low register problems
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
low register problems
i have been playing flute for about seven years now and have always had good, fast fingers but i struggle very much in tone quality. the past few years i have worked on tone a lot and recently i have been practicing just tone for 1 or 2 hours a day. i do lots of experimenting and my resonance has improved a lot but my low register is still very airy. the "smiley" embouchure has helped but i have decided to avoid that, then again i don't want to pull my lips down and make a big "frown". there are times when i get a nice edge and it seems like my embouchure is just "right" but the next day i pick up my flute it's gone again. any advice would be greatly appreciated, i can't just give up yet.
The smiley embouchure is a no-no. You need to relax your jaw and widen your air stream. Try not to focus on it as much. I find a lot of people stress out over their tone so much that they end up just fatiguing their facial muscles and overcompensate, which makes things worse.
Practicing strictly tone for that long everyday is going to tire you out, and your facial muscles won't be able to attain 'muscle-memory.' I say spend a good bet of time on tone, but mix it up with just some free-play. Practice tone for about a 1/2 hour and then go play something fun that will allow your facial muscles to rest as well as move in different directions to loosen them up.
Don't stress out over tone. Everyone works on tone their entire career/life. There is always something you want to change or add to it.
For low registers:
Think of making a coke bottle hum when you blow air across the top. Matter-of-fact, go get one and try it. Notice how your embouchure isn't all up-tight and perfectly shaped. It's going to be a little more open and your jaw will be relaxed.
Now go try this on your flute. You'll figure out the medium between the two.
Practicing strictly tone for that long everyday is going to tire you out, and your facial muscles won't be able to attain 'muscle-memory.' I say spend a good bet of time on tone, but mix it up with just some free-play. Practice tone for about a 1/2 hour and then go play something fun that will allow your facial muscles to rest as well as move in different directions to loosen them up.
Don't stress out over tone. Everyone works on tone their entire career/life. There is always something you want to change or add to it.
For low registers:
Think of making a coke bottle hum when you blow air across the top. Matter-of-fact, go get one and try it. Notice how your embouchure isn't all up-tight and perfectly shaped. It's going to be a little more open and your jaw will be relaxed.
Now go try this on your flute. You'll figure out the medium between the two.
Yamaha 561
Current Member of Pikes Peak Flute Choir of Colorado.
Previous member of 'Flutes Furioso' in FL.
Previous guest member in the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.
Current Member of Pikes Peak Flute Choir of Colorado.
Previous member of 'Flutes Furioso' in FL.
Previous guest member in the Northwest Florida Symphony Orchestra.
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Cooeyflute
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2007 3:14 am
I agree with MrBaz. I had the same problem. I found playing music in the lower register helped. When you're "in the zone" keep playing and try to remember what you're doing with your lips to make it sound good, so when you next practise, you have something to work on. Don't worry, keep practising and it'll come.
Music, life... Same thing