MUS 121 Research Paper on The Fulte Instrument

MUS 121 on The Fulte Instrument - Research Paper Example However, the most preferred flute is the Boehm`s flute. His modification was successful, as he changed the flute from wooden to silver. The silver flute produced the best tone, and the thin hard-drawn tubes increased the metal`s capacity for vibration. The development of the flute has changed from one shape and size to another, and these modifications have improved the tune and the sound of the flute. In modern days, the flute has numerous uses ranging from musical shows and concerts, movies, Broadway shows, as well as Jazz players. Keywords: Flute, Development, Boehm Flute, Murrays Flute, Music, Old System Flute, German Flute, Keys, Tone, Sound, Tune Introduction Many forms of wood-wind instruments began to appear in the late fourteenth century. Brass instruments and their brass sounds had earlier been the only forms of music in the church services in Europe. According to the Marshall Cavendish Corporation, â€Å"the only woodwind instrument to leave a mark was the flute, which str ongly influenced the popular music† (2003, p.2713). The flute was preferred for its softer tone compared to the brass instruments. It is the most flexible music instrument among the woodwind instruments. According to Moratz, â€Å"it can execute just about any style of music, from classical to jazz to rock. Other woodwinds like the oboe and bassoon don’t play mush jazz or rock, although they have a lot of classical repertoire† (2010, p.18). History and Development of the Flute Learning how to effectively play a flute is quite easy compared to other woodwind musical instruments. The â€Å"flute†¦.is a musical weed which springs up everywhere† (Toff, 2008, p.3). There is quite a close relationship between the history of the flute and history of flute music. The history of the flute is divided into two phases namely the old system or German flute, and the Boehm flute. The old system flutes existed in the Middle Ages, it â€Å"was constructed of a single piece of wood; cylindrical in shape and just under two feet in length, it sounded a primary scale of D major† (Toff, 2008, p.41). It was commonly known as fife, and was mostly used by infantry marches, together with a small drum. Although instrumental music was distinct during the Renaissance period, the vocal model of various voice types, soprano, alto, tenor, and bass was still followed in the construction of musical instruments. In 1529, a publication by Martin Agricola`s called Musica Instrumentalis Deudsch, â€Å"showed four flutes, called Schweizer Pfeiffen, and labeled Discantus, Altus, Tenor, and Bassus† (Toff, 2008, p.41). A family of transverse flutes, whose musical values were different from the military use of the fife, was discovered by Michael Praetorius. Toff points out that â€Å"each of the three sizes of flutes in Praetorius’s plates has a two octave range and four additional falset notes available only to the most skilled performers† (2 008, p.42). The first flute divided into two pieces in order to regulate the tuning of the ensemble was the bass flute. Two transverse flutes pitching D and G appeared in the 1636 work of Martin Mersenne called Harmonic Universalle. Spaced evenly on the cylindrical tube were six tones or finger holes. â€Å"Although these flutes had no keys, the farsighted Mersenne called attention to their absence and explained that the flute could be made fully chromatic by the addition of keys† (Toff, 2008, p.42). Despite the fact that Mersenne provided a sketch of what the