Bad high notes...

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card2132
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Bad high notes...

Post by card2132 »

Hi everyone,
I have a question about a alto recorder I bought some time ago...
It is a beautiful Mollenhauer palisander flute(commercial) with a georgous tone
and I enjoy it very much but....even tough I oiled the flute
the high notes are pretty weak and difficult to produce.
my question: was the flute made that way or am I looking to
have the flute checked by a technician? (perhaps it needs some repair?)
Since that I am new to recorders (I've played the flute for over 30 years)
any advice would be helpful...

Thanks in advance folks!
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MTGuru
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Re: Bad high notes...

Post by MTGuru »

Hi, welcome.
card2132 wrote:am I looking to have the flute checked by a technician? (perhaps it needs some repair?)
Not even a technician, but first by an experienced recorder player (which is easier to come by). The higher notes, C and above, are tricky, and your being new to recorders could be the main explanation.

Things to try are:

1. Check your finger placements. Make sure you're covering the holes with the balls/pads of your fingers, not the tips, and covering completely.

2. Experiment with the placement of your thumb on the thumb hole - thumbnail and/or flesh. Differences of a millimeter or less when half-holing the thumb can make a huge difference in the tone and ease with which the upper notes speak.

3. Really narrow your embouchure by tightening/puckering your lips. The high notes generally like a narrow, high velocity airstream. If you're taking too much of the beak in your mouth, back it off and just rest the beak against your lips for embouchure control.
Vivat diabolus in musica! MTGuru's (old) GG Clips / Blackbird Clips

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