Embouchure

concertpianist16 · Post by **concertpianist16** » Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:30 pm

I was talking with a friend about playing the flute. He said he was listening to this girl play who was really good because her playing was sound, no extra air. I was telling him I never actually learned how to form a flute embouchure, I played clarinet before the flute and adapted the clarinet embouchure to play the flute.

comtessedebergerac · Post by **comtessedebergerac** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 7:40 am

maybe with a little work, you could develop a nice sound too.. embochure exercices are a crucial part of flute playing, and can be quite interresting... after all he sound is 90% of the beauty of the flute

good luck

concertpianist16 · Post by **concertpianist16** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 3:10 pm

I was doing some research on youtube. Someone posted a video of Sir James Galway teaching a seminar. He was against using the "smiling" embouchure. Which I thought was an interesting idea. I haven't tried it yet though.

comtessedebergerac · Post by **comtessedebergerac** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 3:19 pm

concertpianist16 wrote:I was doing some research on youtube. Someone posted a video of Sir James Galway teaching a seminar. He was against using the "smiling" embouchure. Which I thought was an interesting idea. I haven't tried it yet though.

this is probably the best teaching you could get anywhere.. Galway has the most versatile sound ever with his "english" embouchure.

It came from the teachings of Geoffrey Gilbert, and was also transmitted to and by William Bennett (probably still is)... you could call it the "english embouchure" (blowing hole half covered, mouth corners turned downward, and lot of flexibility in the lips to control the air stream) as opposed to the "french" or smiling embouchure, which is not as good because the lips are stiff and away from the lip plate...

And as a bonus, it is great for playing in tune (sounds lower than the smiling embouchure, so makes it easier to correct the pitch)

I would encourage anyone to try the exercices in this video.

pied_piper · Post by **pied_piper** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 3:45 pm

There are many more videos and other material such as exercises and mini-articles by Sir James posted on his official website:
http://www.thegalwaynetwork.com/

There's also a hidden area with additional material, but you have to join his mailing list to get access to those. Just click the mailing list button on the main page. Best of all, it's free!

musical_Kat · Post by **musical_Kat** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 6:13 am

I have to say i'm not a fan of the Galway method or of his overall sound.....if you want some really great tone/embouchure lessons check out these youtube links....they are really great teaching tools! Hope they help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5dNvR31FcE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS1GISEZ ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iug0gPXz ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0XfoandDjk

comtessedebergerac · Post by **comtessedebergerac** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:23 am

musical_Kat wrote:I have to say i'm not a fan of the Galway method or of his overall sound.....if you want some really great tone/embouchure lessons check out these youtube links....they are really great teaching tools! Hope they help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5dNvR31FcE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YS1GISEZ ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iug0gPXz ... re=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0XfoandDjk

sorry.. not a fan of those two either...

lack of embouchure flexibility and stiff (dead) vibrato from the first flutist. Playing those Moyse's long tones won't help a lot, if you don't do intonation training...hence embouchure FLEXIBILITY (that it the key)

Overall posture stiffness, and rolling out too much AND blowing way too hard, making the sound out of tune from the second flutist...In the video, she gets out a very sharp A (almost a B flat !!

) from the headjoint, which means she probably plays constantly too sharp ....almost marching band style...

Thanks, but I will stick with Galway's teachings

musical_Kat · Post by **musical_Kat** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:53 am

Jennifer Cluff and Nina Perlove and both very well respected teachers. Maybe not your style but then again.....Galway isn't my syle. It's all up to personal opinion. To me Galway's tone is too pinched and he plays ever style of music the same with no tone color changes. I'm not a fan of his vibrato either. But to each his own. I was offering different choices to the original poster.

comtessedebergerac · Post by **comtessedebergerac** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:57 am

as you say :

musical_Kat wrote: It's all up to personal opinion. .

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:00 am

Welcome back Musical_Kat!

Phineas · Post by **Phineas** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:43 pm

Welcome back Musical_Kat!

musical_Kat · Post by **musical_Kat** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:21 pm

Well thank you Fluteguy and Phineas!

Sorry I haven't been around here much lately. It's just been a really crazy year. I had major ear surgery in Jan. I lost about 90% of the hearing in my left ear and will need more surgery to repair the ear drum in that ear coming up in Jan. I've had to learn how to hear myself and then hear everything around me differently. It's been a slow adjustment period. But i'm getting back to some semblance of normal. Anyway....it's nice to be back and nice to be welcomed back so warmly!

sinebar · Post by **sinebar** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:42 am

concertpianist16 wrote:I was doing some research on youtube. Someone posted a video of Sir James Galway teaching a seminar. He was against using the "smiling" embouchure. Which I thought was an interesting idea. I haven't tried it yet though.

Mabe Galway uses that emouchure because it works best for him but it may not work for everybody.

sinebar · Post by **sinebar** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 6:45 am

musical_Kat wrote:Jennifer Cluff and Nina Perlove and both very well respected teachers. Maybe not your style but then again.....Galway isn't my syle. It's all up to personal opinion. To me Galway's tone is too pinched and he plays ever style of music the same with no tone color changes. I'm not a fan of his vibrato either. But to each his own. I was offering different choices to the original poster.

I really like Nina Perlove. She's a fantastic flutist.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 3:07 pm

sinebar wrote:
musical_Kat wrote:Jennifer Cluff and Nina Perlove and both very well respected teachers. Maybe not your style but then again.....Galway isn't my syle. It's all up to personal opinion. To me Galway's tone is too pinched and he plays ever style of music the same with no tone color changes. I'm not a fan of his vibrato either. But to each his own. I was offering different choices to the original poster.
I really like Nina Perlove. She's a fantastic flutist.

I've met her and played in one of her masterclasses. She's really nice.