Flutes Are Woodwind Instruments

• Flutes are woodwind instruments, and flautists blow them to make music. They are hollow tubes with a mouthpiece and a series of openings that can be closed to control the length of the vibrating column of air inside the tube. They can be made of wood, metal, bone and plastic, and most cultures have some form of indigenous flute. Theobald Boehm designed the transverse flute that is most commonly used today in Western music.
  
  

Boehm Flutes

• Boehm flutes have three sections: the mouthpiece, the body and the foot joint. They fit together like pieces of pipe to form a long hollow tube that is 26.5 inches long. The keys connect like hinged round doors to cover each hole. They are lined with a replaceable pad on the inside so that no air can escape when the flautist depresses a key to play a particular note. Combinations of closed and open keys create the pitches. Notes from three octaves can be achieved with this flute.
  
  

Playing the Flute

• Blowing a flute is the trickiest part of playing this instrument. Flautists have to position their mouths as when blowing across the top of a soda bottle to make a sound. The mouth's position must be slightly changed to obtain the higher notes. The flautist also must move the tongue, pronouncing the sound "tu" faster or slower to manage the intonation and rhythm of a piece of music. Trills, slurs and runs of notes require the flautist to coordinate her tongue, lips and fingers on the right series and groups of keys.