Flute Notes Explained: Names, Range and How to Read Them
Published October 19, 2026 · by Flute Fingering Chart
If you are new to the flute, flute notes may seem like a lot to take in: letters, sharps, flats, registers and a handful of different names for the same key. This page puts it in order.
The letters
Music uses seven letter names: A, B, C, D, E, F and G. After G, the pattern starts again at A, one octave higher. The notes between them, written with a sharp (♯) or a flat (♭), fill the gaps. Every note has a page of its own, with a diagram, a staff picture and a sound.
The flute's range
The concert flute begins at middle C (or B below it on a flute with a B footjoint) and climbs a little over three octaves, to C7 and beyond for advanced players. We split this into registers:
- Low register: C4 to B4, warm and soft.
- Middle register: C5 to B5, the clear heart of the flute.
- High register: C6 and above, bright and powerful. See our guide to high notes.
Sharps and flats
The black keys of a piano have two names, and so does the flute: C♯ is the same pitch as D♭, F♯ the same as G♭, and so on. The name used depends on the key of the music. Our chart lets you switch between sharps and flats so you can follow whichever your music uses.
Reading the staff
The flute reads the treble clef. A quick trick for the five lines is "Every Good Boy Does Fine" (E, G, B, D, F), and the spaces spell F-A-C-E. Our printable note flashcards show a note on the staff on one side and the fingering on the other, a nice way to learn both together.
Many names, one idea
Notes also have other names in other traditions. In Indian music they are called Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni, and we explain how they match the letters in our sargam guide. In some countries you will see do-re-mi, and in Germany "H" is used for B.
Learn them in an order that works
- Start with B, A and G.
- Add C, D and E.
- Learn F♯ and F, then the sharps and flats.
- Extend downward to low C and upward to the second octave.
For the whole picture, open the full chart, or print the PDF version for your stand. For a deeper look at how fingers are placed, read how to place your fingers on a flute.