How does a flute work?

Nothing inside a flute moves: a jet of breath flips in and out across a sharp edge and the air in the tube does the singing. A bansuri is a bamboo tube with a cork at the top, a hole to blow across and six burnt finger holes.

Read how it works: How does a flute work? · The history of the flute · More boxes on Glassbox

Chapters in this interactive model

1. A bamboo bansuri and a silver flute: A tube, a hole to blow across, and holes for your fingers.
2. A jet of air that flips in and out: The edge tone: breath split on a sharp edge drives the air in the tube.
3. A tube of air that rings: Open at both ends: f = v/2L, and every harmonic.
4. Open a hole, shorten the tube: Six holes, seven notes, and the half-hole trick.
5. Blow harder, jump an octave: Same fingers, faster jet: the tube’s next mode takes over.
6. The bansuri and Indian music: Bamboo, fire and breath: meend, gamak and the long flute.