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Improvements
are to improve the intonation of some of the upper notes, and to render certain notes easier to produce, but it certainly weakens the tone of the lowest notes.
of Early
Flutes flute made for Quantz before 1724 by F. Boie, a well-known maker, consisted of four separate pieces.[1] These early flutes generally had several—sometimes as many as six—interchangeable middle sections of various lengths, which were used for the purpose of altering the pitch. This device was still used in 1791, and is mentioned in Florio and Tacet's Instruction Book. Pratten tried it in 1867. Sometimes also the foot-joint was made in two pieces, sliding into each other, which could be pulled out or pushed in, so as to lengthen or shorten the joint about half an inch according as a longer or shorter middle section was employed. ThisTuning
Slides was called a "Register," and by its means the pitch could be altered an entire tone. Quantz before 1752 made an additional long pin-and-socket joint in the head-piece, so that it could be lengthened or shortened at will. This tuning-slide was originally made of wood, and it was found that when drawn out there was a considerable cavity left in the inside of the tube, rendering the bore wider at that point; this affected the tone. To remedy
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- ↑ We learn from Quantz that flutes in three pieces first appeared towards the end of the seventeenth century.
