Next to percussion, flute is the oldest instrument in the world with examples from almost every country. Early flutes were made by piercing animal bones, such as reindeer horn or sheep’s tibia (leg bone), with a blow-hole and several finger-holes. The blow-hole was at the end of the instrument, and players would blow down into it vertically, like a recorder.

In the 1300’s, a more modern version of the flute began spreading to most parts of Europe, including Spain, France, and Flanders. The main material used for making flutes during this time was boxwood (see image below), which is an evergreen shrub. Flutes were also made out of silver and glass during this time. King Henry VIII (8) owned 3 glass flutes.

During this time, the flute became a popular instrument for amateur musicians (people who are playing for fun or for a hobby rather than as a profession) to play within their homes. The flute became a common instrument you would see in “consort music,” which consisted of small ensembles where each person played a different part.

The first time a flute was used in an orchestral setting was in a ballet performed for the French court that was composed by Jean-Baptiste Lully in 1681. 50 years after Lully introduced it to the orchestral setting, the flute had replaced the recorder within the ensemble. Around this time, the flute also started to be used as a solo instrument. These solo parts expanded flutes range to not only play high notes, but to also play in their lower register. The composers also encouraged performers to add individual character to each of the parts they played.

The flute had been a difficult instrument to play, and Theobald Boehm (1794-1881) took it upon himself to improve the playability of the instrument. He made many adjustments, the most notable is that he increased the size of the finger-holes. Because of their large size, this forced him to add keys that the player closed, rather than continuing to cover the holes with just their fingers. Boehm added both keys that worked independently and keys that interacted with others. This is also the time where the flute switched from being played vertically like a recorder, to being played parallel to the floor. The final version of the flute that Boehm designed is the type of flute that is played today. The picture below shows a flute created by Boehm in 1847 that is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

There are 4 different sizes of flutes: piccolo, flute, alto flute, and bass flute. Piccolo is the second most common instrument of the 4 and is pitched an octave higher than the flute. Alto flute is known for its melancholic, haunting tone, and is pitched a perfect fourth below the flute. Bass flutes are rarely found nowadays, and are pitched an octave below the flute.

Listening Examples – Flute

Listening Examples – Other

Alto Flute:
Inchon by Robert W. Smith

Flute Quartet:
Under the Sea
Instruments from left to right: Bass flute, Alto flute, Flute, Piccolo

Beatboxing Flute:
Beatboxing on the flute is a newer technique that involves humming and using your lips and tongue to create percussive effects. This style has only been around since the mid 2000’s, and was created by Greg Pattillo. Flute music written in this style has 2 lines of music, one with the notes and one for the percussive effects.