Cannot make a decent sound

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 7:42 pm

Hi, everyone, I have just joined the forum
I am 47 years old from Canada.
Have just purchased a Armstrong 104 and subscribed to the lessons.
I tried the smile method but it does not work for me.
I can however breath from the diaphram since I have played the bagpipes for years.
The biggest problem; I try and follow the method in the Essential Elements but when I think that I am making a good sound it more often than not turns out that I am literally whistling and, sometimes when I am making a true sound, (albeit very airy on the headjoint) when I try it on the full flute I cannot reproduce it ( second register F ).
What causes all this, especially when I actually whistle and is this common when you start. There are no teachers in my area.
Please help.
Sincerely,
Ron

Band_Geek · Post by **Band_Geek** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 8:29 pm

Well first of all, let me just say I am also the owner of an Armstrong 104 and arent they wonderful? Anyways, if the smile method didnt work, try and shape your lips as if you were saying the word "toot".

What causes the whistling is you probably arent putting the right amount of lip on the lip-plate. You should put 1/3 of your lip on the lip-plate. Then, blow the air downwards.

Ron · Post by **Ron** » Sun Oct 30, 2005 9:12 pm

Thanks, I will try this.
What is the easiest note to first get and is the first register harder to get than the second?
Ron

Band_Geek · Post by **Band_Geek** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 6:02 am

Well each note works differently for each person. The easiest first note technically to get is Db because its like blowing into a mouthpiece. You arent holding any keys down. The second register is harder than the first, but only by a small amount because its one register higher. So you have to blow a little bit faster. Then, the third register is harder than the second one because you have new fingerings and you have to blow a lot faster.

MeLizzard · Post by **MeLizzard** » Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:03 am

Try something in the lower-middle register, like maybe third-line B. I had this tone discussion in a school flute section rehearsal just last week. You've correctly observed that flute-playing and whistling are dissimilar. Don't consciously try to "make an embouchure" with your lips. Place the flute at the edge of your lower lip where the skin changes from lip-colored to skin-colored. Many beginners often place the flute rather high on the lip, leading to frustration in tone production. Keep the blow-hole relatively uncovered; try to cover less than half always, to allow more air into your flute. Spread as much of your lower lip (side-to-side) as possible across the lip plate in a relaxed fashion. (Allow the corners to fall forward.) Blow the airsteam gently, but in a supported manner, as if saying the syllable "poo" (allow the air to open your lips, versus a meditated gesture of opening). The center of our upper lip controls the direction of the airstream.

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