Pitch Comparison in Sound and Ergonomics

The purpose of this page is to provide insight into the greater understanding of Flute Key and note pitch and the Ergonomics of hte Native American Flute.

woodsounds native american flute finger chart minor

Much thanks to Jonny Lipford of www.jonnylipfordmusic.com for the idea to color code the keyboard.

The length of the flute and much more importantly the distance from the mouth piece to the bottom hole and the distance between the finger holes of the bottom hand as well as the outside diameter are listed for each pitch. These are approximate numbers. They will be great for helping you determine if you will be able to play the flute or not.

Please note that as flutes get bigger, Easy Clean Mouth piece can be added to the flute to make it fit your ergonomic needs. Please connect with us if you have questions.

Pitch Highest To Lowest (click on pitch to hear sound file, if available) Inside Bore (inches)  Approximate Outside Diameter (inches)  Approximate Overall Length (inches) Approximate distance from mouth piece to bottom playing hole (inches)  Approximate Distance Between Bottom Holes (inches) 
High A# - 5  1/2   7/8  14  1/2  10 1/2 0.59 
High A - 5  1/2   7/8  15       10 1/2 0.60 
High G# - 5  1/2   7/8  15  1/2  11 1/2 0.65 
High G - 5  1/2   7/8  16       11 1/2 0.65 
High F# - 5  1/2   7/8  16  1/2  12    0.65 
High F - 5  5/8  15/16 17       12    0.75 
High E - 5  5/8  15/16 17  1/2  12 1/2 0.70 
High Eb - 5  5/8  15/16 18       13 1/2 0.75 
High D - 5  3/4 1  3/32 19       11 1/2 0.90 
High C# - 5  3/4 1  3/32 19  1/2  12 1/2 0.90 
High C - 5  3/4 1  3/32 20       12 1/2 0.90 
Mid B - 4  7/8 1  1/4  19  1/2  12    1.00 
Mid A# - 4  7/8 1  1/4  20       13    1.00 
Mid A - 4  7/8 1  1/4  20  1/2  13 1/2 1.00 
Mid G# - 4 1     1  3/8  21       13    1.15 
Mid G - 4 1     1  3/8  21  1/2  14    1.16 
Mid F# - 4 1     1  3/8  22       14 1/2 1.15 
Low F - 4 1 1/8 1  1/2  23       15    1.33 
Low E - 4 1 1/8 1  1/2  24       15 1/2 1.33 
Low Eb - 4 1 1/8 1  1/2  25       16    1.33 
Low D - 4 1 1/4 1  5/8  26       16    1.38 
Low C# - 4 1 1/4 1  5/8  28       17    1.40 
Low C - 4 1 1/4 1  5/8  30       18    1.40 
Bass B - 3 1 3/8 1  3/4  32       18 1/2 1.50 
Bass A# - 3 1 3/8 1  3/4  34       19    1.50 
Bass A - 3 1 3/8 1  3/4  36       21    1.50 
Bass G# - 3 1 1/2 1  7/8  39       22    1.50 
Bass G - 3 1 1/2 1  7/8  42       22 1/2 1.50 
Bass F# - 3 1 1/2 1  7/8  45       23 1/2 1.49 
Contra Bass F - 3 1 5/8 2       46       24 1/2 1.56 
Contra Bass E - 3 1 5/8 2       48      27    1.75 
Contra Bass Eb - 3 1 5/8 2       50       25 1/2 1.75 
Contra Bass D - 3 1 5/8 2       52       29    2

Many people have asked what the number is behind the letter declaring the pitch. This is the classical way of denoting what octave you are calling out for the pitch letter.

From the left hand side of a classical piano the first key you come to is a C. This is C-1. One octave above that you have another C. This C is C-2. The third key from the left hand side of the piano is the D. This is D-1. D-2 is one octave higher. And so the system repeats with every octave.