Flute Tone

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Expressiveness can only come from within so never be shy - always “perform”. Try to picture in your head what you think the composer intended his music to sound like. Is it happy, sad, fast, slow, exciting, boring, etc.. Aim to establish a good sound and also be able to play quietly to make the sound free and resonant.

To control crescendos and diminuendos, start and finish the notes well. The top notes need more air pressure while the embouchure requires a fast air stream and a small hole for loud (forte) and a slow air stream and a large hole for soft. (piano) This is opposite to what you would naturally do so it will take time and patience and the right kind of practice to get things right. There are no short cuts.

Intonation and tone problems often go hand in hand. This is usually caused by over-blowing and the wrong usage of the embouchure. However, to improve both these problems you have to encourage your “inner” ear to develop so you do not have to rely on anyone else to tell you if your tone is pleasant or not. Correcting your intonation is only a matter of listening closely and adjusting accordingly. Practice tuning to the piano or a tuning fork to build up trust in your ear. It is important to have a good tune up, if possible, every time before you play. Then play lots of long notes and scales until your fingers and mouth are well and truly warmed up and able to continue with the rigors of your practice session. Listen closely at all times. If you hear something strange, then do something about it. Experiment.

Tone is a collective noun used to describe a number of desirable qualities, any or each of which contribute a significant part of the overall tone. These are: 1.Colour, 2.Size, 3.Projection, 4.Intensity, 5.Vibrato, 6.Purity. Always try to focus the sound like a camera lens. It must not sound blurred and fuzzy. Again long notes are useful as they give the chance to examine the sound in detail. Provided you can hear the undesirable aspects the self-correcting mechanism will ensure that the tone will improve.

Harmonics are a useful exercise as well. Harmonics are the main ingredient of the note and give the basic tone its colour and character. Play them as straight as possible. NO VIBRATO!! Then play the actual note, alternating between the harmonic and the note, comparing the sounds. Doing this enables the ear to become accustomed to hearing the harmonics within the note.

Experiment with different shapes inside your mouth e.g. vowel sounds or for example, flute, flask etc.

Doing these exercises will not only give you a nicer tone but will help you feel more in control of what you trying to achieve.

If you feel the need to link - feel free but please respect the fact that this is my own work - the result of many years teaching and performing and should you wish to use any of the material ~