increasing air capacity, vibrato, focus tone, harmonics

[dior]

hi. how do u increase air capacity? no matter how hard i inhale, i still cannot hold notes for long. how do i know if inhaling the "right way"?

for vibrato, is it advisable to use both throat and diaphragm to help? my diaphragm is so weak that sometimes i had to use throat to help pushing.

does the size of your apperture changes with u play from low to high register? how do i achieve a more focus yet thicker and warmer tone?

what does harmonics mean actually? multi-tone color? how do i know if i have produced harmonics?

[flutepicc06]

hi. how do u increase air capacity? no matter how hard i inhale, i still cannot hold notes for long. how do i know if inhaling the "right way"?

To know if you're breathing properly, be sure you're filling the lower part of your lungs first. Your stomach should expand first, and then possibly your chest. Make sure your shoulders don't move up as you breathe in. If you lie on your back on a floor/bed/other surface, and place your hand on your stomach, you should be able to feel the diaphragm at work as you breathe. Be sure you get the same sensation when you breathe while playing. As to actually increasing your lung capacity, some exercise (swimming is great for this) can be a big help, but you can't expect results overnight.

for vibrato, is it advisable to use both throat and diaphragm to help? my diaphragm is so weak that sometimes i had to use throat to help pushing.

Your diaphragm should not be involved in producing vibrato. You need the diaphragm/abdominals to support the sound, but the actual pitch fluctuations (which is all vibrato really is) should be created using your throat/embouchure. Trying to create a diaphragm vibrato will create either a weak, unsupported sound, or if you can get past that, a slow, wide vibrato that won't really sound like vibrato at all.

does the size of your apperture changes with u play from low to high register? how do i achieve a more focus yet thicker and warmer tone?

The aperture will change, but the differences will be minute. You'll have to experiment to see what works best for you and your set up. A focused sound comes with a focused and accurate airstream. As you learn to place the air exactly where you want it, your options for tone will become more varied. Try opening your airways as much as possible (often described as dropping your jaw and opening your throat) to create more resonance and a darker, fuller sound. Tone exercises, practiced judiciously, will help improve your sound immensely. Also, if you don't already have one, GET A TEACHER. A good, live teacher is nearly indispensable as you're learning, as they can give specific advice and help, while we can offer only generic suggestions since we are not familiar with your playing.

what does harmonics mean actually? multi-tone color? how do i know if i have produced harmonics?

The flute has a harmonic series just like a trumpet or a clarinet. If you finger low C (C1), you'll find that you can overblow it to C2, G2, C3, E3, etc. If you play a low C,it's referred to as the fundamental. It's the note that you'll hear mostly, but each note of the harmonic series (called overtones) above it is also present, and these can be manipulated to adjust tone color. Notes in the upper registers of the flute are actually harmonic overtones of lower notes with fingerings that compensate for poor tone or pitch. You'll know if you've produced harmonics if some other octave/note than the pitch you're fingering sounds when you play.