fipple

the part of some musical instruments, such as a recorder or pipe, that the player puts into his or her mouth and blows: The recorder and tin whistle are played by blowing into a fipple. A flute is an instrument played by blowing across a mouth-hole or (as in the recorder) against a sharp edge, or fipple.

fipple flute, also called whistle flute, duct flute, or block flute, any of several end-blown flutes having a plug (“block,” or “fipple”) inside the pipe below the mouth hole, forming a flue, duct, or windway that directs the player's breath alternately above and below the sharp edge of a lateral hole.

With a fipple flute, air is blown into the mouthpiece and is split by a piece of wood, bone, plastic or metal (the fipple) located inside the body, thus being forced out of the tone holes and producing sound.

Almost all primitive cultures had a type of fipple flute and is most likely the first pitched flute-type instrument in existence. A possible Neanderthal fipple flute from Slovenia dates from approx 60,000 B.C. Written sources that describe a fipple-type flute include the Roman and Greek aulos and tibia.

Irish flutes or Celtic flutes are based on the simple system predecessor to the Boehm style classical flute. These simple system flutes are typically made from wood, with the most popular tonewoods being African Blackwood, Cocuswood, Mopane, Rosewood or Boxwood.

The biggest difference between the flute vs recorder is that the sound of a recorder is produced using a fipple and the sound of a flute does not have a fipple.

The fipple is a block or plug inside the mouthpiece below the opening that blocks the flow of air and directs it through a flue or duct (often called a windway) so it can pass over the sharp edge of the lip (often called a labium) causing the air column to split and vibrate to create a pitch.

Etymology. The instrument name recorder derives from the Latin recordārī (to call to mind, remember, recollect), by way of Middle French recorder (before 1349; to remember, to learn by heart, repeat, relate, recite, play music) and its derivative recordeur ( c. 1395; one who retells, a minstrel).

The term fipple specifies a variety of end-blown flute that includes the flageolet, recorder, and tin whistle.

Slide whistle (aka swanee or swannee whistle, piston flute, jazz flute)

Simple System vs Boehm System Irish flutes are based on the simple system flute, while classical flutes, as you know, use the Boehm-system. In other words, wooden flutes have significantly fewer keys, or none at all. Simple system flutes also use open holes.

If you're looking for an easy instrument to learn, any of these options fit the bill:

• HARMONICA. One of the easiest instruments you can take up, which is also very popular in a variety of styles, is the harmonica.
• GUITAR.
• UKULELE.
• KEYBOARD.
• DRUMS.