Are you perplexed about the sound of your transverse flute? Is it too clean or light for your taste? Look no further, here are a few simple steps to improve your tone.
Steps
Step 1. Sit with your back straight
In fact, it is easier to get a good sound by standing upright. However, make sure your back is straight and composed when you sit down! Rotate your body slightly so that you don't have to reposition your neck to read the score clearly.
Step 2. Hold the flute aloft
You have probably been told a thousand times, but holding the flute too low can have a negative influence on the tone. You should hold it at an angle of about 20 degrees. When you hold it lower you retract the abdominal area and are unable to take adequate breath or support the tone. By holding it higher instead, you create tension on the right arm (sorry for the march flutists).
Step 3. Keep the flute balanced
It is related to correct posture, but it is not the same thing. There are three points of balance when holding a flute: the chin, the left thumb and the right one. The embouchure should remain in the cavity between the lower lip and the chin and you should feel a subtle pressure on the lower gums. The flute should sit just above the lower knuckle of your left index finger, above the junction of your fingers and hand. Instead, the flute should rest on the tip of the right thumb, below and slightly behind the flute, between the keys of F and E. The right little finger should then naturally rest on the key of E flat.
Step 4. Once in this position it should feel very natural and the flute should "float", allowing you to get a deeper sound
Step 5. Breathe correctly
Take a deep breath from the belly, not the chest, before playing. You should see your belly swell, literally. The back should also swell towards the end of the breath. If the chest is the first part to expand, or the shoulders lift high when you breathe, you are not getting as much air as you could. Your lips should also form a triangular hole as you breathe.
One way to practice is to lean forward at the waist, at a 90 ° angle between the legs and torso. Then take a good deep breath starting from the belly, feeling the entire belly and back area swell well before the chest
Step 6. Listen to your sound
You will probably be able to fix things on your own. Just think about making it full and deep. Imagine and realize that you are vibrating the flute in its full length.
Step 7. Support the airflow
Think about activating the muscles of the trunk and belly to physically "support" the air and produce a strong and regular flow. It will also help you play in key, which always makes the sound better and is extremely important when playing with others.
Step 8. Adjust your lips
Making the hole between the lips smaller can produce a better sound. The airflow is more direct and you won't have to use a lot of it. At the same time, make sure you don't make the hole too small or you risk reducing the airflow too much and getting a vented or forced sound.
Step 9. Experiment
You won't find the ideal tone until you know all the options! Furthermore, the meaning of a "good" tone on the transverse flute depends in all respects on the music you are playing and the talented musicians know how to change the colors of their timbre (full-bodied, clear, calm, sweet, intense, disturbing, etc.) to adapt it to the atmosphere they want to create. To practice, pick up a note that you can play smoothly, hold it, and explore the following movements. As you play, pay attention to how the sound changes, whether it sounds more or less pleasant, and what kinds of musical emotions it can evoke. Over time you can learn to choose the tone of the sound you prefer and immediately find the position of the lips, jaw and body to achieve it.
- Move the end of the flute higher or lower. This movement changes the angle of air entry into the mouth hole. Many flutists drop their right arm too far to produce optimal sound and this exercise will show you if you are one of them.
- Move the end of the flute back and forth. This movement also changes the angle of entry of the airflow. Try to listen to the position where the sound seems clearest.
- Tilt your head left, right, forward and back. Understand what makes you feel most comfortable and makes the sound cleaner.
- Turn the mouthpiece in and out. It modifies how much air enters the flute, also affecting the tone (be it low, high or just right).
- Orient the airflow higher or lower by moving the jaw forward or backward. The effect of this movement is similar to turning the bit in or out.
- Relax more or tense the muscles of the lips, cheeks and jaw more.
Step 10. Register
You might be surprised. The acoustics of the body and the space around it make the sound different depending on whether it is heard by you while you play, by someone standing a few meters away or by a person sitting at the back of a concert hall. There are professional flutists with very bold tones that almost tend to be irritating if you stand next to them, but they can play beautifully during a solo in a large concert hall. Conversely, a sweet and delicate tone, which sounds exquisite to the musician's ears, may sound faint and uninteresting from across the room. It can be really useful to record yourself with the microphone at various distances to understand how you might sound to others' ears. Of course, unless you have high-quality recording tools, it won't work perfectly, but even a video with your smartphone will be better than nothing.
Step 11. Practice long notes
As many music teachers like to say: "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." Unless you really spend a lot of time trying to get a nice sound, you won't be able to develop it reliably. One way to do this is to spend a portion of each exercise session on practicing long tones, usually done as a warm-up. Moyse's book "de la Sonorité" is a classic source in this case, but many online sources also detail the techniques for practicing long notes.
Step 12. Listen to the recordings of professional flutists
They all play in a reasonably quality tone, or else they wouldn't have been able to become professional; however, you may still notice that some people like you more than others. Think about what characterizes the sounds you like best and experiment by trying to imitate them.
Step 13. Know that better tones for certain notes only come with time and practice
As you become familiar with the lower and higher notes of the flute, your tone will improve with them. However, don't assume that time will solve every problem. Effective practice is also needed!
