In the Renaissance, both the recorder and the side-blown flute were called “flutes.” The latter is now sometimes called the transverse flute.
Renaissance flutes have a very narrow bore and small finger holes, making them delicate and technically demanding. They were often played with voices, other soft instruments, or in consorts of multiple flutes. Sizes included descant, tenor, and bass, with the tenor appearing most often in visual sources. The instrument has a range of more than two octaves.
