The gizmo key is a key commonly found on the B foot joint of certain models of flute. It closes the low B tone hole without closing the low C tone hole or the low C♯ tone hole, which is intended to facilitate the performance of the fourth octave C.
The gizmo key was introduced by Verne Q. Powell ( Powell Flutes), in response to criticisms of the B foot joint by performers such as Jean-Pierre Rampal, who believed that the lengthened tube made it harder for them to produce the highest notes. It is now common on the instrument.
Further reading
- Nancy Toff, The Flute Book (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1985). The Development of the Modern Flute, pp. 23-24
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