Hello,
I play a silver flute and when I play a low c or D it takes a moment before sound will come out. It makes it hard to play in time and with any speed. Any sugestions on what I can do to correct this problem?
Lady Whistler
Making a sound on low D and C
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Lady Whistler
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ErikT
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Hello LW,
I have a couple things for you to look at:
1. Problems with the low notes often come from lack of diaphragm support and/or closed throat. Accompanying this might also be lack of air pressure.
2. The natural response to hit low notes (for a lot of people, anyway) is to extend your lip over the flute like you would a pop bottle - blowing into the flute. Instead, try allowing your lower jaw to be forward and blow more across the edge than into the flute.
3. Another possiblity: One of our other natural responses is to tighten up when we are having problems with a note... this can kill a low note. Try letting the flute 'float' in front of your lips.
4. Also, your g# key may not be seating right or you may have bad pads on the rh c key. Both of these have been know to cause problems with the lower register. Any break in pressure will effect the low notes (even if the high ones seem unaffected).
5. My main problem with the lows is muddy tonguing, so I can't help you there other than to say that if you and I both practice, maybe we'll get good at it at the same time.
I hope that you can finds some use in one of these suggestions.
Erik
I have a couple things for you to look at:
1. Problems with the low notes often come from lack of diaphragm support and/or closed throat. Accompanying this might also be lack of air pressure.
2. The natural response to hit low notes (for a lot of people, anyway) is to extend your lip over the flute like you would a pop bottle - blowing into the flute. Instead, try allowing your lower jaw to be forward and blow more across the edge than into the flute.
3. Another possiblity: One of our other natural responses is to tighten up when we are having problems with a note... this can kill a low note. Try letting the flute 'float' in front of your lips.
4. Also, your g# key may not be seating right or you may have bad pads on the rh c key. Both of these have been know to cause problems with the lower register. Any break in pressure will effect the low notes (even if the high ones seem unaffected).
5. My main problem with the lows is muddy tonguing, so I can't help you there other than to say that if you and I both practice, maybe we'll get good at it at the same time.
I hope that you can finds some use in one of these suggestions.
Erik
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Lady Whistler
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2002 6:00 pm
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- Location: Texas
- Contact:
EricT,
I checked #4 and found the G# pad seats perfect and the c does not have a leak.I concluded after paying attention the problem is #1,2&3. I often don't take good deep breaths and close my throat,I also press the flute so hard aginst my bottom lip that my lips hurts. It's like i'm trying to bend the thing in half.
I believe my tounging is muddy also. Thank you for your excellent suggestions. I have a flute book that goes into detail on how to toung, i'll read up on it and see if I can't find a few suggestions that will help us both. Thanks again!
Lady Whistler
I checked #4 and found the G# pad seats perfect and the c does not have a leak.I concluded after paying attention the problem is #1,2&3. I often don't take good deep breaths and close my throat,I also press the flute so hard aginst my bottom lip that my lips hurts. It's like i'm trying to bend the thing in half.
I believe my tounging is muddy also. Thank you for your excellent suggestions. I have a flute book that goes into detail on how to toung, i'll read up on it and see if I can't find a few suggestions that will help us both. Thanks again!Lady Whistler