Whats an Irish Flute?
An “Irish Flute” could also be called an “Irish-Style Flute.” It’s just another name for the type of flute that was standard across Europe during the 1800s. It’s usually built like this: • Length: 25 to 28 inches. • How held: The player holds the flute to the right while blowing across the oval blowhole. • Pitch: Non-transposing (the fingering for “G” gives “G” on the piano. • Lowest note: Middle C or D above it. • Common Playing Keys: D and G; others are possible with use of the key levers. • Material for Body: African Blackwood, Boxwood, Rosewood or Cocuswood. • Trim: Ivory or Silver rings. • Key levers: Normally closed. Brass, silver, or german silver. • Sections: three to five (sometimes combined). • The head. • The barrel (as on a clarinet). An adaptor that carries the metal tuning slide. • The upper body. This left-hand section has 3 open fingerholes plus 3 normally-closed keys for chromatics. • The lower body. This right-hand section also has 3 open fingerholes plus 2 normally-c
