Meet the Flute | Omaha Symphony Virtual Instruments

Learn about the flute and piccolo, including their parts and use, from Omaha Symphony’s Nick Fitton, Assistant Principal for the flute and piccolo. The flute is an ancient, woodwind instrument with evidence suggesting they were used as early as 35,000 years ago. Originally flutes were made of wood, bone, or bamboo. Now they are commonly made of metal, primarily silver and nickel. The sound is made by blowing air across a hole in the mouthpiece—kind of like blowing across the top of a bottle. A standard concert flute is approximately 26 inches long, and typically has 15-18 keys.

The flute has a light, bright, and airy sound that can play both very high and very fast notes. In the orchestra, the flute often plays the melody and adds sparkle to the music, kind of like a bird singing in the treetops. A musician who plays the flute can be called a flutist, flautist, or simply a flute player.

In addition to the flute, meet the tiny piccolo in the second video. The piccolo, while only 13 inches long, is a strong counterpart to the flute and produces the highest sound of the woodwind family.