baroque flute

A#4 and Bb4

A#4 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

This is a severe cross fingering: three holes closed (including the key) below one open. As a result, even the second minimum is very flat (this fingering cannot be used for A#5) and so the second and subsequent harmonics in the sound spectrum below are weak, hence a very dark timbre. For more detail on cross fingering see that section in the introduction to flute acoustics, or download a brief scientific report on cross fingerings. (This note must be lipped down.)

Sound

Sound spectrum of a baroque flute played using fingering for A#4.

Sound Clip

You can hear A#4 played by Matthew Ridley.

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

Impedance spectrum of a baroque flute measured at the embouchure hole using fingering for Bb4.

Depressing the key and opening its hole raises the frequency of the first minimum slightly, and hence sharpens A# slightly to Bb. Again the impedance spectrum is inharmonic, so the spectrum is weak at high frequencies and the timbre is dark.

Sound

Sound spectrum of a baroque flute played using fingering for Bb4.

Sound Clip

You can hear Bb4 played by Matthew Ridley.