The flute is one of the oldest and most versatile musical instruments, with a history stretching back over 40,000 years.
It has evolved across cultures into a wide variety of forms, from the modern concert flute to the Native American flute, each with unique construction, acoustics, and playing techniques.
The word flute entered the English language in the 14th century from the Old French flaute or fleute, possibly linked to the Latin flare (to blow). In early usage, "flute" referred to transverse flutes (held sideways) and recorders (end-blown). Only in the 18th century did "flute" come to be primarily associated with the transverse instrument. In the Hornbostel-Sachs classification, flutes are edge-blown aerophones; sound is produced when air is directed against a sharp edge.
The oldest known flutes, carved from bird bones and mammoth ivory, date back 35,000-45,000 years in Germany's Swabian Jura. Flutes appear in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, and India, where they were often tied to ritual and court music. In Medieval and Renaissance Europe, simple cylindrical flutes with six holes were used in folk and military contexts. By the 16th century, the transverse flute gained prominence in courtly music. The flute evolved with added keys for chromaticism during the Baroque to Classical era. Theobald Boehm revolutionized the instrument in 1834, with a new key system and cylindrical bore, creating the modern concert flute.
A flute is essentially a tube open at both ends, with tone holes that alter the effective length of the vibrating air column. The player directs a jet of air across the embouchure hole, setting up oscillations inside the tube. The acoustical principles are that the flute acts as an open pipe, producing a harmonic series. Tone holes adjust pitch by shortening the resonating air column. Overblowing produces higher registers. Materials range from wood, bamboo, and bone in traditional flutes to silver, gold, and nickel alloys in modern concert flutes.
As with many instruments that have been around for a long time, there are several types of flutes. These include the Western concert flute (standard orchestral instrument, with Boehm system keys), the Recorder (end-blown, with a fipple directing air), the Panpipes (multiple tubes of varying lengths), the Shakuhachi (of Japanese origins, an end-blown bamboo flute with spiritual associations), the Dizi (of Chinese origins, a transverse bamboo flute with a buzzing membrane), the Quena (end-blown flute with a notched mouthpiece, of Andes origins), and the Native American flute (distinctive for its internal duct system, using a slow air chamber and block, producing a warm, meditative tone, and traditionally used in storytelling, healing, and courtship).
Basic playing techniques include embouchure control (lip shape and air speed determine pitch and tone), breath control (faster air raises pitch, while slower air lowers it), and tonguing (articulating notes with "too" or "doo" syllables. Advanced techniques include vibrato (oscillating pitch produced by the diaphragm or throat), flutter tonguing (rolling the tongue while blowing), circular breathing (continuous airflow by storing air in the cheeks), and multiphonics and harmonics (producing multiple tones or overtones simultaneously).
Below is a collection of informational websites related to the flute. E-commerce sites offering flutes and related products for sale may be found in the Musical Instruments section of the Shopping & eCommerce area of our guide.
Recommended Resources
The Flute Academy is an online flute school led by professional flute teacher Jane Cavanagh that brings together amateur flutists worldwide to accelerate progress through focused technique work and small, repeatable adjustments. Free tips, testimonials, success stories, and a page on Jane Cavanagh's background, the academy's teaching philosophy, program structure, awards, philanthropic activities, and an invitation to join the academy for structured learning are included.
https://www.flute.school/
Founded by Robert Johnson, a skilled flutist and visual artist, Flute Specialists has grown into one of the leading flute companies in the world, offering free trials for instrument purchases and free repair consultations. Its site describes the company's services, and includes a product catalog, videos, an informational blog, and access to trial request, consignment, payment, insurance appraisal, and job application forms, contact details, and an account login.
https://www.flutespecialists.com/
Incorporated in Texas, the non-profit organization is dedicated to sharing the skills and heart of the Native American flute, from past to present. Its strategic goals, sponsored projects and accomplishments, personnel, and contact details are provided on the website, which also includes songbooks for minor key flutes, major key flutes, and rim-blown flutes, along with playing tips and techniques, the history and nature of native flutes, and links to other relevant online resources.
https://www.flutetree.org/
Published since 2016, The Flute View is an online magazine that features monthly issues with interviews, feature articles, CD reviews, festival, masterclass, and competition listings, pedagogy pieces, and related flute community coverage. Branded as "An Online Flute Magazine For Flutists, By Flutists," its content includes featured interviews with artists and makers, feature articles on technique, careers, and musician life, and other resources for flutists.
https://thefluteview.com/
Created by Lila Harper, a flutist and music educator, the website provides accessible learning resources, fosters a supportive community, and highlights the diversity of flute music. Its mission and an introduction to the creator are featured, and the benefits of membership —including flute guidance, product recommendations, inspiration, cultural connections, and support —are discussed, along with a brief history of flutes, e-books, courses, and other resources.
https://theflutewhisperer.com/
National Flute Association, The
Formed in 1972 and headquartered in Chicago, the NFA is an organization of flute players from more than fifty countries. Held in cities across the United States, its multi-day NFA Convention is the world's largest annual flute convention. NFA competitions offer opportunities for flutists at different skill levels and styles to compete, develop performance skills, and gain audition experience. The NFA has established scholarship programs for continuing education and supporting promising students.
https://www.nfaonline.org/
A successor to the International Native American Flute Association, the World Flute Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to cultural flute playing from around the world, but with a particular emphasis on the study and development of the Native American flute. Its activities include organizing music-oriented conferences and workshops, producing printed and audio materials, and publishing the newsletter "Overtones." Formed in 2013, the WFS is based in Lead, South Dakota.
https://www.worldflutesociety.org
