Why are alto flutes in the key of G?

[atoriphile]

The alto flute is the only instrument I know of that is pitched in the key of G. Why is this so?

For recorders, the alto and bass (and sopranino, too) are pitched in F. Also the lower-pitched relative of the oboe, the English horn, is pitched in F.

I have done some thinking on this matter, and here are some of my guesses as to why it is in G:

1. It is shorter in length (and hence lighter in weight) than if it were in F.
2. Flute music at the time was written in more sharp keys (G and D), so it was easier to play than if it were in F.
3. It was designed for compatibility with Irish flutes, of which most are in D.

Of these, I think #1 explains it best. What do you think?

[flutepicc06]

Why anything is pitched in the key it is is a difficult question to answer. Why are trumpet, clarinet, tuba, etc. in Bb? Why aren't they in the key of F or the key of Db, or the key of Ab, or or or? The only possible reason I can give is that when the alto was first developed, the lowest flute they had the technology and skill (and probably desire) to produce was in G. Larger flutes pose some technical challenges, from acquiring or producing the necessary tube size and thickness, to make the necessary modifications to the mechanism so that a human hand can activate the keys it needs to activate. Then there is the concern of length. Curved heads a re a relatively recent innovation, so most older altos had straight heads. For smaller players, altos with straight heads are already a stretch, so dropping it into the key of F would call for extra length, making it even more unwieldy to play for all but the largest of players.

[Mark]

several factors I'm sure, most of which are covered here..

food for thought though.. the Irish flutes tend to be in d g and D
sort of keeping them in harmony.. although the only keyless in G that
I know of has to be tuned to a pentatonic scale due to physical limitations.

Other instrument families tend to jump the same way..
The popular saxophones for instance are the Bb soprano, Eb alto, Bb tenor,
Eb baritone, Bb Bass, Eb contrabass, and I think there are 4 or 5 Bb sub-contrabasses out there..
there are others, of course, but those are the ones that are most written for and played nowdays.

Recorders and clarinets follow similar patterns.. enough to make me wonder
if they are trying for certain spots in the chord progression.

my 2 cents...

mark

[flutepicc06]

Recorders and clarinets follow similar patterns.. enough to make me wonder
if they are trying for certain spots in the chord progression.

my 2 cents...

mark

That's an interesting suggestion, but then how do you explain things like the Eb soprano flute, the F contrabass, Db piccolo, etc? Or the C trumpet? Instruments are all of the place when it comes to which key they play in, so I don't really think the idea of shooting for certain spots in the chords works out as an explanation. My guess as to why most instrument families jump as a fifth or a fourth is that those intervals are just about as close to splitting the octave as you can get while maintain jumps of a "perfect" interval. This would allow the ranges to overlap, with each adding on their own unique part of the range.

[Mark]

LOL

I would explain them the same way I would explain the F alto Sax
and the C Tenor and the C soprano.. etc.. :
Delightful side ventures in melody making.

mark

[Cass]

I think the original reason for pitching instruments in different keys was to keep their notes closer to the five lines of their staff as much as possible without resorting to C-clef.

It might have also taken into consideration that many instrumentalists play several different instruments. This way, the fingerings are similar (Boehm) patterns.

Just my thoughts.

Happy Fluting!

[flutepicc06]

I think the original reason for pitching instruments in different keys was to keep their notes closer to the five lines of their staff as much as possible without resorting to C-clef.

It might have also taken into consideration that many instrumentalists play several different instruments. This way, the fingerings are similar (Boehm) patterns.

Just my thoughts.

Happy Fluting!

Obviously I haven't been able to come up with definitive reasons, but I don't believe either of those really explain things. Instruments have existed in different keys for hundreds of years, even back into the renaissance. The staff originally had 11 lines rather than five....Imagine the grand staff that piano music is written on, with a line where middle C is. That's what the staff originally looked like. And a creative and skilled instrument builder can create a mechanism that uses whatever fingerings you want.

[fluteguy18]

Hmmm...... this is starting to look like one of those questions that arent ever answered..... like: What is the meaning of life?........hmmmm...... People all try to find a good answer, but none of them are quite right....

[flautists_r_us]

So what was the answer to the question again?? Yeah, one of THOSE questions is right! Like how does space go on forever? How is it possible GOD was always here? Geez, I have a headache now

[atoriphile]

The only definitive answer I have found as to why the modern alto flute is pitched in G is because the Renaissance and Baroque "bass" flute was in G.

Based on that fact, a little further speculation: On Renaissance and Baroque flutes the F was a terrible note. Later keys were added to facilitate its tone and intonation. Therefore, it wouldn't make sense to make a lower pitched flute in F, so they chose G. Also, the holes on a G "bass" flute are closer together (and easier to finger) than they would be it were in F (remember, this is before keys were added).

Unless anyone has any further evidence, I'm satisfied with my speculation (which is the only answer anyone ever gets to the "big" questions -- Get it? Because alto flutes are "big" it's a "big" question -- Sorry for the bad joke!)

[ick27]

It is understood that alto flute players are trained primarily on the C concert flute. Thus, the alto flute is meant to be as easy a transition as possible. Alto flute is played with the same fingerings and does not involve any transposition on the part of the player. Flutists are generally not accustomed to having to transpose. (French horn players, on the other hand, DO have to learn to transpose from various keys, which can be tricky.)

So the reason why the alto flute is in G is because that allows the alto to be fingered and played like a C concert flute. If it was slightly larger, it would have need to be in Gb or F#. The flute d'amore is usually in A or Bb for the same reason.

[atoriphile]

All flutes (including piccolos, Eb flutes, and bass flutes) are fingered the same way (for the most part). That was not my question.

I was asking why they chose G for the alto flute, as opposed to F (or A or Bb or ...). No matter what key they chose, I'm sure the music for it would have been transposed accordingly so the flutist wouldn't need to transpose in their head.

[timerick]

The simplest answer is that Theobald Boehm made his alto flute in G.

He is the man who perfected the modern concert flute. Through his study of acoustic science, he redesigned the flute as a cylindrical instrument with large toneholes placed where the best intonation and consistent tone would be ideally, not based on where the fingers would reach most easily. Today almost all concert flutes, and many piccolos, are Boehm instruments.

Of all the flutes he designed, the alto in G was his favorite. I'm assuming that the G alto would have a slightly sweeter tone than the F alto would, and would be just a bit easier to play. Boehm's choice of the key of G for the alto set the standard, as it remains today.

[Claiken]

i still dont understand why they didnt just alter what is seen on the page and make all instruments in C. Like for a trumpet their C is concert Bb.... well why not alter what fingering on the chart & staff to be Bb?? wouldnt it make life so much easier? lol

imagine nobody having to ever transpose....

[Dusk]

i still dont understand why they didnt just alter what is seen on the page and make all instruments in C. Like for a trumpet their C is concert Bb.... well why not alter what fingering on the chart & staff to be Bb?? wouldnt it make life so much easier? lol

imagine nobody having to ever transpose....

Nobody would have to transpose, but all of the songs for previously off-key instruments would have extremely odd and hard to finger areas. It sounds like a good answer, but until someone does something, life will go on.