Step 14. Use vibrato on longer notes
Vibrato is a technique in which the musician's sound bends very quickly. Make as if you are whispering "ha, ha, ha" and try to play a note. It may sound unnatural at first, so practice until it feels natural and even. Vibrato is a good technique for creating emphasis on long notes and concealing certain sonic inconsistencies at the same time. The speed of the vibrato depends on the effect the flutist is trying to achieve; a faster vibrato often expresses a more intense feeling, while a slower one is more relaxing.
Step 15. Take care of the flute on a regular basis
A flute that works better also produces a better sound. Point. If the tuning cork is not in place, a bar is out of place, the keys are not aligned correctly or the flute is suffering in any other way, it will also have negative effects on the sonority. Up to a point, you can fix it and fix it yourself (hard keys or loose screws), but for most problems you'll have to take it to a specialist music store where they can fix it.
Step 16. Buy a better flute
The quality of the metal (be it nickel, silver, gold or even platinum) and the workmanship that went into the creation of the flute have a huge effect on the tone. It is said that a master flutist can make even the worst quality flute play perfectly, but for most of us, the quality of the instrument still makes a difference. If you have a beginner's flute and are thinking about starting playing seriously, consider buying a new one. Professional or intermediate flutes are built more precisely and it is easier to produce the correct pitch in many notes. Some features to consider are:
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Image Open Keys: Allows air to pass through when not covered, generating a fuller, more sonorous tone. Open clefs also create less air resistance, making notes easier to play. They are highly recommendable, but will require a bit of adaptation just changed as you will have to learn to cover the holes with your fingers completely. Start with the plugs on the hardest to reach keys so you can play normally and then practice playing without the plugs with practice.
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Image G in line above, deviated below G key in line: this is a personal preference in this case and does not really have an effect on the tone. An inline G clef simply means it will be a little harder to reach (see image). If you have small hands or are used to playing with a deviated G clef, it's okay to stick with that type as well. The main reason the inline G is preferred is for the aesthetics of the appearance of the keys.
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Image B trombino high, C trombino low B trombino low: you can buy an additional trombino with extra clefs that allow you to play a chromatic note lower than normal (the B). This is a good idea, because you will be able to find this note easily as you progress in the study of the flute.
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Image The gizmo key is the long, small and closest one in the image. Gizmo clef: This clef is almost always included in the low B trumpet and makes it easier to play high C and C # (beyond the fifth line above the staff).
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Image The jointed E is indicated by the red arrow Jointed E mechanism: A jointed E mechanism separates the movements of the high and low G clefs. Usually, the G keys close together, but with the articulated E mechanism it still happens, but the low G can close when the normal E of the third octave is played. This produces an ideal opening for the pitch of the high E and can improve the tuning and tone of a flutist.
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Pied Piper 2111 Metal quality: Most beginner flutes are entirely nickel or silver coated nickel. Pure (very fine) silver is the top quality model. If you're buying an intermediate flute, start with an all-silver head and a silver-plated body, trumpet, and keys. Then, head, body and trumpet in pure silver and covered keys and finally the whole flute in silver. You can also customize the flute with gold inserts, coated with gold over silver, platinum and more! Platinum will make your flute tone darker and more powerful, while gold will make it sound more affectionate and sensual.
• The most important part of the flute is the head, so if you can't afford the body and horn together, make sure you buy at least one head made of superior quality material.
• Some companies sell heads with "flaps" on the mouthpiece. The "fins" help direct the air into the flute and minimize the amount of air that escapes. It is useful for having a clearer and less breathless tone.
• Watch out for the gold-plated mouthpieces. They have no effect on the tone, only an aesthetic function. However, a higher quality riser, the small "chimney" that connects the mouthpiece to the head, definitely improves the sound.
Advice
- Keep your head up while you play; don't look down! The only reason you might be looking up is if you are playing a very high note that is high pitched. Otherwise, holding your head up accompanies correct posture and helps produce a better tone. To practice, try reading the score almost at face level, or even play the notes by looking at a point in the wall that is at eye level.
- Remember that if you blow softly, the note will sound lower. If you want a higher note, play louder and faster.
- Do not cover the mouth hole too much. It will make the tone too flat.
- Try singing before you play. It might sound strange to you, but it helps to open up your throat. Singing as you play, while taking some practice, is another great exercise for improving your tone.
- Conductors will tell you that keeping your legs crossed has a negative effect on tone. This Not this is true for flutists (if you sit with your back straight). However, it really looks very unprofessional in an overall situation.
- To practice the double tongue strike alternate the syllables "tu" and "ku". You will greatly increase the speed of the tongue strike. If you find it difficult to do this, isolate the syllable "ku" and practice strengthening those muscles in the back of the throat.
- The other tips are relatively helpful and can help, but the key thing is still to keep a daily practice and do your best.
- When you are actually playing the flute, be sure to give the tongue flick. It is done where you make the "t" sound when you play. It helps to separate the notes and make the piece sound clearer.
- For advice on your embouchure and personal playing style consult a private flute teacher.
- Get a good quality flute! It will make learning and performing correctly much easier.
Warnings
- Do not vibrato if you are trying to tune; you should use a flat tone or you risk tuning incorrectly. Vibrato may also not be appropriate for some types of music.
- Some flutists develop allergic reactions to the metal in the bit. Silver, nickel, or gold could make you gray chin. If you have a problem like this you can put a small piece of tape on the mouthpiece.
