Flute (What’s The Difference?)
- Fife. Fife is a diatonically tuned instrument that is somewhat similar to a piccolo. ...
- Flute. A flute is a family of melodic instruments that belong to the woodwind group. ...
- The Differences. Many people think of the fife the same as the flute, but it isn’t. ...
- The Similarities. ...
- But Remember…. ...
What is a fife flute?
A fife is a kind of a smaller flute, but with a completely cylindrical bore (orchestra flutes have a slight taper) and generally narrower bore with a higher pitch than an orchestra flute.
What is the difference between flute and flute?
“Flute” is the term (in English) for a transverse instrument (held sideways) that you blow across. Modern band and orchestra flutes are usually metal and have keys with a separate head joint, but that is a subset of the “flute” category.
What is the key of the flute?
It is usually in a flat key and intended for use in wind ensembles composed mostly of transposing instruments, including, of course, the flute band consisting exclusively of such flutes with percussion.
What is a Fife in music?
A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute used primarily to accompany drums in a military or marching band. The pitch of the fife lies between that of the concert flute and piccolo.
Is fife fingering the same as the flute?
The fife is among the oldest flutes that still get some use, and the fingerings are identical to the tin whistle (a.k.a. pennywhistle, Irish whistle). It has six holes operated by three fingers of each hand.
Is a fife a small flute?
fife, small transverse (side-blown) flute with six finger holes and a narrow cylindrical bore that produces a high pitch and shrill tone.
What is a fife used for?
A fife /ˈfaɪf/ is a small, high-pitched, transverse aerophone, that is similar to the piccolo. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in Fife and Drum Corps, military units, and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer.
What is the difference between a fife and piccolo?
fife is the structure. A piccolo has keys, while most fifes simply have holes. This applies to cheap fifes, like the Yamaha fife, and other models. Sure, you can find some simple system piccolos.
What does a fife look like?
A fife is a musical instrument that looks like a very small flute. Fifes are usually made of wood, rather than metal, and are common in military marching bands. A fife is much more high-pitched than a flute—it's also louder and more shrill sounding.
What's the definition of fife?
Definition of fife : a small transverse flute with six to eight finger holes and usually no keys.
Is the Fife a flute?
The fife, most accurately described, is any cylindrically bored transverse flute, usually in one piece (but sometimes two), usually somewhat longer than the piccolo and having only six fingerholes with no keys.
What type of flute is used in Irish music?
The Irish flute is a conical-bore, simple-system wooden flute of the type favoured by classical flautists of the early 19th century, or to a flute of modern manufacture derived from this design (often with modifications to optimize its use in Irish Traditional Music, Scottish Traditional Music or Music of Brittany and ...
How much does a fife cost?
The distance between the centers of the blow hole and the last finger hole should be about 10-7/8 inches. Otherwise, you will have a fife for displaying rather than playing. New wood fifes of any quality will cost at least $100, and can run much higher than that.
What is the small flute called?
piccolopiccolo, (Italian: “small flute”) in full flauto piccolo, highest-pitched woodwind instrument of orchestras and military bands. It is a small transverse (horizontally played) flute of conical or cylindrical bore, fitted with Boehm-system keywork and pitched an octave higher than the ordinary concert flute.
How many types of flute are there?
The main 3 types of flute are the standard, piccolo and harmony flutes.
What's the difference between a fight and a flute?
Pressing one key on a flute can cover as many as three holes at a time whereas with the fife you can only cover as many holes as you have fingers available. Answer has 2 votes. The difference is in the range and number of holes. A flute has a specific number of holes (usually with keys.
What is a fife flute?
A fife is a kind of a smaller flute, but with a completely cylindrical bore (orchestra flutes have a slight taper) and generally narrower bore with a higher pitch than an orchestra flute. They often do not have separate Boehm-style mouthpieces (like many, but not all, piccolos do) and generally do not have keys (but some piccolos don’t either!) Their origin and use is more military than orchestral, and they tend to be louder. Having sat beside piccolo players before, I find it hard to imagine an even MORE piercing sound than a piccolo, which can carry over an entire orchestra at fortissimo, but fifes are reported to carry for miles.
Which instrument is the closest to a fife?
A piccolo (which is short for the Italian “flauto piccolo” or “small flute”) is pitched an octave higher than an orchestra flute, though it has almost exactly the same fingerings (it only goes down to D and when you get into the highest octave, the fingerings can vary from instrument to instrument). This is the instrument that is closest in sound to a fife, not because of its size but because the fife has a smaller bore and is usually played in the second and third octaves which makes it sound like a piccolo.
What is the difference between a clarinet and a flute?
The flute is concert pitch (it plays the note you finger and blow), whereas the clarinet is usually in Bb (plays Bb when you finger C), a transposing instrument.
What foot does a clarinet play?
The clarinet will play down to the E below the staff, whereas the flute will play to middle C, B, or Bb (rarely) below the staff, depending on the foot joint. Most student flutes have a C foot.
How many octaves does a fife have?
I make fifes, one piece wood, cylindrical bore, which get two octaves, and several in the 3rd octave for longer fifes (the lower scales).
Which is easier, a concert flute or a bamboo flute?
