Woodwinds · Edge-blown · Flute family
Bass Flute
Sounds an octave below the concert flute with the same fingerings.
Quick facts
| Family | Woodwinds — Edge-blown |
|---|---|
| Hornbostel–Sachs | 421.121.12 |
| Pitched in | C |
| Transposition | Sounds a octave lower than written |
| Written range | C4 – C7 |
| Sounding range | C3 – C6 (130.81 – 1047 Hz) |
| Clef | Treble |
| Other names | Bassflöte, flauta bajo, flûte basse |
Player's notes
- Sounds an octave below the concert flute with the same fingerings.
- The tube is folded back on itself so the keys stay within reach.
About the bass flute
The bass flute is a member of the flute family pitched one octave below the concert flute. The tubing length is twice as long at 146 cm (57 in), which requires a J-shaped head joint to bring the embouchure hole within reach of the player. Despite its name, its lowest note of C3 or B2 places its lowest octave only in the tenor range. Its soft dynamic range means in large ensembles it is easily obscured unless amplified or lightly scored; however its unique timbre in the low register can be very effective, especially in solo works, small ensembles, and flute choirs.
The "bass flute in F" produced by Kotato & Fukushima is a contra-alto flute.
Text adapted from the Wikipedia article “Bass flute”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Listen
Recordings from Wikimedia Commons, found via Openverse.
Notable repertoire
- Piano Concerto No. 15 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1784)
- Turandot — Giacomo Puccini (1921)
- Piano Concerto No. 4 — Sergei Prokofiev
- Symphony No. 4 — Franz Schubert (1816)
- Le merle noir — Olivier Messiaen (1951)
- Youth — Leoš Janáček (1924)
- Serenade No. 9 — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Adagio in E for Violin and Orchestra — Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1776)
- Partita in A minor for solo flute — Johann Sebastian Bach
- Iron Foundry — Alexander Mosolov (1926)
- Wind Quintet — Arnold Schoenberg (1924)
- Flute Sonata — Francis Poulenc (1956)
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the bass flute?
The practical written range of the bass flute is C4 to C7, which sounds C3 to C6 (130.8 Hz to 1047 Hz at A4 = 440 Hz).
Is the bass flute a transposing instrument?
Yes. The bass flute is pitched in C: sounds a octave lower than written. A written C sounds C.
What clef does the bass flute read?
The bass flute reads treble clef.
How is the bass flute classified?
In the Hornbostel–Sachs system the bass flute is classified as 421.121.12.
Historic examples in museums
Museum →
Walking-Stick Flute/Oboeca. 1750–57 · The Met
End-blown Flute (Hitoyogiri)late 1800s · Cleveland Museum of Art
Courting flute (siyotanka)ca. 1850–1900 · The Met
Piccolo Banjo1870–80 · The Met
Transverse Flutelate 19th century · The Met
Flutelate 19th century · The Met
Flutelate 19th century · The Met
Flutelate 19th century · The Met 
