modern flute B foot

F#6

Impedance

Fingering a key depressed a key not depressed a part of the mechanism that is not normally touched Details in fingering legend. Acoustic schematic a closed tone hole an open tone hole Non-specialist introduction to acoustic impedance Non-specialist introduction to flute acoustics

This fingering is comparable to that for F#4 except for the use of the holes operated by the LH middle finger key as a (double) register hole. This creates a pressure node (or flow antinode) about three quarters of the way along the pipe. Comparing this with the F#4 impedance spectrum, we see that the fourth minimum (the one that plays F#6) is deeper. The third is extremely shallow and unplayable. The first minimum plays ~B4 and the second ~B5 but, because it is a cross fingering for these notes, their timbres are darker. Combinations of these three notes may be played simultaneously as multiphonics. Often unintentionally: F#6 is notorious for being hard to play softly with confidence. Its minimum is not as stable as that for, say F6, but worse, the minimum at ~B5 is well supported by another at ~B6.

Sound

Sound spectrum of a modern flute with a B foot played using fingering for F#6.

Sound Clip

You can hear F#6 played by Geoffrey Collins.