Flute Techniques
Flute Techniques
Tone Production
1.Listen to professional flutists. Gives students a good model for tone.
2.In no particular order: Jan Clarke, Emmanuel Pahud, Marianne Gedigian, Amy Porter, Denis Bouriakov, James Galway, Jim Walker, Eva Amsler, Robert Dick, Jean-Pierre Rampal, Julius Baker, Rachel Brown, Bart Kuijken
3.Support each note even if it doesn’t “need” it.
4.Airspeed-low registers require slower air. High registers require faster air.
5.Aperture size-Smaller aperture for high or soft notes, and larger for low or loud notes.
6.Air direction-Blow more across for high notes and more down for low notes.
7.Experiment with octaves to feel the differences in support (hopefully none), airspeed, and direction.
8.Low notes are tough to play loud. Encourage students to aim the air down and get more “edge” to the sound. It is a little bit of interference noise, but also creates more upper harmonics and projects better.
9.High notes are tough to play soft. Encourage students to focus on pushing the bottom lip out in order to direct the stream more across. This will help create a soft note in the high register and will help to keep the pitch up as well.
Tone Exercises
1.Long tones-For consistency of sound from note to note (Moyse de la Sonorite).
2.Scales-For consistency of sound from register to register and note to note (Moyse Gammes et Arpeges, Taffanel and Gaubert 17 Exercises, Reichert 7 Daily Exercises).
3.Harmonics-For understanding airspeed, aperture, and air direction. Also helps develop aural skills.
4.Singing and Playing-Opens throat, requires a lot of air.
Going Over the Break
1.The main issue with going from C (on the staff) to D (on the staff), or “over the break,” really relates to fingers more than anything.
2.C and C# have very few fingers pressed down, while D has almost all of them pressed.
3.Keep finger movements small and close to the keys to avoid jostling the flute going over the break.
4.Since C and C# have very few holes closed, they are easier to play. D has many holes closed and the air has to make it all the way through the instrument. Encourage students to really support on the C-D change in order to help this problem.
“Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline, and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.”
-Shin’ichi Suzuki
Tone Production and Going Over the Break
Copyright Dr. Karen McLaughlin-Large, 2013