Why You Need to Play Multiple Types of Flutes
The concert flute (or C flute) is just one of a variety of different types of flutes. There are lots of flutes in the concert flute family as well as MANY world and historical flutes. So why should a concert flutist learn to play multiple types of flutes? The benefits of playing other types of flutes are many, including:
Playing multiple types flutes makes you more valuable and in demand and enables you to play in more ensembles.
Many ensembles need other types of flutes instead of only concert flute, and the most commonly requested one is piccolo. Many orchestral and band (concert, marching, and sometimes even jazz) works require piccolo, and it really is one of the first instruments flute players should learn how to double. If you are looking to join an orchestra or band, those ensembles would be much more likely to have you join if you played piccolo as well, assuming there is any competition in joining them. These ensembles will also on rare occasions require an alto flute, so if you can play all three instruments, then that is even better.
Also, every flute player needs to play in a flute choir at some point (it’s THE BEST)! A flute choir is a band of flutes of all sizes, so not only do they need concert flute and piccolo players, but also those that play alto, bass, and even contrabass flute.
Or you can play in early music ensembles like Medieval, Renaissance, or Baroque groups that require playing historical instruments like the recorder, Renaissance flute, or traverso/Baroque flute.
And there are also those occasional gigs where a flutist will need to play flutes outside the concert flute family, especially for musicals (a famous example being The Lion King which includes world flutes like the panpipe, dizi, Irish flute, and bansuri) and special studio recordings. Take a listen to the music next time you watch a movie or play a video game, and you would be surprised by the frequency in which world instruments in addition to concert instruments are part of the score!
You become better at playing the concert flute.
Playing other types of flutes can actually benefit your normal concert flute playing!
Playing piccolo requires a good deal of embouchure control and can help you with your high notes on flute, while playing low flutes requires you to relax more and can help you get out low notes and play with less tension on your concert flute. Plus, since low flutes require more of a finger stretch, they make the concert flute seem small and the distances your fingers have to reach not very big (your right hand pinky will thank you!).
If you play an open hole flute, then those open holes will seem a lot less hard to cover if you play a flute with fewer or no keys like many historical or world instruments. And pitch bends with finger slides, changing timbre with fingering, or doing finger vibrato will become easier to do on your concert flute as these are techniques that are very common on some other types of flutes. There are additionally many extended techniques like flutter tonguing or harmonics that are needed when playing other styles that you can then transfer over to your concert flute.
And basically, your perspective of timbral possibilities on your concert flute will broaden after hearing all the different colors and techniques possible on these other flutes.
Granted, when you are first learning a new flute, it may take you a little while to get used to switching between the new instrument and flute, so it might actually be somewhat harder at first. But when you do get used to it, you will definitely be glad that you learned the additional instrument!
You increase your understanding of historical music or world music styles.
In addition to helping your flute performance technique, learning other flutes can help you better understand historical or world music styles.
When we play Baroque music today on our modern flutes, for example music by Bach, we are not really playing the piece as it was intended to be heard. A Baroque flute really does sound different than a modern flute, softer and more hollow with different dynamic and intonation tendencies. The notes don’t sound quite as smooth and homogeneous as on modern flute, with different keys and scales having different colors to them, and you can really feel the danciness to the music of the time which was often based on dance styles. It is truer to what Bach would have heard during his lifetime! And you get a better idea of how to imitate that sound and style when playing the music on a modern flute.
And when you play world flutes, you get to learn about the musical styles of these different cultures. You will appreciate Irish folk music a lot more after playing an Irish flute or whistle, and play it in a more authentic way when you also play it on your concert flute. The same goes for the flute(s) of any other culture.
They are good for your brain, and you get to practice transposing.
It is well known that playing an instrument is good for your brain, creating all kinds of connections that will keep your brain young and healthy and thinking your best. Therefore, adding additional instruments can only help this process even more!
You also get the chance to work on your music theory skills, especially transposing. While many flutes transpose by the octave like piccolo (which sounds an octave higher than written), bass (sounds an octave lower), or contrabass (sounds two octaves lower), there are some flutes that transpose by other intervals. The most common example is the alto flute which is in G, meaning that is sounds a perfect fourth lower than concert pitch. So if you wanted to play something written for a C instrument like the concert flute on alto flute, you would need to play it in a key that was a fourth higher. For example, a piece in A major will need to be played in D major instead.
Many world flutes transpose as well, although be warned that the naming systems of keys and pitch can vary depending on the flute and the culture. And sometimes historical instruments like the Baroque flute can be tuned to A=415hz instead of 440hz like is standard among modern concert instruments, basically sounding a half step lower (ex. a B played on a Baroque flute would actually sound like a Bb on the modern flute). And you know that if you can figure out all this craziness with key and pitch, then that has to be pretty good for your brain too!
They are worthwhile instruments in their own right with beautiful and unique timbres.
The last but certainly not least reason to play other flutes is that they are all unique instruments and are just as worthwhile to play as the concert flute! Just because the concert flute is the one most commonly played in western society, doesn’t mean the other flutes aren’t just as important.
And it can be SO MUCH FUN to learn another flute!!! Give it a go! And besides, a person can never have too many flutes 🙂
Hear some of these other types of flutes in action!
In the storybook “Flutie’s Family Reunion”, you can learn about and hear many of these different flutes, including concert flutes (piccolo, concert flute, alto, bass, and contrabass) and world flutes (Irish flute, penny whistle, shakuhachi, dizi, panpipe, and ocarina), available as both a paperback and digital book. And flute choirs can perform the “Flute Family Showcase Concert” found at the end of the book to introduce an audience to each of the members of the flute choir.
And check out “Flutie and Pickle’s Journey Through Time,” where the long history of the flute is told in a fun time-traveling story! You will learn about and hear more of the Baroque flute along with many other historical instruments including the Hohle Fels and Jiahu flutes, ney, bansuri, Native American flute, recorder, Renaissances flute, fife, Boehm flutes, and the flute with glissando headjoint. It is also available as both a paperback and digital book.
The more flutes, the better!
