Last Friday I was invited to a rehearsal of a flutes orchestra. About 30 flutes playing together and rehearsing Mozart Concert in GM.

First time I see and hear a bass flute (and it was played by my teacher). A six+ feet high vertical instrument, with a curious curved headjoint so that a normal-height player can reach the embouchure and play it standing by the instrument without having to climb on a chair.
Beautiful sound too, as deep as you can think of.

Sure the pros and advanced players in this site have surely met the giant already, but for me it was a discovery...

It was played standing up?
i think you mean the contrabass flute

Yes, you are right.

thats cool, i wish i could i could see one, and even play one(:

I found that they own one in the new school where I receive my lessons. They are available in Holland and probably cost a little fortune.
My teacher and me are considering I could play a Haendel Sonata movement in the next audition with this instrument as BC. But surely it will steal all the public's attention...

yea, i know eva kingma, makes them but price over $30,000

if i had $30,000 id buy myself a new flute. ive been yearning for a new flute for a while and id love to replace the brannen i had to part with earlier this year. except id love to have a gold model this time.

I have the new bass flute from Jupiter in my home here in NYC, if any of you are in the area, or are able to come to Vermont next summer, you are welcome to try it out, it plays very easily and I believe the retail price is reasonable

Hi Patrick,

Now I am a little bit confused; I believed that the normal family of modern flutes had these members:

- The piccolo
- the C flute (with or without B foot), with a range from central C (or B below) to about F in the fourth octave above central C (sorry I am not sure it is not called "middle C")
- the G flute, with straight or curved HJ and a range similar to C flute but beginning at G below the "central C" and up to ??
- the bass flute, playing an octave below the C flute and a range ??
- the contrabass flute (I do not know its range and octave)

Too many unknowns for me and probably some mistakes also.

I think it could be interesting for some of us if you or other members of the Forum could clarify this subject.

Thanks!

Which one of those is the alto flute?? I got to play one once, and I thought it was nice....this one had a curved head joint....I'd just never heard it referred to as anything but the "alto flute."
????????????

brandykg wrote:

Which one of those is the alto flute??

The alto flute is the "G flute" jose_luis mentioned.

There is also a contrabass flute in G (sometimes referred to as a contralto flute) which is an octave below the alto flute. That isn't very common, though.

Other not-so-common flutes are the Eb flute (a minor third above the C flute) and various flutes d'amore usually in Bb or A.

This is not meant to be a complete list, just a few other members of the flute family that I have seen.

Yes indeed Brandykg. We also call it "Alto" flute but in Spanish it is sometimes known as "flauta en Sol" (flute in G). I have used its unusual name, sorry...

I suspected that the Alto flute was the G flute. I just wasn't sure. Thanks so much guys, for clearing that up for me! I learned something new...I feel smarter!!