Five-key flute Five-key flute The five-key flute is a musical instrument once common in school marching bands, and composed of wood with metal keys. It is a transposing instrument, most commonly in Bb, this variant being known as the Bb flute and sounding one tone below the orchestral piccolo. The next most common variant is the Eb flute, sounding a fifth below the Bb flute and used as its bass instrument in band harmonies. It is now often found in British military corps of drums, often playing various regimental marches. As the name suggests, the five-key flute most commonly has five keys,
Subcontrabass flute it has great opportunities for dynamic power and accent. A–D The tone becomes less secure and loses some of the lower partials and it is great for blending. E–C has a weaker and somewhat unfocused pitch center which may be a good choice for blend or effect. The double contrabass flute (or "octobass flute"), an instrument in the key of C pitched a fifth lower than the subcontrabass flute in G, is sometimes referred to as a "subcontrabass flute", as for, example, in the instruments made by Jelle Hogenhuis. "And the Giant Began to Dance..." (Peter Sheridan), on the album