flute. / (fluːt) / noun. a wind instrument consisting of an open cylindrical tube of wood or metal having holes in the side stopped either by the fingers or by pads controlled by keys. The breath is directed across a mouth hole cut in the side, causing the air in the tube to vibrate.
The sound of the flute, for example, is widely associated with love magic. Among the Northeast and Plains Indians of North America, young men played the flute to serenade young women; in New Guinea, flutes and flute music historically have been connected with rites of sexual initiation.
The flute is a common instrument found in many orchestras and ensembles today. It is also commonly used as a solo instrument. It has basically stayed the same general shape and sound for thousands of years. You hear flute in many different genres of music from classical to jazz to popular to experimental.
There is "tootle" and "tootle-too". tootle n. 3. the sound made by tooting on a flute or the like. tootle-too sound of a flute (“the ceremonial band” by James Reeves, in “Noisy poems” by Jill Bennett)
Flutist is the far more common term chosen in the American vernacular, but according to “Webster's Dictionary of English Usage,” flautist is more proper in British English.
The flute is one of the oldest instruments around, and one of the most diverse. It is virtually ubiquitous in every culture of the world. Learning the flute means learning how to take care of the body.
Playing the flute can be easy to learn, but there are some basics that you need to master before you can play with confidence. Below, we will cover some of the basics of playing the flute so that you can get started on your musical journey.
Certainly the flute is entertaining, fun and easy to play. However, it also has a transcendent voice that quiets the mind and can induce calm, relaxation and emotional healing. Anyone deeply involved with the flute probably has encountered situations of physical and/or emotional healing.
Unless you play those low notes up the octave, in which case, it will work, but will just sound a bit weird. The flute has one of the highest ranges of all instruments. So you probably won't find music that is too high for the flute. But there's a good chance you'll find music that is too high for you!
Fun Facts about the Flute
Throughout history, flutes have been made from many materials, including wood.
The flute is a member of the woodwind family of instruments.
A musician who plays the flute can be called a flutist, flautist, or just a flute player.
A standard concert flute is around 26 inches long.
Many will say the violin sounds the most like a human voice, but the flute is the closest to the voice when it comes to how sound is produced. Flutists breathe exactly how vocalists breathe, and require the same type of air support to create good sounds (I'll save defining “air support” for another day.).
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