Wood resin is a popular material for piccolos as it is hardy to weather changes and resistant to cracking. A less expensive material, but it certainly has a benefit!

Grenadilla is the most popular wood for use in piccolos and certain wooden flutes.

Crystal flutes are not only beautiful to listen to, but are truly works of art. This delicate material is more common in casual playing.

Nickel is a very common material for the average student flute. This donation tier serves as the conference registration costs for one OSU Flute Ensemble member!

Silver is the most common metal for intermediate to advanced flutes. It is hardy and vibrates with a very balanced sound.

This metal is getting more common in the world of flute making. This blend of gold and copper not only looks beautiful, but resonates with a vibrancy that is unique to this material.

World-renowned flutist Sir James Galway is often referred to as ‘the man with the golden flute.’ The sound of flutes made with this metal is smooth and dulcet with a high price to match.

Flutes made of this metal are solid and heavy. With such a special timbre in mind, composer Edgard Varèse wrote his piece Density 21.5 at the request of Georges Barrère for the premiere of his platinum flute.