In my opinion concert flute is easier because it doesn’t require you to cover the holes with your fingers. You can get intermediate concert flutes with the open hole option but it takes a while to be able to play at that level and is easier to play with closed holes. Indian bamboo flutes are open hole and therefore harder to play. Another thing is the lip plate design. Concert flute has an actual lip plate, Indian bamboo flute just has a hole you blow into so concert flute is easier in that sense too.
What is a piccolo?
A piccolo (which is short for the Italian “flauto piccolo” or “small flute”) is pitched an
What is a fife in music?
And how is it in comparison to the Flute/Whistle? A fife is a small, high-pitched, transverse flute used primarily to accompany drums in a military or marching band. The pitch of the fife lies between that of the concert flute and piccolo.
What is a fife?
A fife is the mezzosoprano member of the flute family. Any transverse flute with a bell tone ranging from A to C is pretty much a fife. The Bb ones are most often used for martial music. In the North of Ireland they call them ‘band flutes’ Fifers tend to play in the 2nd & 3rd registers, with lots of tounging.
How does a fife player change the pitch?
A fife player, like a flute player, can change the pitch by directing the air higher or lower across the blade.
How many keys does a fife have?
The modern fife has, in addition to the six finger-holes, 4, 5 or 6 keys. Mersenne describes and figures the fife, which had in his day the compass of a fifteenth. The fife, which, he states, differed from the German flute only in having a louder and more brilliant tone and a shorter and narrower bore, was the instrument used by the Swiss with ...
How many men were allowed to use a trumpet in the Battle of St. Quentin?
At the battle of St Quentin (1557) the list of the English army employed states that one trumpet was allowed to each cavalry troop of 100 men, and a drum and fife to each hundred of foot. A drumme and phife were also employed at one shilling per diem for the Trayne of Artillery.
When did the fife and drums become part of furniture?
In 1585 the drum and fife formed part of the furniture for war among the companies of the city of London Queen Elizabeth (according to Michaud, Biogr. universelle. tome xiii. p. 60) had a peculiar taste for noisy music, and during meals had a concert of twelve trumpets, two kettledrums, with fifes and drums.
What instrument was used as a bass?
The sackbut, or serpent, was used as its bass, for, as Mersenne explains, the bass instrument could not be made long enough, nor could the. hands reach the holes, although some flutes were actually made with keys and had the tube doubled back as in the bassoon.
What is a fife?
Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. A fife / ˈfaɪf / is a small, high-pitched, transverse aerophone, that is similar to the piccolo. The fife originated in medieval Europe and is often used in Fife and Drum Corps, military units, and marching bands. Someone who plays the fife is called a fifer.
What keys are Fife pitched in?
Fifes pitched (i.e., constructed so as to sound) in the keys of D and of C are also common.
What are fifes made of?
Some fifes are entirely made of metal or plastic. Military and marching fifes have metal reinforcing bands, called ferrules, around the ends to protect them from damage. A fife used in less strenuous conditions may have a lathe-turned, knob-like decoration at the ends for protection.
What finger is used for fife?
On a 10-hole fife, the index, middle and ring fingers of both hands remain in the same positions as on the 6-hole fife, while both thumbs and both pinkies are used to play accidentals. An 11-hole fife has holes positioned similarly but adds a second hole under the right middle finger.
How many holes does a fife have?
Modern versions of the fife are chromatic, having 10 or 11 finger holes that allow any note to be played.
Why was the fife used in medieval Europe?
In medieval Europe, the fife was used in some folk music traditions to accompany dancing by all social classes.
Where is the Company of Fifers and Drummers located?
There is a loose federation of corps, though not a governing body, called The Company of Fifers and Drummers, which maintains a headquarters and museum in Ivoryton, Connecticut .
Fife
- Fife is a diatonically tuned instrument that is somewhat similar to a piccolo. Its innovative design consists of a narrow bore that produces a high-pitch sound compared to that of flutes used in orchestras. Due to their portability and loud sound, fifes were widely used by military units and …
Flute
- A flute is a family of melodic instruments that belong to the woodwind group. It is an aerophone that produces sound when the air streams across the opening. A person playing the flute is referred to as a flute player or a flutist. Back in time, flutes were made of animal bones. Modern flutes are made of wood and generally have metal keys to play with. Some of the flutes are mad…
The Similarities
- When it comes to hunting for similarities between a fife and flute, amazingly, they are similar in a few ways. Simple-system (keyless) flutes and fifes are relatively inexpensive instrumentsand are often used as a side note in tutorials intended for folks playing instruments with keys. These instruments are available in a wider range and models. Typically, both flutes and fifes are made …
Which Instrument Is Good For beginners?
- Fifes are considered to be real instruments, and this is why it is one of the hardest wind instruments to learn to play with. While you learn to play the fife, it may wind you when you learn to blow into the fife and play strings of notes. It is recommended that you should take breaks and rest for a few minutes to build up your stamina and have a better lung capacity. But this isn’t me…
But Remember…
- Although flutes are better and easier for beginners, remember to focus on where your passion lies. You can pick up any instrument and learn how to play, but it’s your passion that will make your journey trouble-free and fun. Some instruments can indeed give you a hard time, but if you have love and a knack for learning, you can easily overcome problems. While you think about wh…