Response of articulations
The bass flute has a bigger tube and uses considerably more air than the C flute. As a result, the air has to travel further and articulation is slower to respond, particularly in the low register. Although the bass flute is less agile than the C flute, this does not mean that playing fast articulated passages is impossible or impractical, especially if the chosen pitches are within a small intervallic range. The skilled player will articulate in a more delicate way, taking care not to allow the action of the tongue to interfere with sound production. Light tonguing and strong diaphragm support should mean that the instrument is capable of achieving clarity of articulation at a range of different speeds.
It should be noted, however, a short staccato sound is not as effective as on smaller members of the flute family, and without significant anticipation by the player, isolated staccato notes can sound significantly late due to the response time of the instrument. A player will work to compensate for this, but particularly in the low register there is a considerable delay between the player blowing and the note sounding, especially when the instrument is cold. Percussive articulations and/or key clicks could be considered as a practical alternative to isolated staccato notes in the low register.
Response of articulations