modern flute C foot

G#5

Impedance

Fingering a key depressed a key not depressed a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched Details in fingering legend. Acoustic schematic a closed tone hole an open tone hole Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance Non-specialist introduction to flute acoustics

The flutist uses the same fingering for G#4 and G#5, but changes the speed, length and shape of the jet. The first four minima can be played. These first five mimima support harmonics in G#4. In G#5, only the second and fourth minima are important. (Inaudible traces of the lower note are visible in the spectrum for G#5 which has tiny bumps at harmonics of G#4.) The acoustic diagram shows that there are two equivalent tone holes which, in principle, could each make the G-G# transition. Boehm's original key system ("open G#") did not have this inelegance, but he introduced this variation ("closed G#") because flutists were used to opening a hole with their LH fourth fingers. The two holes are rarely open at the same time.