Help for a whistle player trying the flute for the first tim
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Evey
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Like many whistle players I've succumbed to the temptation to try the flute. I was going to buy the dixon pvc,even had it in my whistle shop shopping cart, then chickened out and went for an inexpensive concert G bamboo from Erik the flutemaker. The flute is lovely but I can't get a sound out of it,can anyone explain the proper way to blow,or reccomend a website tutorial with a good explanation. I've tried and tried and all I'm getting is a headache! Maybe I should stick to the whistle. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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peeplj
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Here's something I have used to help beginning flutists before.
First, put the flute down and look at yourself in a mirror. Put your lips together keeping them and your face relaxed.
Now very *slightly* bring the corners of the mouth down. Don't frown, just slightly tighten the muscles.
Then gently blow through your mouth. Your lips should come open on their own right in the middle.
Now pick up the flute, and place it so that the edge of the blow hole nearest you is just touching the edge of your bottom lip and the flute is also touching the hollow between your lip and chin.
Again, slightly tighten the corners of the mouth, and blow with moderate pressure until the lips come open on their own.
Looking in the mirror, move the flute around until you start to hear a sound. Try moving it side to side a little so that the hole in your lips is centered over the blow hole. Also try rolling the flute in and out a little to see where the sound is clearest.
As far as the spot you are "blowing at", think of blowing across and very slightly down into the blow hole, which, by the way, is properly called the embouchure hole. That hole in your lips is called your embouchure. The column of air between them is called an "air reed."
Also, when learning flute, play sitting down. You'll get dizzy at first.
I hope this helps get you started.
Best wishes,
--James
http://www.flutesite.com
First, put the flute down and look at yourself in a mirror. Put your lips together keeping them and your face relaxed.
Now very *slightly* bring the corners of the mouth down. Don't frown, just slightly tighten the muscles.
Then gently blow through your mouth. Your lips should come open on their own right in the middle.
Now pick up the flute, and place it so that the edge of the blow hole nearest you is just touching the edge of your bottom lip and the flute is also touching the hollow between your lip and chin.
Again, slightly tighten the corners of the mouth, and blow with moderate pressure until the lips come open on their own.
Looking in the mirror, move the flute around until you start to hear a sound. Try moving it side to side a little so that the hole in your lips is centered over the blow hole. Also try rolling the flute in and out a little to see where the sound is clearest.
As far as the spot you are "blowing at", think of blowing across and very slightly down into the blow hole, which, by the way, is properly called the embouchure hole. That hole in your lips is called your embouchure. The column of air between them is called an "air reed."
Also, when learning flute, play sitting down. You'll get dizzy at first.
I hope this helps get you started.
Best wishes,
--James
http://www.flutesite.com
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dennisd78418
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2002 6:00 pm
Hi-
In addition to the insructions already posted: I found it's easier to get a good tone going if you don't start on the lowest note. Try to get a tone going with the right hand holes open. Then once you get a good clear tone, close one hole at a time, lowering the tone step by step, and adjusting as you go to keep the tone clear and strong. Generally, as you go lower your lips need to be more relaxed. As you go up the scale, your lips need to be tighter, and the airstream more focused. This worked for me. I started playing flute from penny whistle about 6 months ago (still playing a home-made plumber's pipe model). Hope this helps!
Dennis Driggers
In addition to the insructions already posted: I found it's easier to get a good tone going if you don't start on the lowest note. Try to get a tone going with the right hand holes open. Then once you get a good clear tone, close one hole at a time, lowering the tone step by step, and adjusting as you go to keep the tone clear and strong. Generally, as you go lower your lips need to be more relaxed. As you go up the scale, your lips need to be tighter, and the airstream more focused. This worked for me. I started playing flute from penny whistle about 6 months ago (still playing a home-made plumber's pipe model). Hope this helps!
Dennis Driggers
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peeplj
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That happens to everybody from time to time. In particular Pratten flutes and modern Boehm system flutes seem rather unforgiving when the first note is low in the low register.
There are various ways to address this but perhaps the simplest is to slap down the left hand ring finger on its tone hole when starting the low D. It helps it to speak clearly.
Best wishes,
--James
http://www.flutesite.com
--you wrote--
i find it a bit hard to get the low d to sound right if i blow that as a first note. any other note, it's ok. does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?
There are various ways to address this but perhaps the simplest is to slap down the left hand ring finger on its tone hole when starting the low D. It helps it to speak clearly.
Best wishes,
--James
http://www.flutesite.com
--you wrote--
i find it a bit hard to get the low d to sound right if i blow that as a first note. any other note, it's ok. does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?