Talk:Flute
From Academic Kids
Edit: In non-fipple flutes, especially the concert flute and piccolo, the player must form and direct the stream with his lips. This makes the transverse flute's pitch and timbre more instantly expressive than any other instrument. However, it also makes the transverse flute immensely more difficult [start of edit:] for a beginner to get a full sound out of [end of edit:] than the recorder.
Previous text was "more difficult to play than the recorder." As a professional flutist who has also performed a bit on the recorder, I believe that while it is much easier for an advanced beginner to play a recorder at a reasonably acceptable level, it is much harder to really master the recorder than the flute. Be that as it may, I fail to see that it's _immensely easier_ to master the recorder!
Michael
Nickel-silver and brass are different materials, guys. User:Ray Van De Walker
There is some dispute over whether the the head is really a hyperbola; I think the article means the inside of the head. Can anyone state definitively? I don't have a flute lying around. I erased the contradiction "(Surely not...)" from the subject page, since it seems kind of silly to say, "It's this (no it isn't)." -- Merphant
I've taken out the hyperbola part. It's probably parabolic. -- Merphant
"A flute is usually an open-ended reedless tube with circular holes, which produce higher or lower sounds when opened or closed with the fingers."
Are the sounds really produced by the holes? Or should it rather read:
"A flute is usually an open-ended reedless tube with circular holes, which produces higher or lower sounds depending on which holes are opened or closed with the fingers."?
S.
Well.. that's a tough one. I suppose it depends on your usage of the word "produce"... in the balance though, I would argue that your interpretation has a better sound to it. I suggest altering the article. --Dante Alighieri
Somebody inserted the following paragraph into sheet music. It has nothing to do with sheet music, but I thought I'd put it here in case it was of any use to anybody. --Camembert
- many advances have been made in the region of the instruments, as well as the music, since their humble beginnings. For example, the flute that we see today has come very far since its beginnings, possibly in early Japan or China. Then, the flute was a simple tube with anywhere from six to ten finger-holes and smoe form of mouthpeice. Today, the modern flute, whose keywork was created by the German istrument-maker Theobald Boehme, has some 16 keys, far more than the old open-hold flutes. Most of theses are also covered by pads that only need to be opened by a single pad, thus enabling the flautist to have the full range of scales and accidental notess without having to change octaves or fingering systems.
How to Choose a Flute
I've learned flute for three years, and I am thinking to buy another flute (currently I'm playing the Gemeinhardt flute). Sankyo, Muramatsu, Powell are all famous in manufacturing flute. Are the former two brands more suitable for Asians? Needless to say, Powell is perfect (in terms of quality & money :-D)!
Thanks.--144.214.54.86 09:06, 3 Feb 2004 (UTC) Karen
I'm a little concerned that this generic flute page doesn't disambiguate enough. It starts off stating that that flutes are technically transverse flutes, which is plainly wrong. Transverse flutes are a subset of flutes. Further, it goes on to say that flutes are woodwind instruments, while woodwind is classification of western instruments. In China, instruments are classified by materials, like 'bamboo', etc.
It gets into the 'history' of flutes, without disambiguating which flute is being discussed, etc. In short, the whole article takes the view modern western concert flutes, and ignores everything else except as footnotes in history that share some common features.
I think this should be fixed. But I'm not claiming to be an expert on this stuff, and I certainly don't feel qualified to start chopping without any input. Anyone interested in helping me clean this up?
--Jel 13:35, 26 Apr 2004 (UTC)
- Sure, I even have some authoritative refs to help. To avoid getting bogged down, use this page to sketch an outline. Keep in mind that the modern western concert flute is by far the most familiar to English-speaking readers, so it will tend to get the most content no matter what. Also check out the "competition" - print encyclopedias - take note of how they organize. Stan 03:57, 29 Apr 2004 (UTC)
Remarks on some edits, 09 Oct 2004, 10:41 UTC
I edited the caption. It is _not_ necessary for flute technique that the flute be parallel to the floor! Tell that to Rampal! The important thing is the relationship between the lip plate and the lips and tongue, not the floor.
I also edited some of the comments on flute technique. You do _not_ need to blow more air to play loud; you need to angle the air lower (more into the lip plate) to play loud. If anything, soft passages sometimes need more, or at least as much air - angled so that it barely glances the far edge of the lip plate.
I also don't recommend trying to move your chin around. I never do that consciously, though I'll readily admit that there are muscles in the chin that relate to lower lip movement. But what I'm conscious of is moving my lips, tongue, and hands. The important thing is that the lip plate has to be securely on the lips but also placed in such a way that the player can have flexibility to move the lower lip as necessary to change the angle of the airstream. I always tell my students that playing the flute is like blowing across a thousand bottles, with a different angle for each pitch and each dynamic level.
I also edited the part on vibrato, though perhaps my emendments there may not be controversial. It is indeed a pitch oscillation, but I try to keep the pitch variation very small and emphasize the breath pulsation aspect.
Like it or not, matters of tone production and technique are controversial and it's difficult to write an article on such matters where there will be total agreement by consensus.
By Michael
Michael, I won't change it, but i believe that the reference to having the flute parallel to the ground is correct, because for proper breathing it is essential. it also prevents the pads from getting sticky to some degree. it does not affect tone directly, but it is proper technique. User:Daiv
Daiv, do you believe that Rampal used inefficient breathing technique? I certainly don't! I don't believe I do, either. You might also want to run your point of view by Keith Underwood, an internationally renowned New York-based teacher and performer who has spent countless hours analysing videotapes, still photos, and recordings of great flutists and figuring out precisely how they produced each note in every context. In terms of preventing pads from getting sticky, I'd love some documentation of that but consider it much less important than a relaxed and efficient posture, in any case.
By Michael
More wiki definitions.
Flute sounds are typically open and hollow as a result of relatively weak upper partials. As a result, flute tones are sweet in character and blend well with other instruments. The flute's timbre, pitch and attack are flexible, allowing a very high degree of instantaneous expressive control.
I don't know what upper partials, timbre, and attack mean musically.
Oh yeah
The 30,000 year old flute is pretty controversial. This should be noted.
