How do flutes work physics?

The flutist blows a rapid jet of air across the embouchure hole. In the flute, the air jet, in cooperation with the resonances in the air in the instrument, produces an oscillating component of the flow. Once the air in the flute is vibrating, some of the energy is radiated as sound out of the end and any open holes.

Where does air exit a flute?

The jet of air from the player’s lips travels across the embouchure-hole opening and strikes against the sharp further edge of the hole. If such a jet is disturbed, then a wave-like displacement travels along it and deflects it so that it may blow either into or out of the embouchure hole.

How does a flute make its sound?

flute, French flûte, German Flöte, wind instrument in which the sound is produced by a stream of air directed against a sharp edge, upon which the air breaks up into eddies that alternate regularly above and below the edge, setting into vibration the air enclosed in the flute.

How many notes are on a flute?

If you have a regular (standard student classical flute) C flute with a C foot joint and you travel chromatically upward through the 3 full octaves you’ll have 36 notes. If you have a B foot joint and use a few new fingerings to go above the 4th octave C, you’ll have around 38 + notes.

What are 3 interesting facts about the flute?

The standard concert flute has a range of about 3 octaves (roughly between C4 and C7). The flute is one of the highest-pitched instruments. Consequently, flute music is written in treble clef. The piccolo is basically a mini-flute and sounds one octave higher than the standard concert flute.

What are the holes in a flute called?

The head joint is where the sound of the flute originates as the player blows air into the flute through the embouchure hole (also known as the blow hole or mouth hole). The embouchure hole is in the center of the lip plate (or embouchure plate) that anchors the lips to the flute.

How do you make a sound on the flute?

A flute works by blowing air across the mouthpiece, which creates vibrations that make the sound. The musician makes different notes by covering the holes in the flute.

What sound does a flute make?

A flute is a woodwind instrument, but unlike other woodwinds that make sound through a vibrating bamboo reed (such as clarinets, saxophones and oboes), a flute’s sound happens as the player blows air over the top of the mouthpiece hole.

How is a sound made from a flute?

The flute is made in the form of an open cylindrical air column about 66 cm long. Its fundamental pitch is middle C (C4) and it has a range of about three octaves to C7. Sound is produced from a flute by blowing onto a sharp edge, causing air enclosed in a tube to vibrate.

What is a flute used for?

The flute is one of the more popular instrument which means it’s also more competitive. The good news is that the flute is used in many different musical genres, a flautist has the opportunity to perform in bands, symphony orchestras, some jazz groups and small instrumental groups.