The flute and piccolo form part of the woodwind family. They are both reedless instruments; this means they produce their sound by blowing air across the mouthpiece hole.
The Flute
Did you know apart from the voice the flute is the earliest known instrument? Well it is. They have developed a lot since then; first developed and created from wood and now they are more commonly made from metal. They usually measure just over 2 feet long. They are played by holding the instrument horizontally and using your fingers to press down on the keys to open and close them. Opening and closing the different keys changes the pitch. You then blow across the mouthpiece and this produces the sound. The flute is pitched in middle C.
The Piccolo
The piccolo is half the size of a flute. This instrument is smaller than the flute, although its size means it can be difficult to play in tune. This instrument plays higher notes than the flute with a range an octave above. They actually play the highest notes of the woodwind family. The flute and piccolo have a similar shape and are held the same when playing. Although they are different in size with the flute being double the size of the piccolo. The piccolo plays higher notes than the flute. They are made from similar materials but the piccolo is known to be harder to play due to its size. Thanks for reading if you have any questions or would like any more information please contact the sales team on 01283 535333 or email: sales@normans.co.uk
