Do you know that flutes come in different tube thicknesses? They do! Most flutes will come with the standard thickness of 0.16”. But when choosing a flute, it’s helpful to understand how tubing thickness can totally change the way you sound. A lot of flutists don’t know about what each thickness can do for you. How does it enhance your tone. Does a thickness make the flute easier or
Do you know that flutes come in different tube thicknesses? They do! Most flutes will come with the standard thickness of 0.16 inches. But when choosing a flute, it’s helpful to understand how tubing thickness can totally change the way you sound.
A lot of flutists don’t know about what each thickness can do for you. How does it enhance your tone? Does a thickness make the flute easier or mor difficult to play?
Let’s find out the answers to these questions.
Flute tubes come in 3 different thicknesses: .014”, .016”, and .018”. We call .014 inches “thin wall” tubing; 0.16 inches “standard wall” tubing; and .018 inches “heavy wall” tubing.
These subtle differences in the thickness of the flute metals change the weight of the flute that you can feel in your hands and hear when you play! Weight is important to understanding the differences in these flutes. More weight gives a weightier sound. Less weight gives a lighter and brighter sound.
.014” Thin Wall
A flute with the .014” thickness is a brighter, faster responding instrument. So, when you’re playing it, the response time of your articulation is fast and clear. You could even say sharp (not in pitch). The tone is bright and big. This tone will carry in a recital hall. The tone has volume but perhaps not as much depth. This is the flute for you if you are not a big air performer. If you have perhaps a gentle air stream, this flute will respond for you. It will take your gentle air stream and focus the tone. The flute I tried in my video had a gorgeous sound. I am not a big air player so I think perhaps this flute may be something I should try.
.016” Standard Wall
My flute is a .016” standard wall flute. This flute has been my flute for the last 23 years and has seen me through a lot of performances. The standard wall flute gives you what might be considered “the best of both worlds.”
When I play this instrument in comparison to the .014” I can definitely hear how the sound is slightly darker. It does not have that immediate bright sound, but this darker sound is a bit more honey and less cotton candy. This flute will share some of the brightness but allows me to get an edgy sound if I want it.
I think that the quick response in articulation is still there, but it is different. After having just played a .014” I feel the difference in the response. With the thicker tubing there will be more weight to the instrument which gives more weight to articulation and sound.
Let’s talk about weight. When I pick up both instruments, I don’t really feel a big difference between .014” and 0.16”. If you are worried about your hands, the difference in weight it is negligible.
.018” Heavy Wall
When I play this flute there is a definite feeing of more resistance. But it is this resistance that gives this flute a dark sound, a mellow but very rich sound. A .018” can have an absolutely gorgeous sound just because that added thickness gives the vibrations more metal to go through to create this sound. Now, I feel that I have a little bit smaller sound on a .018” because I have to work a little bit harder to get that sound out.
I feel like the third octave warms up a lot more with the 0.18”. It isn’t quite so bright up there and that is a beautiful thing as we all have difficulty getting those overtones in the third octave.
If we talk about weight this is where you need to be concerned. The added weight of a .018” can be felt in your hands. I can feel that between my 0.16” flute and the heavy wall the heavy wall is heavier. If you have any hand/wrist/arm issues I wouldn’t recommend the heavy wall. I personally feel that while I like the sound, I don’t think the added weight would be good for my hands. Maybe if I grew up in my professional career with a heavy wall, my hands and wrists would have gotten used to it and it would feel natural but at this stage of life I wouldn’t switch.
So, let’s just talk about you as a player. If you feel like you do not have a lot of air, that maybe you are a gentler player without tons of air and perhaps you don’t have a big sound, then maybe a .014” will brighten and open up your sound and give you a little bigger sound. However, if you are a big player and you have all a lot of air and you have a lot of volume, then you should go for the .018”. That heavy wall will help control all that air and give you a focus to your tone.
What thickness is right for your tone? In the end it comes down to preference. How much air do you use when you play? Do you like that brighter sound that really responds, or are you a darker sound lover? Which resonance appeals to you? There is no right or wrong choice. It is more of deciding which flute gives you the sound you are looking for.
Enjoy trying flutes with different thicknesses and see what they can do for you.
Have fun!
DoctorFlute
Watch me demonstrate this:
Does Flute Tubing Thickness Matter – FCNY Sponsored
Why Are Professional Flutes So Expensive? Flute Center Sponsored
Should You Put a Professional Headjoint on an Intermediate Body? FluteTips 170
