Reflecting the wide variation in standard pitches
in different parts of Europe during the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries, Folkers & Powell baroque flutes range in pitch
from a=392 to a=440. The most common pitches in use in original-instrument
baroque and classical performance today are a=392, 415 and
430. Many others are available. Some of the flutes offered
play at only one pitch, others at several. The pitch can be
altered by exchanging the middle joint (corps de rechange)
for one which is longer or shorter. Besides changing the pitch,
this gives the sound a different character: while some models
adapt freely to this kind of change, most flutes have one
area of pitch at which they feel most "right"-- though players
often don't agree about which it is! It is possible to make
almost any flute play quite well in tune at almost any pitch,
but we have tried to resist doing this in cases where the
instrument's special musical qualities would suffer. On the
other hand, we can easily make the kinds of adjustments necessary
for people who find that they play a little higher or lower
than the average.
To make it easier
to find a selection of instruments at the pitch you want,
our models are listed on various pages according to type and
pitch. There's also a Search page to help you select flutes according to maker,
pitch, or type.
To make it easier
to find a selection of instruments at the pitch you want,
our 