3rd Register E...is murderous!

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est
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Tell us something.: Kind of a beginner with a keyless flute and an antique wooden flute with keys. Used to play accordion back some time ago, but trying to focus on the flute, until I can get some degree of command over it.

3rd Register E...is murderous!

Post by est »

So, I have myself a sweet flute with keys, and after a bit I realized that the few times I did encounter something that needed one of those...I had to look it up! Well, except the Fnat, G# and Eb. So, I purchased a book for intermediate flute players hoping for some bach...and was pleasantly rewarded. But, most of the first piece is almost entirely in the second register with some quick diversions above and below. Most of that is fine, well below proper speed of course, but that high high E....sometimes, I sound like I imagine a child first learning to play the fiddle would sound. Good thing the wife is away ATM :O

Also, that Fnat to D (and back) is a real killer. Lots of work to get that clean, I expect.

It does sound nice when I am not squawking on those harmonics up top, though.
Flutern
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Tell us something.: I have a keen interest in wooden flutes (modern and antique), early music (Renaissance, Baroque), Romantic music and Irish Traditional Music of course! I also play the clarinet (my first instrument) and I've also started learning the cittern.
Location: Sherbrooke, Quebec

Re: 3rd Register E...is murderous!

Post by Flutern »

I've been working on the third octave lately (well, the first half of it, really :lol: ) to address the very same problem. I watched several videos and I found this one particularly helpful (if you can get past her way of talking). After a few weeks I noticed some improvement. It's also worth experimenting with fingerings, there are quite a few:

XXX|XXO|o
XXO|XXO|o
XXO|OXX|o

On my flute, the second one sounds best.
Also, that Fnat to D (and back) is a real killer. Lots of work to get that clean, I expect.
Do you have both long and short Fnat, or only short Fnat? Short Fnat to D is a real pain, and it gets worse with Fnat to Eb. Playing anything in Bb major or G minor without long Fnat is not fun :swear:


And if you're looking for some Bach, there's lots of free scores available in PDF on the internet. A good place to start is this website: https://www.free-scores.com/ Most of the famous pieces for flute can be found with a bit of googling.
Last edited by Flutern on Sun May 16, 2021 9:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.
est
Posts: 56
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2021 7:17 am
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: Kind of a beginner with a keyless flute and an antique wooden flute with keys. Used to play accordion back some time ago, but trying to focus on the flute, until I can get some degree of command over it.

Re: 3rd Register E...is murderous!

Post by est »

gwuilleann wrote: Sun May 16, 2021 4:49 pm I've been working on the third octave lately (well, the first half of it, really :lol: ) to address the very same problem. I watched several videos and I found this one particularly helpful (if you can get past her way of talking). After a few weeks I noticed some improvement. It's also worth experimenting with fingerings, there are quite a few:

XXX|XXO|o
XXO|XXO|o
XXO|OXX|o

On my flute, the third one sounds best.
Yeah. I think these require a much more refined embouchure than I have ATM. However, I'll keep working on the in hopes that it helps improve it overall.
gwuilleann wrote: Sun May 16, 2021 4:49 pm
Also, that Fnat to D (and back) is a real killer. Lots of work to get that clean, I expect.
Do you have both long and short Fnat, or only short Fnat? Short Fnat to D is a real pain, and it gets worse with Fnat to Eb. Playing anything in Bb major or G minor without long Fnat is not fun :swear:


And if you're looking for some Bach, there's lots of free scores available in PDF on the internet. A good place to start is this website: https://www.free-scores.com/ Most of the famous pieces for flute can be found with a bit of googling.
Hm, it's a 6 key flute, so, apparently I have such a thing. I'll have to figure out which it is in the morning. I suspect I already know (right pinky?)

That's a great site, btw for sheet music. Thanks for the tip!
Flutern
Posts: 259
Joined: Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:49 pm
antispam: No
Please enter the next number in sequence: 8
Tell us something.: I have a keen interest in wooden flutes (modern and antique), early music (Renaissance, Baroque), Romantic music and Irish Traditional Music of course! I also play the clarinet (my first instrument) and I've also started learning the cittern.
Location: Sherbrooke, Quebec

Re: 3rd Register E...is murderous!

Post by Flutern »

If you play right-handed, the long Fnat is the long key activated by the left pinky. It's the same fingering as for Fnat with the short key, except that you replace the short key with long key, of course.

(I edited my first message since the best fingering on my current flute is actually XXO|XXO|o, not XXO|OXX|o. That one worked well on my previous flute, but it's noticeably flat on my current flute.)
Hofstadter's Law: It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter's Law.
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