What's new in The Virtual Flute

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The Virtual Flute has served flutists and composers since its launch in 2001. In 2005, The Virtual Flute was relaunched with an improved physical model and a wider set of features. We hope you'll enjoy the following enhancements!

Improved modelling

Release 2 of The Virtual Flute uses a new machine-learned model of acoustic impedance. In general, we expect the new model to give you more accurate results, particularly for higher notes. Details of the model can be found in our journal article:

BOTROS, A., SMITH, J. & WOLFE, J. (2006). The Virtual Flute: An advanced fingering guide generated via machine intelligence. Journal of New Music Research, 35(3), 183-196. [1.1M PDF]

Searching for multiphonics by providing only a single note

The multiphonics tool allows you to search for two note and three note multiphonics. With Release 2, you can also perform searches with a single note to find all two note and three note multiphonics which include that note. This feature is particularly useful for composers. Simply enter a single note at the three note interface of the multiphonics search. Try it now

Multiphonics are ranked by their expected ease of playability

Each fingering plays a handful of notes and, if some of the notes are not harmonically related, the fingering can produce multiphonics. The likelihood of playing a multiphonic depends on the frequency positions of the inharmonic notes in relation to the remaining notes of the fingering. Ideally, the notes of a multiphonic are adjacent to each other in a fingering's frequency-ordered sequence of playable notes. For example, consider a fingering which plays the notes C5, D6, G#6 and B6. The notes C5 and D6 are not harmonically related, and furthermore, no playable note lies between them frequency-wise. Release 2 of The Virtual Flute denotes these optimal multiphonic fingerings with a  ()  icon.

In addition to predicting the playability of alternate fingerings (denoted by 1-3 stars, e.g. ), Release 2 of The Virtual Flute also predicts whether or not a given fingering has a dull, or 'dark' timbre (denoted by ). Searches for alternate fingerings may now be ranked by darkness in addition to intonation and playability. Try it now

You can leave a comment on The Virtual Flute in two ways. To comment on a specific fingering, click the  ()  icon wherever you see it placed beside a note or multiphonic. Alternatively, you might like to post a general comment on the website; simply follow the link at the top of the front page. We certainly welcome all your feedback! Try it now