# Why is the flute transverse?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-flute-transverse/819284>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [August 8, 2018, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-flute-transverse/819284 "2018-08-08T16:34:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-flute-transverse/819284/41 "2018-08-12T13:19:35Z")

</div>

> [@ZonexandScout](#):
>
> Understood. I was trying to address the issue of weight and whether holding the instrument is awkward. Holding a trombone for an entire parade can’t be any easier than carrying a flute.

In my experience, trombones are pretty easy to carry. They’re not heavy, and your arms are close to the center of the body, not cranked off-center like flutists need to be. My intuition says that if flutes could be adapted to a less awkward pose, someone would have invented that a long time ago. Just IMO, perhaps I’d think differently if I’d spent my years on a different instrument.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2018, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-flute-transverse/819284/42 "2018-08-12T14:37:01Z")

</div>

> [@EmilyG](#):
>
> Flute and recorder do indeed sound different, and much of that is because of the different ways in which they are blown.
> 
> Also, the recorder is a simpler instrument than the flute. As orchestral music became more complex, recorders were used less in the orchestra and flutes more (flutes can play more notes and a wider range of notes than recorders.)
> 
> And back when recorders were sometimes used in orchestras, not all orchestras had a standard lineup of instruments.
> 
> (I also find it interesting that this was in Great Debates - maybe just a little error. Now the debate between whether the recorder or the ukulele should be the instrument that kids learn in schools - that can get heated.)

The biggest weakness of the recorder is it’s soft tone that can’t be made louder - if you blow harder the pitch rises and quickly breaks.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-flute-transverse/819284.md?page=2)