By Melissa Keeling INTRODUCTION I will never forget the first time I heard my flute through effects pedals (the “electric flute”). Though I didn’t realize it at the time, that day was the beginning of a beautiful journey of creativity, exploration, and finding joy in my music-making. Without effects, I’m not sure I would still be playing the flute today. Today, the lines between genres have become blurred. Increasingly, the gigs have expanded to include jazz, rock, pop, recording sessions, and loud settings where the flute needs more power (i.e., amplification) and new tone colors (effects). In contemporary music, more … Continue reading The Electric Flute: An Introduction to Playing with Effects