Now I’ve run into a problem with the first octave. I can get a good (for me) tone in the second octave, and coming back down into the first octave as well, but as I descend, I lose my footing and fall into the cellar, so to speak, but I can’t get the low F. E or D to sound. They all want to stay upstairs in the second octave. I hunt around for the correct embouchure, noodle here and there with position, blow ever so softly and lightly, and STILL stay in the second octave.
Then I take the flute away from my lips, put it back and try again. Good low D!!! Go back to the tune, thinking I’ve got it licked, and…still in the second ocatve when I want to be in the first!
What am I doing wrong?
BTW, my flute of choice (in fact my only choice) is a Tipple two-piece D with the lip plate and wedge. Any hints???
Not a stinkin’ thing. Just do more of it, and then more of it again. One day you’ll be all over it, and the next day it’ll be gone. But it will come back more and more often. Soon you’ll forget what it was like not to be able to find a note. Good luck!
p.s. And be sure not to blame the flute. Yours is a good one.
Yes, what he said! And, you may want to try playing it without the wedge for now-you may find it easier to play. And try to relax your embouchure as much as possible. Too much tension will make it harder all around.
You may also find that blowing down into the flute more for the lower notes helps too.
Stick with it-good times are just around the corner!
Yep. What they said. One thing more, The flute doesn’t require lots of air, just focused air. If you’re blowing too hard, the flute will want to go into the second octave. Keep at it, and enjoy that tipple. Great flute.
In other words, the embouchure strength required to negotiate the higher registers must then quickly be countered, or relaxed, when reaching for a lower register, as a matter of embouchure flexibility.
Honestly, such embouchure flexibility really does take some time, and effort, to develop.
In time, however, it will simply be a matter of reflex.
I think this is a natural phase that you will pass through as you progress.
The same thing happened to me, and it just takes a little time to over come it. When you do, I think you’ll find the transition between octaves easier than ever before.
what i did was go up and down each note switching octaves-------its a flow thing-----keeping the same strength bu -t slowing it down and speeding it up on the higher-my 2
It helps with the bottom end if you pull the corners of your mouth back and down which stretches the lips. The bottom lip should pull in tighter to your teeth.
Your lips are getting stronger.