learning about
The colour of Flutes
About the types of wood used and the difference in colour among flutes.
Flutes are made of different types of wood. Often, softer types of wood are used. We have pearwood flutes in our range, but also maple or cherry flutes.
Flutes made of soft wood have good acoustic properties. They give a warm, rich sound and have good resonance. They amplify the sound well and react quickly to changes in air pressure. This allows musicians to add a lot of expression and variation to their musical performance.
Soft wood is also lighter in weight. As a result, a flute made of soft wood is a pleasant instrument for beginners and young musicians to hold and play.
You might expect that you can recognise the type of wood used for a flute by its colour. For example, flutes made of cherry wood are dark brown, or flutes made of pear wood are instead very light brown. Yet this is not the case. The colour of the same type of wood can be very different and depends on various factors, both natural and non-natural. You can read some examples of this below:
Different factors affecting the colour of wood
Where does a tree grow?
Sunlight, soil condition, climate and other environmental factors can affect the growth and colour of the wood.
How old is the tree?
An older tree often produces darker wood than a younger tree. This is because the wood often gets darker as the tree ages. So, the age of the tree affects the colour of the wood.
Which part of the tree?
The inside of a tree trunk, the heartwood, has different properties from the wood on the outside of the trunk, the sapwood. Therefore, even wood coming from exactly the same tree can differ in colour.
How is the wood processed?
The degree of sanding, polishing or other processing techniques can affect the colour of the wood.
Is the wood exposed to light?
When wood is exposed to sunlight a lot, it can discolour, and the colour can fade or yellow.
How is a wooden flute treated?
There are different treatments with which a flute can be finished. Flutes are often treated with an oil and (bees) wax. This is to protect the wooden flute against moisture and to maintain the wood well. Many different types of oil can be used, each of which gives the flute its colour. The amount of protection layers also influences the colour.
Colour and Quality
The colour of wood is, as shown above, influenced by a variety of natural factors and human processes. This causes wide colour variations, even within the same type of wood. Although the colour can create a big difference in appearance between similar flutes, it does not affect the quality and sound of a flute.
The choice of a certain flute colour is therefore mainly aesthetic and personal; Which colour appeals to the musician?
