Flute Music Note Chart

The Concert Flute fingering chart is an interactive widget. It include all the notes on the lower part of the flute from C4 (middle C) up through B5 in the second octave. To play it you just click on one of buttons at the top of page or use your computer keyboard to play directly. Each note are played aloud while showing exactly where to place your fingers to play that note. This makes it not only a practice tool but also a useful reference guide to learn how flute is played.

Below the title bar is a line of buttons, each one representing a note in turn. When you click on one, it will be selected, play the note, and highlight relevant fingering diagram. The diagram shows which keys to press using filled circles for those that should be held down and open circles for ones that need not be covered. It also reflects the physical layout of the flute. Dashed lines show the division between the instrument’s joints, separating the foot joint, the right hand section, and the left hand section.

How to Use the Flute Fingering Chart

To maintain clarity of the display, fingerings are given using conventional notations: ‘T’ is the left thumb key; the numerals 1-2-3 are your right-hand index-middle-ring fingers respectively, and those on the left hand too. The G sharp is the left pinky (auxiliary or trill) key. E flat is the right pinky key, held down throughout most of the range here. C & C sharp are the keys played with your foot joints that enable lowest pitches.

The keyboard controls also let you move through the chart without a mouse. Just press the Tab key to jump from one interface element to another until you come to note buttons. Then use the Spacebar or Enter key to choose the focused note and play it. If you don’t want to click individual notes in an arbitrary order, this will let you step through the scale at a pace that suits you. It also remembers your previous choice so you can pick up from where you left off.

In the header, the help button can be clicked for more information regarding the fingering logic and controls. The panel will pop out with a deep description of how each control works. It will also provide detailed explanation of the fingering logic. If you’re not sure what something means, want to review the key labels, or are just starting out, this can be very helpful.

There is also a play scale function where a C major scale will play from the bottom note through the range, using the play scale button. Here it shows how fingerings adjust as you ascend in steps. It illustrates the repeating pattern of keeping certain fingers still while gradually lifting other fingers one at a time. Listen to and watch this progress to cement your muscle memory before attempting it yourself.

Next, there’s a volume slider that lets you control how loud the synth plays the flute notes. If you like them quieter, slide this to the left. For louder notes, slide it right. This will help when practicing alongside others or if you just want the sound to be lower. It will stay there unless you change it again.

The fullscreen button opens the widget in full-screen so you can see it more easily. It also gets rid of any distractions around the widget, while freeing up some space to display the fingering diagram. This is especially good if you have a small screen where things may get crowded. Click the button again, or press Escape to go back to regular view.

One practical pointer for novices might be the need to listen back-to-back octaves like D4 and D5. These will have exactly the same fingering even though the notes are different than pitches. This means that no new finger combinations is needed in the higher register; instead, you just rely on overblowing. Knowing this helps make mastering high notes far easier.

The second exercise I find helpful is tracking how the E flat key changes through the notes. Notice that it’s only down on nearly all of the notes except low D; that’s one of those pesky places where you can stumble into an unwanted slide if you’re not aware of when that key lets go. Again, the visual feedback highlights tiny variations and allows you to be aware of them right away.

Alternatively, if you have an actual instrument at hand, you can use the widget to check your fingerings too. Simply press a key on your flute and then click corresponding button on the chart. Look at diagram and see if the filled-in circles correspond to which notes you’re pressing down on the instrument. Adjust your playing posture accordingly until there is perfect match between the two. That’s an instant way to see if you are doing it right, which will speed up learning the correct technique.

All audio processing happens locally on your browser in the widget. The interface shows exactly which keys to press for each pitch while playing the sound simultaneously. No lag when you click that note. It has a tiny amount of vibrato built into the synthesis to mimic the warmth of a breath tone from a real instrument. It is not like playing an acoustic instrument, but it is close enough for learning finger moves.

For those who are curious, have a look around the chromatic steps that fall between white notes of the scale. You will find often you need extra keys and these tend to be sharps either on the foot joint or perhaps using the G sharp auxiliary key. They take a while to get used to but with practice they become second nature.

This chart eliminates all guesswork as it shows exactly what is needed for each note. Get started now, so that you are familiar with these key patterns. Practice clicking through as well as using keyboard and see which comes more naturaly for you. Pay attention to the visual clues that help you imagine how each fingering relates to finger movement on the flute. The quicker you can internalise these fingerings the more effective the process is if you practice in short regular intervals with the audio feedback.