Bass Flutes

If you're looking to buy a bass flute, here at Dawkes we have a selection of high quality options available to browse and purchase. Bass flutes are a wonderful and interesting instrument, with a lower tone than most others in the flute family.

The bass flute is most commonly pitched in the key of C. This is one octave below the concert flute (which is another member of the flute family of instruments, and perhaps the most common). The flute family consists of a Piccolo, C Flute, Eb Soprano Flute, Alto Flute, and Bass Flute. Unlike the most commonly seen flute (which is a tube shaped in a straight line), the bass flute is bent into a 'J' shape because of its longer length. The head of the bass flute (with the mouthpiece) curves around so that the embouchure hole is within easy reach of the person playing the instrument. You sometimes also see bass flutes that have a slightly different bend, and can be played vertically sitting or standing like a clarinet, which makes the process of playing the bass flute much less tiring for the arms.

It is the longer length of the bass flute that gives the instrument its tonal qualities, and it's usually only seen in flute choirs, or larger orchestras with large flute sections. Because of its lower tone, it can sometimes get overshadowed by louder instruments such as the clarinet - which product similar sounds at a similar key. There are several varieties of bass flute, which we've listed below:

This is the most common bass flute, and is likely what you'll see most often. This form comes in variety of bore sizes and key configurations, and often the exact configurations will depend on the maker or designer.

This form of bass flute has a series of open hole keys. The open-hole bass flute is not as common, but is growing in popularity with some modern players. The extra venting opens up possibilities for more experimental playing techniques, and can be used in some modern repertoire with extended techniques.

A re-designed bass flute, this version is played upright. The upright design is beneficial to the player in numerous ways, as it means the player no longer need to support the weight of the instrument. It can also make keywork easier for the player too. If you're looking to purchase a bass flute, we'd love to assist you here at Dawkes. Our experts at Dawkes have many years of experience and will be able to guide you towards finding the right instrument for you.