How The Flute Is Made
The flute is made in the form of an open cylindrical air column about 66 cm long. Its fundamental pitch is middle C (C4) and it has a range of about three octaves to C7. Sound is produced from a flute by blowing onto a sharp edge, causing air enclosed in a tube to vibrate. The pads attached to the surface of the keys in order to cover the holes are made of cork and felt.
The springs that provide tension to hold the keys firmly against the holes may be made of steel, bronze, or gold. The pins and screws that hold the mechanism together are made of steel. The mouthpiece, containing the hole into which air is blown, may be made of the same metal as the rest of the flute, or it may be made of another metal, such as platinum.
Design
Every flute is an individually crafted work of art. The flutemaker must consider the needs of the musician who will use the flute. Students need relatively inexpensive but reliable instruments. Professional musicians must have instruments of very high quality, often with special changes made in the keys to accommodate special needs.
The most individual portion of a flute is the head joint. Professional musicians often test several head joints before selecting one which produces the sound they prefer. Head joints are often manufactured to meet the special demands of individual musicians.
The material from which a flute is made greatly alters the sound which is produced. Wooden flutes produce a dark sound. Silver flutes produce a bright sound. The thickness of the metal used to make a flute also alters the sound it makes, as well as changing the weight of the instrument. All these factors may influence the design of a flute preferred by a particular musician.
A flute may be elaborately decorated. The physical appearance of a flute is an important consideration for professional musicians who perform in public. The most detailed designs are likely to found on the professional quality flutes. The process of forming these designs, known as chasing, requires the skill of an experienced artist, and makes the individual flute a truly unique instrument.
Here is a fingering chart for the flute it has some notes that you can use if you are playing the flute.