Comprehensive fingering chart for 19C simple system flutes

This is a comprehensive fingering chart for 19th century simple system flutes, in particular for the "8-key flute". It lists fingerings from many sources. It is assumed that the reader is familar with the simple system flute and knows the names and locations (on their flute) of the keys. The majority of the fingerings here use only keys for D♯, F, G♯, and B♭. When other keys are shown or mentioned in the comments but are not present on a particular flute, the corresponding fingerings must be skipped.

Usually the first one or two fingerings are the most common and best, but others are often useful for special purposes, including facility, dynamics, tone quailty/sonority, and expressive intonation (see Sensitive Notes and Altered Semitones). CAUTION: Since there are so many types of simple system flutes (some with large holes, some with small, as well as with different bore designs, etc.), not all fingerings will work well on all flutes!

While there is no attempt to give trill fingerings for every note, many fingerings useful in trills, turns, flourishes, and other quick passagework are described, sometimes along with suggestions for a trill. Not all these fingerings will sound in tune when used for sustained notes. See e.g. A2[5] and C2[5].

I include a number of fingerings where leaking, shading, or partially covering a hole is suggested. This is a possibility on the simple system flute—one of its big advantages over modern systems—that should not be overlooked, in my opinion. The technique is especially valuable with the left hand first finger and hole 1, and is not hard to learn.


= closed hole
= open hole
= patially closed
= optional — try both ways

Keys on the body are indicated ONLY when they are to be used. Here are examples:

— any F key

— any G# key

— any Bb key

— any C key

The footjoint in our diagrams depicts the D#, D, C#, and C holes of a B-foot flute.
N.B. Our chart shows the tone holes of a flute, and whether they are to be closed or open in a given fingering. I have chosen to use the convention that black means closed, period! This may be (or will be) confusing in the case of the D# hole, because the D# key is closed-standing. For example, see the fingerings for D1 and D1# below where shows that the right hand little finger is raised while shows it is pressing the D♯ key.


—Notations and abbreviations—
The finger holes are numbered 1,2,...6 starting at the top (closest to the embouchure). The musical notes starting at middle C are C1,D1,E1, etc. The notes an octave higher are C2, D2, E2, etc., while the notes still an octave higher are C3,D3... The five fingerings given for A2♯, for example, are called A2♯[1], A2♯[2], ..., A2♯[5]. LH and RH are abreviations for left hand and right hand; e.g. RH1 stands for the first finger of the right hand.

Fingering for B

 1  

Fingering for C1

 1  

Fingering for C1♯ or D1♭

 1  

Fingering for D1

 1  

Fingering for D1♯ or E1♭

 1  

Fingering for E1

 1  

The D♯ key should be open whenever possible except on French flutes and some early 19C German flutes.

Fingerings for F1

 1  
 2  

[2] is a usable on small-holed flutes, and occasionally necessary on others, though it will be difficult to keep its pitch down.

Fingerings for F1♯ or G1♭

 1  
 2  

[1] Keep an F key open whenever possible (not shown).
[2] Use for G1♭ or as a sensitive F1♯ to G1, but it is sharp and weak.

Fingerings for G1

 1  
 2  

[2] is weak.

Fingerings for G1♯ or A♭

 1  
 2  

[2] is necessary when [1] cannot be used; e.g. as an A1♭ after an F1 with the long F key.

Fingerings for A1

 1  
 2  

[2] is weak.

Fingerings for B1♭ or A1♯

 1  
 2  

[2] is sharp, but can be useful in alteration with F1[2] and with D2[1] when holes 4 and 6 are closed.

Fingerings for B1

 1  
 2  

[1] can be sharp on large-holed English flutes; try adding some right hand fingers.
[2] can be used for color, on a long note.

Fingerings for C2

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  

[1] is the most common fingering on all but French flutes and some early 19C German flutes; it tends to be sharp, but when well managed matches the other notes and can even be quite reedy when desired.
[2] is for French flutes but is also used on early 19th century flutes of other national types.
[3] is for the trill with B1 and in some passages with high note C2.
[4] is very useful in alteration with A1♭ and/or A2♭.
[5] is useful only in ornaments like the turn on B1♭ (where the B♭ key remains open) and some fast figures in the first octave.
[6] is strongly recommended by Nicholson; it appears in the very first fingering charts for 6-key flutes, circa 1770.
[7] is recommended by Rockstro; it works for C3 as well.

Fingerings for C2♯ or D2♭

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  

[2] may give more sonority than [1]; cover any two or all three of the right hand holes.
[3] is an excellent sensitive C2♯ it is sometimes better with hole 1 partially closed.
[4] is excellent as a D2♭ in combination with C2[6].

