Flutist Or Flautist?

​As if learning a new instrument and taking online lessons weren’t enough to preoccupy oneself with, the flute comes with the additional challenge of what to call oneself. There have traditionally been several names for the musician toting the silver whistle, including “fluter” and “flutomater,” but nowadays there are two main contenders for the title.

Am I a flutist or a flautist?

The word “flutist” probably sounds the most natural to English-speakers, and it makes sense. “Flutist” comes from around 1600, when it was recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary. It’s unlikely that the word was invented in that fateful 1603 issue, so guessing that the word came into existence in the 1500s is a pretty safe bet. The flute itself was first mentioned in literature in Chaucer’s “The Hous [sp.] of Fame,” which came out in roughly 1384.

The instrument itself has been around for much longer. It dates back to at least 43,000 years ago, having been popular in Europe. Many peoples throughout the continent fell in love with the flute, which has often held an enchanting role in popular culture. Perhaps the best known story is of the Pied Piper, who supposedly used his magic flute to lure rats away from an overinfested German town toward the beginning of the previous millenium.

The flute experts weigh in

The other contender for the crown is the term “flautist.” It stems from the Italian influence in the music realm and doesn’t appear to gain any traction in the literary world until 1860, when Nathaniel Hawthorne used it in “The Marble Faun.”

Nancy Toff, the great American musician, prefers to be called a flutist. She even wrote extensively on the subject in her book, aptly named "The Flute Book."

"Ascribe my insistence either to a modest lack of pretension or to etymological evidence; the result is the same,” she explained.

Another big name in the flute game, James Galway, also prefers that you leave the flautist term behind.

"I am a flute player not a flautist,” Galway said. “I don't have a flaut and I've never flauted."

Flutist is the far more common term chosen in the American vernacular, but according to “Webster's Dictionary of English Usage,” flautist is more proper in British English.

What's in a name? Just learn to play the flute

Whether you prefer to be called a flutist, flautist, flute player, fluteist, or flutomater, the most important thing is that you actually learn how to play the flute. No one wants to hear shrill sounds shrieking from an otherwise delightful instrument that brings with it the many benefits of learning music, no matter your age.

So, once you’ve figured out how you’d like to be referred to by your fellow musicians, we recommend saving time and money by booking a live online flute lesson with one of our great teachers, such as Tanya Svec, Erika Andres, a student favorite, or Diana Desai.

So which term do you prefer? Tweet us @lessonface.

Click here to book an online flute lesson or here to learn more about how Lessonface works. You can also check out our blog here to read more about Lessonface and our teachers.