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,
Contra-alto flute Contra-alto flute The contra alto flute is in the key of G (or sometimes F), pitched one octave below the alto flute - which is a fourth lower than the concert flute. The instrument's body is sometimes held vertically, with an adjustable floor peg similar to that of the bass clarinet. But, it is sometimes held horizontally. It just depends on the company. The instrument maker Eva Kingma calls her contra-alto flute a "contr'alto flute in G," and Kotato & Fukushima call their instrument "bass flute in F." Kotato & Fukushima's instrument sells for US$17,500. For an extensive list of