Fingering chart for one-key flutes

In just intonation, meantone tuning, and well-temperaments, sharps are lower in pitch than flats. For example, A# and Bb are both between A and B, but A# is flatter than Bb (that is, closer to A than to B).

Every flute is different. Choose the fingerings that work best on your instrument, after making a serious attempt to understand those recommended in 18th century sources. I recommend The Baroque Flute Fingering Book by Margaret Newhaus, which contains a compilation of trill fingerings from many 18th century sources.

= close the hole = open the hole = depress the key (open its hole)

d'		Flat on some late one-key flutes.
d'#/e'b		Remember to play Eb sharper than D#.
e'		The D# key should not be open except in unusual cases. Use of the key usually increases resonance, but makes the note too sharp. Still, if one is very careful to keep the pitch down, one can produce a louder sound with the key open, and this may be useful on long notes.
e'#/f'		Tends to be sharp, especially for e'#.
f'# g'b		The f'# tends to be flat; keep the D# key open whenever possible. The second fingering must be used for g'b.
g'		The key is optional. On some flutes, resonance is increased when it is open.
g'#/a'b		Some players are embarrassed by the veiled sound of this note. But one should enjoy it. No other instrument can make a sound like this. Don't blow hard.
a'		The key is optional. I often prefer the sound quality, on some flutes, with it closed, but this only matters for long notes.
b'b b'b a'#		Whenever possible, use the first fingering for b'b, and the third for a'#. With some flutes, on a long b'b, one can open the key and cover the embouchure a bit more, with the first fingering, to get a more resonant sound. The second fingering is good in alteration with f'.
b'		The key is optional.
b'# c'' c''		Use the first fingering for b'# whenever possible. The second fingering is the standard baroque fingering for c''. The third fingering came in early in the 19th century. Its sound is less veiled and matches the classical taste better; but be careful to keep the pitch down. Fingering 3 also works for c''', and so is good for octaves.
c''#/d''b		Tends to be flat. Be careful to make sure d''b is sharp enough. The key is optional on the first fingering. Some of the right hand holes may be kept closed, for convenience, in passage work. The second fingering can allow a more resonant and louder sound; also try closing only some of the right hand holes.
d''		Hole 1 may be partially closed if desired.
d''#/e''b		Do not open hole 1.
e''		Keep the key closed.
e''#/f''		Tends to be sharp, especially for e''#.
f''# g''b		The f''# tends to be flat; keep the D# key open whenever possible. The second fingering must be used for g''b, though it tends to be sharp. It can be used for f''# (e.g. in a passage involving e''#, f''#, g''#) in a slow movement.
g''		The key is optional.
g''#/a'b a''b		Use the first fingering whenever possible. The second can be used sometimes for a''b, or for a g''# between two a''s in late 18th or early 19th century music. The key is optional on the second fingering.
a''		The key is optional.
b''b a''#/b''b		The first fingering is the best for b''b, but tends to be sharp. Always use the second fingering for a''#; the key is optional. (These fingerings should be reversed for Tromlitz flute copies.)
b''		The first fingering is the normal one, though it is sometimes a bit flat; the key is optional. The last two fingerings tend to be sharp, but are useful e.g. when the b'' must be sustained sweetly and softly, or for c'''b.
b''# c''' c''' c''' c'''		The first fingering is for b''# only. On many flutes it does not speak well and is almost too flat, so it may be better to adjust one of the fingerings for c''' by embouchure or shading a hole. The second fingering is the normal one for c''', and should be used whenever possible. The others tend to be sharp. It can help to close hole 1 part way on the last fingering.
c'''# c'''#/d'''b c'''#/d'''b c'''#/d'''b c'''#/d'''b		The first fingering can be bit flat and stuffy on some flutes, so I tend to use the second fingering a lot (hole 3 is optional on some flutes). The third is primarily a 19th century fingering and is often sharp; shade or cover hole 1 part way when possible. The last two fingerings work well on some flutes, and hole 6 may be covered in the last fingering.
d'''		The first fingering is the best. The pitch is very sensitive to the cork position. The second fingering is often useful for octaves. Hole 5 may be closed partially or even completely.
d'''#/e'''b		Sometimes a bit flat for e'''b; correct it with the embouchure.
e'''		Tends to be flat on some flutes, especially early three piece flutes. Leaking finger hole 1 will help with the pitch.
e'''#/f'''		This note does not speak well on many flutes and is sometimes impossible, especially on early flutes. It tends to be sharp. Shading or covering part of hole 5 helps both with the speech and the pitch.
f'''#/g'''b		The first fingering is the best, though the second works for some flutes and some players. The third fingering tends to be sharp (so is good for g'''b); hole 3 is optional. The fourth can be quite useful on late 18th or 19th century flutes.
g'''		Often a good note.
g'''#/a'''b		Choose the one that works best. I always choose the second fingering.
a'''		Can be difficult of speech. Sometimes sharp, in which case shading holes 1 and/or 6 helps a little.

---

Click here to return to the Fingering Charts index.

---