Fingerings for D2

 1  

Flat on some, but not all, flutes; hole 1 may be partially covered; there are many passages which are simplified by covering all of hole 1.

Fingerings for D2♯ or E♭

 1  

[1] On some flutes, tends to be flat.

Fingering for E2

 1  

Except on French flutes and some very early 19C flutes, the D♯ key should be open whenever possible (esp. on Viennese flutes); but we note that Nicholson says that in the key of E major, the D2♯ key is better left closed on E2.

Fingerings for F2

 1  
 2  

[1] Use whenever possible; the D♯ hole is best open.

Fingerings for F2♯ or G2♭

 1  
 2  

[1] Keep an F key open whenever possible!
[2] Use for G2♭ or as a sensitive F2♯, but can be too sharp if one is not careful; on a large-holed and some medium-holed flutes, do not use the D♯ key.

Fingerings for G2

 1  
 2  

[2] is an excellent sensitive note to A2♭ and otherwise useful in some passages; it may be found in Monzani, and Nicholson recommends its use in F minor.

Fingerings for G2♯ or A2♭

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  

[1] Opening a C key in addition produces an A2♯ or B2♭, which tends to be a little flat; but the C key may give a useful B2♭/A2♭ or A2♯/G2♯ trill.
[2] may be good as a sensitive note on small or medium-holed flutes.
[3] Try [3] and [4] as sensitive notes.
[4] One can trill with RH1, or both RH1 and RH2.
[5] is a sensitive note.

Fingerings for A2

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  

[2] is given by Fürstenau; it is sweet, and always good for a delicate upbeat or a sustained piano.
[3] is sometimes good in alteration with G2♯[1] or G2♯[5].
[4] is an excellent as a sensitive note or a trill with B2♭[2], unless the holes are too big or too small.
[5] is very sharp but good as a sensitive note; Nicholson shows it used when adjacent to a B2♭[2], esp. in the keys of F and B♭.

Fingerings for B2♭ and A2♯

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  

[2] is good note and was used often,e.g. by Nicholson; it is excellent with C3[1]; it tends to be sharp, but on some flutes it is actually flat to [3].
[3] The pitch can vary tremendously from one flute to another depending on the hole sizes; often an excellent sensitive note on flutes with medium holes, but can be flat on small hole flutes.
[4] is a bit flatter than its relative [2] and may be useful in alteration with A2[1]; open hole 1 for C3, which allows a good C3/B2♭ trill, useful with A2[5] in the termination.

Fingerings for B2

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  

[2] is recommended by Fürstenau (with hole 3 closed); good with C3[3].
[3] is sharp but speaks easily, and is good for a light upbeat or a sustained piano.
[4] is a harmonic of E1; may be sharp; useful in ornaments; Nicholson uses it when adjacent to C3[4].
[5] is good as a sensitive note, and sometimes for a trill (nice in piano) with C3♯ using RH2 and RH3; adjust the partial covering of hole 1 to taste.
[6] can be used for a trill with A2 using the long C key, or for fast alteration or a trill with C3♯ by raising LH1 and LH2 (leaving the C key depressed).
[7] is often too sharp.

Fingerings for C3

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  
 8  
 9  
 0  

[2] is for trills with B2, and some passages with high note C3.
[3] is recommended by Fürstenau, but tends to be sharp; speaks best with hole 2 open; good in alteration with B2[2].
[4] is a harmonic of low F; tends to be sharp with the D key open; speaks better with hole 2 open; keep hole 2 closed and the D♭ key open when trilling D3/C3 with RH1 and RH2.
[5] makes a fine trill with D3 (use RH1 and RH2 for the trill, and B2[5] for the turn); adjust the partial covering of hole 1 to taste and the flute.
[6] is just for completeness.
[7] may have an interesting color; good for a leap from C1; open hole 5 for a D3♯.
[8] is recommended by Rockstro; it works for C2 too.
[9] is only used in alteration with B2♭[1], e.g. in a trill with LH1.
[0] is for use with B2♭[4].

Fingerings for C3♯ or D3♭

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  

[1] is the most common 19C fingering; shade or partially cover hole 1 if too sharp or when trilling D3/C3♯ with RH1.
[2] is good on many flutes; it often speaks better with hole 3 closed; and on some flutes, close hole 2 as well.
[3] is a nice note.
[4] tends to be flat.
[5] is convenient once in a while.
[6] is good as a sensitive note or as an octave to C2♯[3]; hole 1 may be partially covered; if one opens the B♭ key on [6], an often poor E3♭/D3♭ trill may be then obtained with RH1 and RH2; try it with the low C key closed too.
[7] may be good for some trills and possibly in a chromatic passage (D3 can be played with a C key open).

