Low register help
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
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saxyfluteguy
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:38 pm
Low register help
Hi! I'm having trouble getting the 'pop' I want in the low register of my flute. I play on a Yamaha 584. I would really appreciate if someone could post anything that could help improve it other than getting a new flute. Thanks!
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James_Alto
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:07 pm
Re: Low register help
Hi there,
if you've learnt how to direct the airstream across the embouchure (first octave) and blowing up into the embouchure (higher octaves), then you need to learn how to blow into the embouchure.
Make a big O with the back of your throat, and blow in for the low notes. Compare that with your usual technique.
If it works, then use the 'abdominal punch' technique. Force out your tummy so that it's like a belly pop very suddenly. That will punch the air through big O in the back of your throat to give you the deep notes.
If that doesn't work, then you have an embouchure problem. Perhaps you aren't covering the embouchure sufficiently. It is easier to 'grunt' into the embouchure, covering most of it, than it is, to wisp whistle using a light touch of an embouchure cover, for the low notes. If you vary degrees of 'swallowing' up the embouchure until the mid-line, and rotating the headjoint (below/above airstream plane); angling it, and combining the above techniques with practice, provided your flute is serviced and pads all sealing, you should be able to get it by the end of the day
if you've learnt how to direct the airstream across the embouchure (first octave) and blowing up into the embouchure (higher octaves), then you need to learn how to blow into the embouchure.
Make a big O with the back of your throat, and blow in for the low notes. Compare that with your usual technique.
If it works, then use the 'abdominal punch' technique. Force out your tummy so that it's like a belly pop very suddenly. That will punch the air through big O in the back of your throat to give you the deep notes.
If that doesn't work, then you have an embouchure problem. Perhaps you aren't covering the embouchure sufficiently. It is easier to 'grunt' into the embouchure, covering most of it, than it is, to wisp whistle using a light touch of an embouchure cover, for the low notes. If you vary degrees of 'swallowing' up the embouchure until the mid-line, and rotating the headjoint (below/above airstream plane); angling it, and combining the above techniques with practice, provided your flute is serviced and pads all sealing, you should be able to get it by the end of the day
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ShadowPlay
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 8:59 pm
Re: Low register help
James, I just wanted to thank you. The back-of-the-throat thing has taken me from unable to consistently voice low e to having no troubles consistently voicing low Bb in about three minutes.