Hello – rank newbie here (“rank” in the sense of “rancid” refers to my ability to make music on a flute…). I’m a long-time recorder player, short-time whistle player, and now attempting to be a flute player. I have a Hall crystal flute in D (I know – probably not the best for a newbie, but I love the tone, and the appearance is what got me interested in learning to play the flute to begin with) and I was curious as to whether the Hall flute takes more or less breath to play than other “normal” simple-system flutes. I tend to run out of breath (get lightheaded, etc.) very quickly, something I haven’t noticed when playing the other instruments (even the low D whistle). I suspect that my technique is at fault (hey, I was just happy to get the thing to play a note at all! Now I can get most of the low register to sound, though the low D is still tricky). So anyway, how does the Hall D compare to other flutes in this regard, or to whistles, etc.? Thanks!
Less air? That’s good to hear – at least there’s hope! Good advice about sitting on the floor (falling off a chair with a long glass tube held up to the face doesn’t sound like a very good idea). Thanks!
I found that it took quite a while on the Hall to get a pure sound. Trying to play softly helped a lot (I know, this doesn’t make much sense when you’re trying to get more volume, but it worked for me). Lots of long low notes while sitting in front of the TV and not thinking too much.
Hall flutes are not particularly easy to play; it may take you some time to work out an efficient embouchure.
As Denny points out, an efficient embouchure will allow you to get good volume and projection from very little air.
Playing softly makes sense as long as you support the air column. You actually use more muscles of the face and abdomen on flute when playing softly as opposed to playing loud; a good flutist is never working harder than when he’s playing just as softly as he can.
Also playing long tones will help center the embouchure and make it efficient.
Start with low G, play a tone at medium volume and try to keep it as steady and clear as you can. Then without letting the pitch rise, try to increase your volume to as loud as you can go and hold it as long as you can. Then decrease back to medium, then as soft as you can go, and back to medium. When you are playing softly make sure the air column is still supported so that your pitch doesn’t fall. Don’t roll the flute in and out to change from loud to soft! Make your lips learn to do the work.
Then go down to F-sharp and do the same thing, all the way down to D.
Then repeat in the second octave.
Breath when necessary.
If you do this exercise correctly, you will probably get dizzy, so you’ll probably want to try it sitting down.
Thanks for the tips, Chiffed and peeplj (I’ve already mastered “sitting in front of the TV and not thinking much” – but it took years of practice). One thing I’ve noticed is that I tend to hold my mouth as though I were whistling – if I concentrate and make myself just hold my lips slightly apart (more flattened opening) it seems to work better. Part of the “working it out” process, I suppose!