What Is a Bass Flute?
The bass flute is the bass counterpart in the flute family. It's distinguished by its J-shaped head joint, and low, almost haunting sound. It's a relatively new creation, though it's rarely found in typical concert symphonies due to its limited sound quality and versatility.
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History
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The bass flute was invented in the 1920s as an experiment for jazz ensembles. The product brought an interesting substitute for a saxophone, but since its sound is less forceful than concert flutes, it cannot handle music with as much technique.
Musical Range
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The bass flute's range starts at one octave below middle C (C3) and goes as low as three ranges below that (two lines above the bass clef staff). Most bass flutists do not attempt to play anything higher than A6, because the sounds are difficult to produce and sound very weak. Like normal flutes, the bass flute tends to sound sharp.
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Body
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The body of a bass flute is far larger than a concert flute, and often has a C foot instead of a B foot. To help manage the weight of this large instrument, some basses come with a graphite rod that screws into the flute and then rests on a chair between the flutist's legs.
Musical Capacity
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The sound of the bass flute does not carry well, especially in the presence of instruments in similar ranges, such as the clarinet and alto saxophone. As a result, the flute is found mostly in flute ensembles and sometimes in jazz groups.
Even "Lower" Flutes
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Japan has created a contrabass flute in G, which is a fourth of an octave below the bass flute's range, and a full contrabass with a range a full octave below the bass flute. There is also a sub-bass flute in F, double contrabass, and a hyperbass flute that can play all the way down to C0.
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Resources
- Photo Credit The Flute Exchange
