Chiff and Fipple Forums

Grunting happens to some players when they are beginners or have been without playing for much time. It simply disappears with practice,

Not sure that's entirely true. I have noticed it in very fine and experienced fluteplayers, notably one who had been playing the flute for over 60 years at that point.

Juan Pablo Plata wrote: ↑Mon Jan 23, 2023 5:05 am Glottal stops/tonguing are not grunting, and the practice of these techniques are not related to this problem in any way.

Grunting happens to some players when they are beginners or have been without playing for much time. It simply disappears with practice, so dont worry, just play and have fun.

I wouldn’t call Conal O Grada (one of the best Irish flute players, imo) a “beginner”, by any means.

And yes, it happens to some people more often when they glottal stop. It doesn’t occur for me, but everyone is different.

O´Grada doesn´t grunt. He is a Flute God on earth.

Juan Pablo Plata wrote: ↑Wed Feb 01, 2023 10:07 am O´Grada doesn´t grunt. He is a Flute God on earth.

You can clearly hear him grunting on some recordings when doing glottal stops.

Not sure the OP meant exactly this, but to me it happens to have the vocal cords engaged when trying to pulse on the bottom notes (mostly E and D), or immediately after a glottal stop on these notes. It's like pronouncing "uh" while at the same time blowing. I have been working to eliminate this issue recently: what I have noticed is that those sounds disappear when the air flow comes from below (can't be more technical, sorry!) with little or no invovlement of the breast and/or the throat to push the air (so probably this post has it right: https://www.jennifercluff.com/throaty.htm).

Sergio