classical flute flared foot

F#4

Conventional Fingering

Impedance

Acoustic and Fingering Schematic a covered tone hole or key pressed an uncovered tone hole or key not pressed a partly covered hole Details in fingering legend. Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance Non-specialist introduction to flute acoustics

The first open hole here (RH 2nd finger) is the largest on the instrument. The fingering given below gives a brighter timbre, but is awkward in many passages.

Sound

Sound spectrum of a classical flute with a flared foot played using conventional fingering for F#4.

Sound Clip

You can hear F#4 played with conventional fingering by Geoffrey Collins.

Impedance

Acoustic and Fingering Schematic a covered tone hole or key pressed an uncovered tone hole or key not pressed a partly covered hole Details in fingering legend. Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance Non-specialist introduction to flute acoustics

This alternative fingering opens the second downstream tone hole, which gives a more harmonic spacing to the fifth and sixth minima in the impedance spectrum and thus gives stronger fifth and sixth harmonics, resulting in a brighter timbre. However, it is awkward in many passages.

Sound

Sound spectrum of a classical flute with a flared foot played using alternative fingering for F#4.

Sound Clip

You can hear F#4 played with alternative fingering by Geoffrey Collins.