odd note

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alex411

odd note

Post by alex411 »

ok, so i was playing around earlier and i was blowing into my flute working on double tounging with no fingers down, and when i do its pretty much the same as a dflat, and you can blow more and i think if i remember get it up an octave, but if you tighten your embouchure even more and blow a little bit more you get this really odd note, and i remember correctly it was exactly in between a high g and aflat... it came out with a good tone, and it didnt sound airy on anything nor did it didnt sound off, it was just half of a half step.

please go try and comment, am i just finding out about something that everyone else knows about and there is some weird quater pitch scale or something?

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pied_piper
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Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:31 pm
Location: Virginia

Re: odd note

Post by pied_piper »

You have just discovered the overtone series of the flute. It is actually a very good exercise to play overtones. You can do this on any note of the flute, but you can play more overtones from the lower notes. For example, if you finger a low C and increase your airspeed, you can play a middle C, then continue on to G above the staff. If you keep going, you should be able to play C above the staff and then E above the staff. With more practice doing this, you may be able to get to the third octave G or even fourth octave C. As you noticed, as you go higher, the notes will tend to be a bit sharp as you noticed with the note between high G and Ab. That is normal. Do a Google search for flute overtones and you will find more about this.
"Never give a flute player a screwdriver."
--anonymous--

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