I was curious how often a low B comes up in comparison to how often an alto (or even a bass) flute is called for in the flute literature.
I do know that my flute teacher has been asked to play alto more often than she has had to play low B.
In the four years since I started playing again, I have seen low B asked for once- and that was only if an alto flute was not abvailable. So in four years of college level symphonic band, my score is: alto flute, two, low B zero.

when I have seen a low b, there is usually an alternative for those of us who play a c-foot.

When I was in a couple flute choirs we never came accross a low B. Now there is several in French music that I have come accross. I did come accross a low B in band music one time.... I am getting a C foot for my flute to make it lighter. For as little as times I run accross a low B I can just take out my B footjoint for that.

It is my understanding that composers have used the low B much more often in newer literature than they have in the past.

my experience is a bit backwards i guess. the first honor band i was ever in there was a flute solo with a low b...though i havn't seen one since then, which was a couple years ago, and it was a fairly new piece.

sometimes, modern composers will throw in a low b cause they know it is available, but most literature still doesn't use it...and rarely do any of us make much $$$ playing modern music...

Patrick...
Why does it have to be about making money?? Can't ya do it just because you LOVE to make music??

I wouldn't presume to speak for Patrick (or anyone else), but I guess there's a lot to be said for feeding your family while doing what you love...

Or going back to the original topic, if I understand everyone correctly; the B foot is usefull mainly for the manufacturers, who get to charge $150 for a key, a pad, and 1 inch of tube...

One other point is that the low B key usually comes with a high C facilitator and that can come in handy for some of the high notes.

Another issue is that when one is stepping up to a higher end flute, the market is sort of controlling the purchases in that the companies are building flutes which they anticipate that the customers will want to buy. Consequently, it becomes slightly more difficult to buy a higher end flute without a low B. Same goes for the open holes. It is more difficult to buy one with closed holes. One player recently bought a Nagahara (top of the line) closed hole. The maker had to make the equipment to manufacture that flute.

relax, it was a subtle joke, I just see so many young people in my travels that swear to needing a low b, then when I ask for a show of hands of those who have actually used it, I get very few...

I was surprised to find a low B... in Haendel Sonata HWB 359b (Op 1 Nr 1) in E minor. It is in measure 34 of the first allegro of the VEB Deutscher Verlag fuer Music Leipzig (probably a 1955 edition) As I am studying it, I was happy to have the B foot this time (but I am not happy about it for any other reason)

Would a Gizmo key also be useful for high notes if you didn't have a B-foot? (Yes I know there is no such thing as a Gizmo key on a C-foot.) What I mean is; do you need it because you have a B-foot, or does it make the high notes easier than it would be on a C-flute?

(Does this question make sense?)

Hey Patrick! I just noticed you've become the anti-christ. Could you maybe start a new account and leave this one at 666

(Sorry, I'm feeling a bit silly on the Friday, it's been a long week...)

that's funny, why can't people take a joke?

What I really want to know is whether you are more likely to be asked to play an alto flute than a low B on a C flute, if you play in a community/community college level symphony, concert band, in your church, or in a flute choir. Obviously everyone will not be able to afford an alto flute, but from what I have noticed there is almost no requirement for a low B foot on a flute- to play flute music.

Was the Handel piece a violin transcription? I think that this is where the 'demand' for a low B originally comes from, is the 'ability' to play a violin transcription.

My understanding is that a C foot is easier to use than a B-foot when playing up high, even to the point that you can get a custom D-footjoint made to make it even easier.

I have a C-foot on my Yamaha 881 (that's why I could afford it- nobody else wanted it).