Soprano flute

The soprano flute (also called a third flute or tierce flute) is a type of flute, a musical instrument in the woodwind family. It is pitched in E♭, a minor third above the concert flute, and is one of the few members of the modern flute family that is not pitched in C or G. The pitch was set at a time such flutes substituted for the E-flat clarinet.^[2]

Soprano flute

Woodwind instrument
Other names	Third flute, tierce flute; fr: flûte à tierce; de: Terzflöte[1]
Classification	Woodwind (Aerophone)
Hornbostel–Sachs classification	421.121.12 (open side-blown flute with fingerholes)
Playing range
written range similar to the Western concert flute, but sounding a minor third higher
Related instruments
Flute, alto flute, bass flute, piccolo

The instrument is now rare. A few American publications for flute choir currently include a part for E♭ (soprano) flute. In these publications, an alternative part is provided either for the C flute or for the piccolo. With the substitution of one of these more common instruments, however, the distinctive colour of a treble flute sound is missing.

Soprano flutes have also been made in F, sounding a perfect fourth higher than the concert flute.^[3]