Flutes are among the earliest known musical instruments, with examples dating back over 30,000 years ago! The western concert flute depicted here is held sideways and played by blowing across and into a hole on the top. The fingers are used to depress buttons on the key mechanism to open and close the tone holes that exist along the length of the instrument. The varying combination of open and closed holes produces all of the various possible pitches.

Flutes for beginning students are usually made out of nickel or nickel plated copper, while professional instruments may be made out of silver or even gold.