The Irish flute is a wooden transverse flute, frequently used in traditional Irish music. Much longer than a Tin Whistle, the Irish transverse flute produces a highly recognizable sound that will delight all lovers of Celtic music.
Irish transverse flutes, often referred to simply as wooden flute, are instruments derived directly from 19th-century English flutes.
At the time, the Irish transverse flute was made of wood, most often ebony but sometimes boxwood. It features an inverted conical bore (from wide to narrow) and large clearance holes. They use the eight-key system common to all flutes at the turn of the century.
But luthiers soon tired of the repair and maintenance required by wood, and decided to adopt Delrin, a polymer with the same musical properties as ebony, and no alteration in sound quality. Thanks to the use of new materials, Irish flutes are virtually indestructible, and therefore unaffected by weather and age.
An Irish flute is generally made of cocuswood or Jamaican ebony, two particularly strong woods that keep the instrument in perfect condition for many years. This flute is made up of several tubes, which must be fitted together to form the flute.
African ebony or boxwood may also be used for the design: this is left to the discretion of the luthier, and the budget set for the instrument (the Irish flute is rather expensive).
The 8-key system is most often made from silver, or more exceptionally from nickel silver for smaller budgets. The holes are generally larger in diameter than those of standard flutes…
The fingering of an Irish flute differs very little from that of a Tin Whistle. Generally speaking, musicians try the Tin Whistle first, then the Irish Flute for greater convenience…
The key system is not always used, and many musicians have “customized” their instruments so that they no longer use them… In any case, an Irish flute can be played without keys.
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