Flute Terms
- Flautist (also "flutist" or "flute player") — one who plays the flute.
- Crown – the cap at the end of the head joint that unscrews to expose the cork, and which helps keep the head joint cork positioned at the proper depth.
- Lip plate – the part of the head joint which contacts the player's lower lip, allowing positioning and direction of the air stream.
- Riser – the metal section that raises the lip plate from the head joint tube.
- Head joint – the top section of the flute, has the tone hole/lip plate where the player initiates the sound by blowing air across the opening.
- Body – the middle section of the flute with the majority of the keys.
- Closed-hole – a finger key which is fully covered.
- Open-hole – a finger key with a perforated center.
- Pointed arms – arms connecting the keys to the rods which are pointed and extend to the keys' centers; found on more expensive flutes.
- French model – a flute with pointed French-style arms and open-hole keys, as distinguished from the plateau style with closed holes.
- Inline G – the standard position of the left-hand G (third-finger) key – in line with the first and second keys.
- Offset G – a G key which is extended to the side of the other two left-hand finger keys (along with the G♯ key), making it easier to reach and cover effectively.
- Split E mechanism – a system whereby the second G key (positioned below the G♯ key) is closed when the right middle-finger key is depressed, enabling a clearer third octave E; standard on most flutes, but omitted from many intermediate- and professional-grade flutes, as it can reduce the tonal quality of 3rd octave F♯.
- Trill Keys – two small, teardrop shaped keys between the right-hand keys on the body; the first enables an easy C-D trill, and the second enables C-D♯. A-B♭ lever or "trill" key is located in line directly above the right first-finger key. An optional C♯ trill key which facilitates the trill from B to C♯ is sometimes found on intermediate- and professional-quality flutes. The two trill keys are also used in playing the high B♭ and B.
- Foot joint – the last section of the flute (played farthest towards the right).
- C foot – a foot joint with a lowest note of middle C (C4); typical on student model flutes.
- B foot – a foot joint with a lowest note of B below middle C (B3), which is an option for intermediate and professional-grade flutes.
- D♯ roller – an optional feature added to the E♭ key on the foot joint, facilitating the transition between E♭/D♯ and D♭/C♯, and C.
- "Gizmo key" — an optional key on the B foot joint which can assist in playing C7.
Read more about this topic: Western Concert Flute
Famous quotes containing the words flute and/or terms:
“there’s nothing compared with the ould Orange flute.”
—Unknown. The Old Orange Flute (l. 8)
“Of course I’m a black writer.... I’m not just a black writer, but categories like black writer, woman writer and Latin American writer aren’t marginal anymore. We have to acknowledge that the thing we call “literature” is more pluralistic now, just as society ought to be. The melting pot never worked. We ought to be able to accept on equal terms everybody from the Hassidim to Walter Lippmann, from the Rastafarians to Ralph Bunche.”
—Toni Morrison (b. 1931)