Fingerings for D3

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 5  

[1] is the best fingering; an F key or the low C key may be used rather than the D♯ key; cover hole 1 partially if used with C3[5] or E3♭[3].
[2] is good for octaves with D2. With hole 5 closed, alternate with E3♭ using the D♯ key; an awkward trill with E3 is available by partially covering hole 1 and trilling with LH3 and RH1 (and maybe RH2).
[3] is flat; only good slurred between two C3[1]s.
[4] is sharp, but very good as a sensitive note to E3♭.
[5] may be used for an E3♭/D3 trill with RH1, or an E3/D3 trill with LH3 and RH1 awkward); hole 1 may be closed or leaked.
[6] is good with E3[6 or 7] and F3[7 or 8].

Fingerings for D3♯ or E3♭

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  

[1] is the most common 19C fingering; it can be on the flat side on English flutes.
[2] can be a very good note, smooth in alteration with G3.
[3] can be used between two E3[2]s.
[4] A good sensitive D3#, though Monzani gives it gives it with the G♯ key open as the normal fingering, making it too sharp on some flutes; Nicholson gives it with hole 4 closed for use in E major.
[5] may be good between two D3s.
[6] is only useful when slurred to from D3[1] or C3♯[1], and can be used for E3♭/D3 and D3♭/C3♭ trills.

Fingerings for E3

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  

[1] is the most common 19C fingering; leak hole 1 if it is flat.
[2] is sharper; good as the octave to E2 and in passages e.g. with F3[1] with the short F key. It can be played without the G# key in some contexts.
[3] is only useful when alternated with D3, or in the E3/D3 trill, if the E3/D3 key is not present.
[4] is sharp; good only as a sensitive note.
[5] is a harmonic of low C1.
[6] may be useful when adjacent to e.g. C1♯ or A2 [2 or 3].
[7] is a little sharp, but often excellent on late flutes for the lower auxilliary of a turn on F3, or the turned ending of a trill on F3, using F3[8].

Fingerings for F3

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  
 8  

[1] is good, but can be a bit flat.
[2] is given in English sources as early as 1770.
[3] can be a little sharp and does not speak well on all flutes, but is very useful; Monzani recommends the G♯ key to be open as well.
[4] is the one-key fingering and is good on French and many German flutes, but not on English flutes; shade hole 5 if it is too sharp, but one can also sharpen it more with the B♭ key for use as a sensitive E3♯ between two F3♯[1]s.
[5] is good only between two E3s, as in a trill.
[6] is only useful in the G3/F3 trill (with RH1 and RH2).
[7] and [8] are harmonics of low D1♭ and can be good fingerings. Both can be used for awkward G3/F3 trills: Use LH2, RH1, and RH2 (and possibly RH3), or experiment with using all LH fingers (and RH2 too, if possible).

Fingerings for F3♯

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  
 8  

[1] is usually best, often with hole 6 closed; but on some earlier flutes, speech is better with hole 6 open.
[2] works well on some flutes; try hole 3 both ways, or leaking.
[3] is very good on some small and medium-holed flutes (e.g. French flutes); also try this fingering with the B♭ key open.
[4] and [5] are good sensitive notes; use [6] in alteration with E3[2]; good for the F3♯/E3♯ trill with LH2 and LH3.
[7] in alteration with E3♭[1]; good for the F3♯/E3♯ trill with LH2.
[8] is useful only quickly between two E3[1]s; use for a quick F3♯/E3♯ trill, or at the top of a figure.

Fingerings for G3

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  
 8  
 9  

[1] is usually best; many late flutes prefer hole 6 closed, while earlier flutes may need hole 4 open; an F key may may be opened.
[2] may be used if [1] is found too flat in some contexts; with hole 4 open, a good sensitive note to A3♭.
[3] does not always speak well, but if it does, good with F3/E3♯[4] or in a leap from B2[3] (same fingering).
[4] is only good in alteration with F3, as in a trill.
[5] is never good (too sharp, doesn't speak well), but must be used for the A3/G3 trill (with the two foot keys) unless Schwedler's trill key is available.
[6] tends to be sharp; an option as a leap from a C with the foot keys closed. Try the A3/G3 trill using four or all five of the fingers RH1, RH3, LH1, LH2, LH3 (though it is rarely satisfactory).
[7] Of theoretical interest only. An F key will sharpen it.
[8] Of little interest, except for use in a G3/F3 trill, with fingers LH1 and LH2; difficult of speech and a bit flat when sustained.
[9] is a variation on [3] that could be used in conjunction with F3[3].

