians. During the Middle Ages,
flutes were commonly used in France,
England, Germany, and Italy. The most
significant development occurred during
the romantic era when Theobald Boehm
redesigned the flute.
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OF
FLUTES
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5. Different
Types Of Flutes
Flutes took various forms, ranging from
their design to the materials used for
their bodies. The key mechanism makes
some flutes different from others. In this
post, we will discuss the different types
of flutes in their subcategories. Modern
concert flutes, wooden and bamboo flute,
and vessel flutes will be highlighted.
❑ Modern concert flutes,
❑ Vessel flutes,
❑ Bamboo and wooden flutes,
❑ Electric and Electronics flutes.
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OF
FLUTES
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6. Modern Concert
Flute Family
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OF
FLUTES
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Modern concert flutes are based on
19th-century designs, are commonly
made of silver, and have complex key
mechanisms.
This type of flute is the most popular in
Western orchestral instruments.
The modern concert flute comprises
seven (7) members, which are: Piccolo,
Concert/Soprano/C, Alto, Contralto,
Bass, Contrabass, and Subcontrabass.

7. Piccolo
The piccolo is a type of flute and a member
of the western flute family.
The piccolo is much smaller than the regular
flute. It is approximately half the length of
the concert flute.
It is an octave higher than the regular flute,
and its octave reaches almost the upper limit
of the perceptible pitch.
The piccolo adds brilliance to a march and is
a very popular instrument in military
marches.
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OF
FLUTES
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8. PICCOLO

9. Concert/C Flute
The concert flute is the main flute used in
western orchestras and plays on concert
pitches. It is in the key of C and has a range
of three (3) octaves starting from C4 to C7.
The instrument sounds amazing for solo
performance and is influential when used for
accompaniment.
It is smaller compared to the other members
of the family and only bigger than the
piccolo, which is the smallest member of the
flute family.
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OF
FLUTES
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10. CONCERT OR C FLUTE

11. Alto Flute
The alto flute is a transposing instrument
pitched to the key of G. It is the only
member of the western flute family that is
not in C.
It has a range that extends from G3 to G6.
Alto flutes are heavier, longer, and typically
made of thicker metal.
The alto flute has a wider dynamic range, a
stronger tone and highly expressive beautiful
tone.
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OF
FLUTES
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12. ALTO FLUTE

13. Bass Flute
The bass flute is another type of flute and a
member of the modern concert flute family.
Bass flutes are about 146 cm long and have
a bigger curved head joint and bore size.
The instrument has a pitch that sounds an
octave lower than the standard C flute. It is
not a transposing instrument and is pitched
in C, with a typical range of C3 to C6.
The bass flutes are not very loud like
standard flutes.
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OF
FLUTES
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14. BASS FLUTE

15. Vessel Flutes
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OF
FLUTES
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The vessel flute is a flute with a spherical body
shape, unlike the conical or cylindrical bore
common to most flutes.
The body of vessel flutes is not cone or tube-
shaped but globular shaped with a closed far end.
These types of flutes are also called globular flutes.
Examples of vessel flutes are Ocarina, Chinese
Xun, Kōauau ponga ihu.

16. Ocarina
The ocarina is a type of vessel flute and a
member of the aerophone instrument family.
There are different kinds of ocarinas, varying
in the number of finger holes and shape.
The earliest ocarina was fabricated in the
late 1800s by Italian musician Giuseppe
Donati.
They are made with clay or ceramic, but
other materials like bone, wood, plastic,
glass, and metal are also used.
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OF
FLUTES
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17. OCARINA

18. XUN
The Xun is an ancient vessel flute that was
used in ancient China.
The earliest examples of the instrument
were found in the tomb of Marquis Yi of
Zeng, who died in 433 BC.
The instrument has a warm, mellow tone
that is perfect for playing slow, relaxing
music.
It can be used to play solo melodies or to
accompany other instruments.
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OF
FLUTES
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19. XUN

20. Bamboo Flute
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FLUTES
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There are many types of wooden and
bamboo flutes, and they are peculiar
to different ethnic groups and
nations around the world.
For instance, the Chinese have
different types of bamboo flutes like
Dizi, Koudi, Xiao, and many others.
Bamboo flutes are native to India, the
Andes, Cambodia, and Thailand,
respectively. Other well-known
wooden flutes around the world are
Flabiol, Fujara, Frula, Recorder, Shvi,
Spilåpipa, and Txistu.

21. Bansuri
Bansuri is a bamboo flute made from a
bamboo shaft and is around 30cm to 75cm
long.
It is very popular in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan,
and other nearby countries.
Bansuri has no key mechanism, just like
several other bamboo flutes.
Along its body, they drilled a blow hole and
six finger holes to play the instrument.
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OF
FLUTES
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22. BANSURI

23. Dizi
Dizi is a Chinese transverse flute made from
bamboo.
There are several types of traditional
bamboo flutes used in China, depending on
the region, to manufacture dizi.
Dizi often used in contemporary Chinese
orchestras, operas, and folk music.
This is made possible via the "mo kong" hole,
located underneath the blowhole or mouth
hole.
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OF
FLUTES
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24. DIZI

25. Recorder
A recorder is another type of flute made
from wood. It has a tapered cylindrical body
with a fipple mouthpiece.
The recorder operates on the same
mechanism as every other woodwind
instrument.
Almost all the Baroque repertoire is written
for the treble recorder, also known as the
common flute.
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OF
FLUTES
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26. RECORDER

27. Summary
There are different types of flutes
apart from the ones that come to
mind when most people think of
them.
Indeed, there are a lot of options
when it comes to the flute.
In fact, there are more that we
haven't discussed here, but
perhaps this presentation has
given you a better understanding
of the many types of flutes.
VISIT: https://tinyurl.com/37fe93sj
for more details on types of flute.
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OF
FLUTES
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28. THANK
YOU
TYPES
OF
FLUTES
• Kayode (Phamox Music)
• admin@phamoxmusic.com
• https://phamoxmusic.com
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