Rena Urso-Trapani: Plays the Western Concert Flute
The Western concert flutes The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike
other woodwind instruments, a flute is a reedless wind instrument that
produces its sound from the flow of air against an edge.
A musician who plays the flute can be referred to as a flute player, a flautist, or a flutist.
Kid's Talk Radio News: Main article: Western concert flute
The Western concert flute, a descendant of the 19th-century German flute, is a transverse flute which is closed at the top. Near the top is the embouchure hole, across and into which the player blows. It has larger circular finger-holes than its baroque predecessors, designed to increase the instrument's dynamic range. Various combinations can be opened or closed by means of keys, to produce the different notes in its playing range. There are a total of 25 working keys on a western concert flute. The note produced depends on which finger-holes are opened or closed and on how the flute is blown. There are two kinds of foot joints available for the concert flute: the standard C foot (shown above) or the longer B foot with an extra key extending the flute's range to B below middle C. There can also be a Bb below middle c foot joint added to the instrument. With the rare exception of the Kingma system, or custom-devised fingering systems, modern Western concert flutes conform to the Boehm system.
The standard concert flute is pitched in the key of C and has a range of three octaves starting from middle C (or one half-step lower with a B foot). This means that the concert flute is one of the highest common orchestral instruments, with the exception of the piccolo, which plays an octave higher. G alto and C bass flutes, pitched, respectively, a perfect fourth and an octave below the concert flute, are used occasionally. Parts are written for alto flute more frequently than for bass. The contrabass, double contrabass, and hyperbass are other rare forms of the flute pitched two, three, and four octaves below middle C respectively.
Other sizes of flute and piccolo are used from time to time. A rarer instrument of the modern pitching system is the treble G flute. Instruments made according to an older pitch standard, used principally in wind-band music, include Db piccolo, Eb soprano flute (the primary instrument, equivalent to today's concert C flute), F alto flute, and Bb bass flute.
Keeping Music Alive in Our Schools Series, Rena Urso-Trapani
Rena has students that major in flute playing in college.
Introducing a fantastic Bamboo Flute Kit, Have fun making your own flutes! This has been one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. Start your own collection, Great for gifts, A project with friends, Home Schoolers, Boy Scouts, Make some extra cash Or just have a creative party.
The Flute Kit includes: 10 Masters to copy from: 3 Side blown Majors, 3 Side blown Minors, 2 Side blown Arabian, 1 Side blown Oriental Pentatonic, 1 Side blown Japanese Kokin (modified)
This Super Flute Kit also includes:
5 different size Irons to burn holes Torch hose with handle kit (sold at home Depot for $24.00 but included in our kit) Saw 6 Blades Bamboo Blade Container Metal File Flute Oil Marking Board Cleaning Brush Steel Wool Sand paper A Home Depot list of 3 things to get that will cost approximately $7.00 How to Video: The Art Of Bamboo Flute playing (Also known as Bamboo Sax 101) Written flute lessons Written lessons on flutemaking Clean, Cut and Cured Bamboo to make 20 flutes. Wholesale price list (for more bamboo in the FLUTURE!) Guaranteed fun and a creative adventure.
Plus shipping and Handling
This a perfect project for the Kid's Talk Radio sound effects lab students. If you need more information contact Suprschool@aol.com
I want to play the timpani now that I understand what is going on.
I want to play the timpani.
Shawn Lafrenz, Pearl Concert Marking Specialist and Frans Suinkels, ADAMS General Director
Timpani (also known commonly as kettledrums or kettle drums) are musical instruments in the percussion family. A type of drum, they consist of a skin called a head stretched over a large bowl traditionally made of copper, and more recently constructed of more lightweight fiberglass. They are played by striking the head with a specialized drum stick or timpani mallet. Unlike most drums, they are capable of producing an actual pitch when struck, and can be tuned, often with the use of a pedal mechanism to control each drum's range of notes. Timpani evolved from military drums to become a staple of the classical orchestra by the last third of the 18th century. Today, they are used in many types of musical ensembles including concert, marching percussion, and even some rock bands. Timpani is an Italian plural, the singular of which is timpano. However, in informal English speech the instruments are rarely called a timpano; they are more typically referred to as kettledrums, timpani, or simply a timps. A musician who plays the timpani is known as a timpanist.
