playing loudly

[seanny]

Whatever I do and whatever I try I can't play loudly. I try and get my lips really taut, I adjust the position of the blowhole in respect to my lower lip. I try to blow with reasonable force. Anyone else who plays a flute of mine gets so much more volume from it, it's very disheartening.

[Henke]

How long have you been at it Seanny? And is it possible that all the other players you refer to have more experience than you? These things does come with experience and lots of practice, it's in the embouchure for sure and it always takes time to develop. There is probably no stage when you stop learning embouchure technique, just keep at it.

[Cathy Wilde]

This is going to sound kind of Zen, but ... could you be trying too hard to be loud? What I've found is that the trick isn't really so much one of volume but of clarity -- a clear, pure focused tone can SOUND stunningly loud and cut through all kinds of stuff. So maybe what you're hearing from your friends is more developed TONE (although they probably know a little more about supporting from their diaphragms, etc., too, but that will come with time)? Anyway, my experience is that the louder you try to play the worse your tone gets ... and sadly, your volume doesn't necessarily improve, either.

Strange but true: if you really want to "pump iron" as far as all those muscles go, try playing as softly (but NOT breathily!!) as you can. Long notes, played softly, all thru the scales will teach you about support and control in no time.

(Yes, it is hard. And it's supposed to be.)

Then after that, go thru the scales, again playing long tones, but on each note starting as softly as you can, pushing the note to as loud as you can make it, and then fading it back to as soft as you can make it before going on to the next note.

Do this on each long note of the scale through all registers as often as you can stand.

Anyway, it will do much for your control, your tone, and your flute's "authority." If it goes for you like it did for me, eventually you will develop a clearer tone and that authoritative sound, and then you'll find you can hear yourself better, that you won't need to struggle to play so loudly, and .... surprise! Other people will hear you, too!

[Kelpie]

I find that if I'm relaxed at home I can make the windows rattle but if i want to do the same at a session sometimes it's a little harder - I guess what I'm trying to say is relax and it will come

[phcook]

What flute do you play?

[seanny]

a new martin doyle

[dthepeopleskey]

Coming from someone who sits many an evening in the audience with pint in hand that the performer who plays loudest often isn't the one I'd rather belistening to in the first place. So you must ask yourself a very important question: Is what you play worth hearing?
:)

[glauber]

You could always try one of these:



Thing is, the flute is not a very loud instrument.

[greenspiderweb]

I try and get my lips really taut, I try to blow with reasonable force.

Seanny,

Try relaxing your lips, instead of tensing them, but at the same time try blowing from them with the smallest opening that you can form with your lips. And blow softly, until you get a good tone, then work the volume in by moving more air through your lips.

Of course, the direction that you blow the airstream determines too if it will be soft or loud, depending on what the flute likes.

I hope this helps you, it did for me. Just remember to keep your lips relaxed while you are playing, it should help.

I hope to try one of Martin's flutes one day, as I have heard good things about them. Keep plugging, it will happen!