Fingerings for G3♯ or A3♭

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  

[1] tends to be flat; hole 3 can be uncovered partially.
[2] is better, and hole 3 may still be leaked if necessary; also try hole 5 closed and hole 6 open. the pitch is higher with just 5 covered.
[3] is very good when [2] is still too flat; good as a sensitive note; I often close hole 2 but leave 5 open.
[4] is difficult of speech, but good for the trill with A3 or as a sensitive note; adjust the partial covering of hole 1 to your own taste.
[5] works on some flutes and may be useful between two A3[2]s; try without the G♯ key too.

Fingerings for A3

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  

[1] may be sharp; shading holes 1 and 6 may help a little.
[2] often speaks better than [1], but tends to be sharp; often better with hole 6 open; shading hole 1 may help.
[3] is somewhat flatter; can be good on late flutes, in a forte, or in a trill with G3#[3].
[4] is of theoretical interest only.
[5] works on late flutes but is of theoretical interest only; it helps to open a thumb G♯ key, if present, or leak hole 3 to sharpen; use RH3 and LH2 for a trill with B3♭.

Fingerings for B3♭ and A3♯

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  

[1] is the basis for all B3♭ fingerings that I know, but is almost never best; still, it can be used between two A3s; hole 3 may be left closed if absolutely necessary.
[2] may work as given, but one MUST experiment: start with [1] and try opening one or both of the G# and F keys, and partially or completely covering hole 1.
[3] Try this one.
[4] is good on small-holed flutes; also try partially covering hole 5.
[5] only works on large-holed flutes.
[6] works well on Viennese-style flutes. Also OK on some early German flutes with the G♯ key on the lower center, but may tend to be flat.

Fingerings for B3

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  

[1] is good on earlier flutes, but may be awkward because the short F key must be covered by RH2, not the usual RH3, if the short key is used; try shading hole 4.
[2] is a common late 19C fingering; try both with and without RH3.
[3] is Nicholson's fingering; good for large-holed flutes; leaking hole 1 will improve the speech.
[4] is given by Monzani, Drouet, and Berbiguier; recommended by Rockstro for small-holed flutes.
[5] is from Dressler; tends to be flat, but try leaking hole 1.
[6] is only usable on some long Viennese-style flutes with footjoints to low A or G, because the very low B♭ key must be closed too (not shown).

Fingerings for C4

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  
 5  
 6  
 7  

[1] Try this first; then experiment with [1], [2], and [3]. It may help to shade or cover half of hole 4.
[3] can be awkward but is often nice; try the B♭ key instead of the G♯ key, or neither key; try using the low B key as a "gizmo" on fingerings [1] and [5], but it often makes little difference
[4] works on some esp. French flutes; a bit sharper than previous fingerings.
[5] is good on some late flutes, but may be on the flat side.
[6] is a variation on [5]; Monzani says to open the G♯ key as well; try it with hole 5 closed rather than 6, and/or without the D♯ key.
[7] is only usable on some long Viennese-style flutes with footjoints to low A or G, because a low B♭ key must be present and closed too (not shown!).

Fingerings for C4♯ or D4♭

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  

[1] is an attempt to sharpen the C4 by opening every key.
[2] is in Nicholson and Berbiguier; given by Drouet with both F keys open (not shown!).
[3] from Burose, with the E3/D3 trill key open (not shown!).
[4] is a very awkward fingering (found on a Ziegler chart), but it can work surprisingly well; best using a thumb G♯ key, of course, since LH4 must operate the low B key.

Fingerings for D4

 1  
 2  
 3  
 4  

[1] is often good, but one must have a flute where it is possible to close the low C♯ key while simultaneously opening the D♯ key.
[2] is good on French or other small-holed flutes with hole 4 open.
[3] works on German or Viennese flutes with a side low B key.
[4] is given by Drouet with both F keys open; works on some French flutes.

Fingerings for D4♯ or E4♭

 1  
 2  

[1] works on large-holed English flutes.
[2] Also try using the side low B key, if present, to close the low C hole.

Fingerings for E4

 1  
 2  

[1] Experiment with opening, in addition, one or more of the other keys; also try hole 6 open.
[2] is from Burose, with a low Bb key also closed (not shown); also try with hole 2 half-closed.

Fingerings for F4

 1  

Used by players of Cuban charanga, on 5-key French flutes; experiment with the keys.

Fingerings for F4♯ or G4♭

Generally considered impossible.

Fingering for G4

 1  

Tends to be flat. Used by players of Cuban charanga. Check www.wfg.woodwind.org/charanga for more more charanga fingerings.

I have sometimes given names of flutists whose works contain fingerings I have mentioned. This list is a very incomplete sample of sources for the fingering. However, if references are wanted, their full names and title of their works can be found by searching for their last names in this bibliography.

© 2002–2006, 2020 Richard M. Wilson          Revised 29 May, 2020