Flute Factory Tour7

Q&A

question I've seen some flutes with engravings on them. Are such flutes widely available?

answer The engravings are made by special order and are only available on handmade models. Traditionally, flutes have often been valued as works of art in addition to their value as musical instruments. For this reason, Yamaha handmade flutes are available with beautiful engravings as an option.

question What's an E mechanism?

answer It is very difficult to produce an E in the third octave on a flute. For this reason, an E mechanism is used to make this note easier to produce

How do ring keys differ from covered keys?

answer With ring keys, a hole is formed in the center of the cup. The player presses directly on this hole to open and close the tone hole. While it takes some training to be able to accurately and consistently press on ring keys, you can directly feel the air vibrations through your fingers. This means you can produce finely nuanced sounds. In contrast, with covered keys the player's fingers press on closed cups, so obtaining a good seal is easier than with ring keys.

question What's an B footjoint?

answer This foot joint adds a half-step to the lower range than the C foot. It adds an extra tone hole and slightly increases the length of the flute, so the flute has powerful tonal projection. B footjoints are widely used by players in North American orchestras in particular.

	I've seen some flutes with engravings on them. Are such flutes widely available?
	The engravings are made by special order and are only available on handmade models. Traditionally, flutes have often been valued as works of art in addition to their value as musical instruments. For this reason, Yamaha handmade flutes are available with beautiful engravings as an option.

	What's an E mechanism?
	It is very difficult to produce an E in the third octave on a flute. For this reason, an E mechanism is used to make this note easier to produce

	How do ring keys differ from covered keys?
	With ring keys, a hole is formed in the center of the cup. The player presses directly on this hole to open and close the tone hole. While it takes some training to be able to accurately and consistently press on ring keys, you can directly feel the air vibrations through your fingers. This means you can produce finely nuanced sounds. In contrast, with covered keys the player's fingers press on closed cups, so obtaining a good seal is easier than with ring keys.

	What's an B footjoint?
	This foot joint adds a half-step to the lower range than the C foot. It adds an extra tone hole and slightly increases the length of the flute, so the flute has powerful tonal projection. B footjoints are widely used by players in North American orchestras in particular.