A piccolo is a woodwind instrument that is related to the flute the most. A piccolo’s range, on the other hand, is usually an octave higher than that of most flutes. This gives the piccolo a bright, sometimes strident tone that works best when used sparingly. Because the fingerings are nearly identical and the tone of a flute is easier to master, many piccolo players begin their careers as flautists. It’s not uncommon to see only a few piccolos in an entire flute section.
If you hear a piccolo during a parade or other outdoor event, it is almost certainly made entirely of metal. The tone of a metal piccolo is often shrill or pitchy, but it is durable enough to withstand beginner abuse or cold environments. Professional piccolo players frequently choose wood models, though the mouthpiece section may still be metal. In general, a wooden piccolo has a mellower tone, though players may need to use alternate fingerings to maintain proper pitch. Piccolos are like Scottish bagpipes in that no two are ever perfectly in tune.
Because a piccolo can cut through even the thickest orchestral sound, it is usually reserved for solos or decorative colorings behind other woodwinds. The march Stars and Stripes Forever John Philip Sousa is perhaps the most famous use of a piccolo. Several piccolos can be heard playing a trill-filled countermelody against the brass section near the end of the piece. Piccolo players are familiar with this theme. The piccolo must frequently be played very loudly in order to sound its best in performance. For rehearsals, special earplugs are sometimes provided.
This isn’t to say that the piccolo is always destined to play ornamental countermelodies or fills; there is music written for piccolo and accompaniment. The issue is that much of it was written in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when piccolos were considered to be at their peak. The D-Flat-tuned piccolo used in those compositions is no longer available. Today, the vast majority of piccolos are tuned to C. However, most music is written an octave lower to accommodate the piccolo’s octave range. This means there are a lot of ledger lines, but piccolo flautists should still be able to read their scores easily.