my high notes are so bad!

Basics of Flute Playing, Tone Production and Fingerings

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daydream579
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Oct 01, 2002 5:10 pm

my high notes are so bad!

Post by daydream579 »

is there some secret way to play those way high notes
good?? i can hardly ever make them come out and when they do it sounds REALLY
BAD! help? my band teacher is such a loser he wont help me so im looking to yall

damjan
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2002 9:51 pm

my high notes are so bad!

Post by damjan »

Dear Flute Student, Although this section is reserved
for Fluteland.com students only, which assumes a paid membership, we will
occassionally answer some flute questions. So, here it is: 1. High notes do
require a lot of practice 2. They do not require more "force", actually quite
the contrary, you need to relax more while you play them compared to the middle
register. 3. When you relax your lip muscles is when these notes will begin to
sound good There is a great deal of expeimentation that you need to do and it
all takes time. As you listen to yourself playing, try to make the notes sound
pure and rich, relax your lips and listen to the "lower overtone" (a low,
humming sound) as it will show when you are playing well. I think that you would
benefit greatly from video lessons offered at Fluteland.com. they deal a lot
with these very basics of flute playing and producing a nice tone. We would like
to have you as a student. Hope all this helps. Remember, just relax your lips
and keep trying.
Damjan, --- Fluteland.com Teacher

damjan
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2002 9:51 pm

my high notes are so bad!

Post by damjan »

In the upper register, you need to relax your lips, not
squeeze them. If you squeeze your lips, you will get a very thin and low quality
sound. You do not blow into the flute as much as on the lower notes, rather, you
come a little closer to the outer wall (by relaxing your lips) and blow a little
higher on it (imagine pointing a stream of air to a precise point on the outer
wall of the mouthpiece where that note sits - that is why your lip opening needs
to get smaller in the upper register, to be able do direct air more precisely).
These are very minor adjustments of the lips so do not exagerate these changes.
But definitely relax your lips in the upper register, you will get a fuller and
nicer sound.
Damjan, --- Fluteland.com Teacher

Tachugar
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Feb 02, 2003 12:45 pm

my high notes are so bad!

Post by Tachugar »

if you have problems with high notes there are two
things i've been told to do. 1) to get used to them, you can use the first
thrill key for both E and F playing them as if they were low, you'll imediately
get a nice hgh tone. 2)lay against the floor or the wall cmpletely and try then.
this will totaly relax your muscles which may be a reason for a bad high
note-tense throat muscles LUCK[;)]
As
long as air exists our notes will be heard. :-D

Lozzi
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2003 2:52 pm

my high notes are so bad!

Post by Lozzi »

what is a thrill key?
Lozzi

damjan
Posts: 153
Joined: Fri Aug 09, 2002 9:51 pm

my high notes are so bad!

Post by damjan »

The two trill keys (C# and D#) are two small keys, one
between the F and E keys and the other between the E and D keys (right hand). If
you go to: http://www.fluteland.com/fluteland/Onli ... essons.asp and
launch the lesson window and click on the fingering chart, it will show you the
flute. Try rolling over the keys of your right hand and text will appear
indicating which key that is.
Damjan, --- Fluteland.com Teacher

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