Flute

The flute is one of the world’s oldest instrument, the first flutes dating from 900 BC or earlier. They were originally made from wood and wooden flutes are still used by musicians playing early classical music or folk music. Most flutes are metal however (generally silver) and have the advantage of being light so are easy to carry around! As well as the main flute (Western Concert flute in C) that is normally used, there are also other members of the flute family – the piccolo is a very small type of flute which is higher and pitch and is used frequently in orchestras and wind bands, the alto flute is a bigger lower pitched flute which is used in orchestras. The bass flute is the lowest and biggest member of the flute family.

The flute is a very versatile instrument being used in classical, folk, jazz and sometimes pop & rock music.

The flute is a very good instrument for younger children as it can be played from around age 8 or even younger using specially made instruments. It is also good, however, as an instrument for teenagers and adults as it is possible to reach a good standard in a shorter length of time than some other instruments (depending on practise!). It is a melodic instrument with a beautiful sound and most music will sound good played on the flute.

The flute is suitable for those who wish mainly to play on their own, for their own pleasure as it sounds so lovely on its own. It is also suitable, however, for those who want to play in groups and use music as a social activity as there are so many types of groups that include flutes. There are usually local orchestras and bands that are possible to join or you can form your own group with other musicians. As well as developing musical skills such as aural, rhythm and music reading skills, the flute also develops physical coordination skills and helps breathing, it has actually been shown to help those with asthma. It is also excellent for developing expression and creativity as it is used so often in beautiful, expressive music and is great for improvising in jazz and pop music.