Wednesday, August 19, 2009

The Sound Of Music Through The Flute

By Jim Samposzi

The flute, an instrument of the woodwind family, creates tones by the use of air and pitch. The flute today is approximately 26 inches long and the tube is about 3/4" in diameter. The end of the flute is open producing a sound of its own. The sound generated depends on the musicians lip formation and the air that passes through the chambers of the inside of the flute.

This instrument has a row of 16 holes, of which 11 activated and deactivated to change the pitch. The other 5 can be triggered by the placement setting of the fingers and opposing thumb. Therefore, a designation of home keys for specific fingers is taught; the player simply slides his/her fingers down the flute neck to create different tones.

The flute's sound is possible by air hitting a sharp corner. The air is then passed through the neck of the flute and a vibration occurs. This vibration is later modified and changed through the use of opening and closing valves along the flute's body. Usually, the flute is made of either silver or wood depending on the country or nation.

A similar instrument, the recorder, looks similar and makes sounds with air but through a elongated piece of wood where the blow piece is on the top. The recorder is less popular than the flute because with the flute, the player changes the angle in which the air from the player's lips hits the mouthpiece; this dictates the pitch and sound that comes from the flute. This positioning of the mouthpiece enables the musician to stretch notes out, further tune sounds, and generate a wide range of volume and tune. Also, the mouthpiece on a flute helps the musician not to over-blow of the sound. Over-blowing happens when the one wishes to hit higher notes by raising the octave sound with the air control valve. It is difficult to curl the lips and change air movement, and so, a flute is extremely versatile.

A flute can also vary pitch by the use of the side cavities. By shortening the length of the air frequency and pushing in the button of the open air channel, one can hit the higher notes. This is possible via changing the harmonic one octave from the fundamental point. The pitch can be further changed by aiming air down into the hole or aiming air upwards. This can be further manipulated by the distance of the player's lips on the mouthpiece.

No matter what flute is in use, the attendees of the event can expect a versatile instrument with many sounds. Flutes go along with any rhythm and are most often seen at a music ensemble. Flutes have a history going back to the days of orchestras and have been improved upon to be made better and provide more control. Like several instruments, flutes vary in brand and style. As a result in the variance of brands available, flutes carry a wide range or prices. The top end flutes made for concert play can cost a couple hundred dollars. Basic flutes typically begin at $50 or so and are great for someone that is learning.

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