How many flutes are in an orchestra

A shorter version of the flute is called the piccolo , which means small in Italian. At half the size of a standard flute, piccolos play the highest notes of all the woodwinds; in the orchestra one of the flute players will also play piccolo if that instrument is required. The high piping sound of the piccolo is also heard in traditional drum corps and marching band music.

The oboe is a 2 foot long black cylinder with metal keys covering its holes, and its mouthpiece uses a double reed, which vibrates when you blow through it. This vibration of the reed makes the air inside the oboe move, and thus creates sound. To play it, hold the oboe upright, blow through the double reed in your mouth, and use both hands to press down on the keys to open and close the holes and change the pitch. There are usually 2 to 4 oboes in an orchestra and they produce a wide range of pitches, from haunting sounds to warm, velvety smooth notes, which make the sound of the oboe very memorable.

In addition to playing in the orchestra, the first oboist is also responsible for tuning the orchestra before each concert. Listen for the special note "A" that the oboe plays before the music begins. Despite its name, it isn't English and it isn't a horn. The English horn is actually closely related to the oboe, also uses a double reed, and is played in the same manner. It's longer than an oboe and its tube is a bit wider. At the bottom end of the English horn it opens out into a rounded bell shape, which gives it a warmer, fuller sound.

Because it's larger, the English horn also has a lower pitch range than an oboe. An oboe player will also play English horn if it is needed. The clarinet could easily be mistaken for an oboe, except for the mouthpiece, which uses a single reed. Its lowest note is Middle C on the piano or sometimes the B just below if the player has a longer foot joint.

The flute does not transpose — the music sounds as written. Keep up to date about online concerts, behind the scenes content and much more. Follow us. Sign up for email updates and be the first to receive stories, films and concert announcements.

Sign up. Enjoyed this content? We need your help to keep these resources free. Donate now. I understand. Home Play Current page: The orchestral instruments: The flutes. The orchestral instruments: The flutes Flutes have existed in all times and in all cultures and there are many, many variants. The music. Maurice Ravel from Bolero. The flute section of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. The video is approximately 6 minutes. Subtitles in English or Swedish is activated by using the CC control in the video player.

Related videos. The violins They are not the biggest, but the most. The violoncellos The cello is the second largest of string instruments, and it can really "sing" melodies beautifully; maybe that is one of the reasons why there are so many famous concertos for the instrument.

The double basses The double bass is the biggest string instrument in the orchestra. The oboes Come along to the reed workshop! The clarinets The clarinet produces a sound that can be soft and stealthily cat-like, but also shrill and intense.

The bassoons The Bare Necessities! The french horns From the cow horn to the symphony orchestra's heart! Fun Facts about the Flute. Throughout history, flutes have been made from many materials, including wood. Today flutes are usually made from silver, gold, or some other type of metal. 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.

A musician holds the flute in a horizontal position and blows across a hole the mouthpiece in the side of the tube, in much the same way you would blow across the opening of a bottle to produce a sound.

Arranged along the tube are 16 sound holes for finger movements. When all the holes are covered, the instrument sounds its lowest note. There are flutes in an orchestra.

The flute section of the orchestra often includes a piccolo, which is a half-size version of a flute that plays twice as high! The flute is one of the earliest instruments still in existence. The oldest flute ever discovered can be traced to prehistoric times, dating more than 40, years ago! There are a vast number of different types of flutes worldwide.