After playing a keyless Casey Burns flute for four years, I have been undergoing an embouchere change over the past month. This has been done to increase my efficiency in breathing, and to gain a fuller, reedier tone.
My question is: How many out there line up the embouchere hole directly in line with the finger holes?
I can achieve a consistently fine tone and volume when they are lined up directly, but when I pull the head joint in slightly towards me, I lose both the consistent tone and volume (as well as flattening the sound a bit).
However, the problem with my direct alignment is that my left hand is more cramped when playing, and it’s more tiring to play this way. Will I ever get used to this?
Both Hamilton and Larsen in their books recommend turning the headjoint slightly towards the player, so that a more comfortable position can be had, which makes sense to me. However, my tone is better when I don’t do this (however I lose some flexibility in my left hand).
Don’t turn the head toward you too much, especially at first. You might try turning it about 1/2 the width of the embouchure hole towards you at first, then playing until you get used to it. Much more can definitely kill your tone, etc.
In my experience, this depends in large part upon the flute itself, and the cut of the embouchure.
On the Seery and the Hamilton, I don’t turn it in much at all. On the M&E flutes I roll it in a bit more; on the antique 8-key I roll it in considerably more; and on the Boehm system modern flute, I don’t roll it in at all.
This is really an individual question. If you’re getting the tone you want by having the holes lined up, then keep it that way. No need to roll in.
The benefits of rolling in vary from flute to flute and also by the way you hold the flute. Some people roll the headjoint way in so the far edge is lined up with the inside edge of the tone holes; others line it up so the far edge is in line with the middle of the toneholes (that’s pretty much where I put it). Still others align the middle of the embouchure hole with the middle of the toneholes, and I’ve even seen players who roll the embouchure out (away from them). It’s a very individual thing, there’s no rule on what’s right – just play with it, experiment with different positions, and find the one that’s comfortable for you and that gives you the best tone.
The other thing about rolling in is that even though some people do weird stuff with the head, what they might really be doing is moving the hand position.
I personally prefer the single-body flute (like both hands on one piece, Prattenesque) rather than the split-body style, and I notice that I do like the finger holes turned out.
So, I think with mine, the embouchure is inline and the body is rolled out.
Just as a point of interest Nicholson Improved flutes (some anyway) were intended to be played with the lower section of the flute (i.e. D, E, F#) rolled in (i.e not in line with G, A, B…).
You can see this in his portrait in the National Portrait Gallery (UK) and some of these flutes at least have marks for these to be lined up (well at least one).
Modern flutes (Boehms) are made to play in-line, and generally older flutes (or modern flutes made the old way) weren’t. In order to get the right sound out of the latter, in-line, you may be doing a number on your wrists, unknowingly (Stuart’s point). But a tone can be created anyway you hold the flute, and if you’re used to keeping the head in-line, then I agree with others, that you should try the newer approach (turning the head) incrementally, paying particular attention to what your hands are (now) doing. Otherwise, this conversation will leads right to muscle and wrist problem topics.
Gordon
I’ve played in-line and rolled in both. I haven’t noticed any less discomfort. My hands are still positioned the same way. I tired finding something different and it ruined the flow of air across the embouchure, or was even more uncomfortable. I have found though, that it is easier to play the second octave without going sharp because it seems easier to ease up on the lip or dip the chin a bit with the headjoint rolled in. Anything I may have missed? I’ve been struggling to find a position that doesn’t cause tension and wrist pain for the 5-6 years I’ve been playing , so far with no luck. That’s even after learning specialized exercises and stretches. Sorry to get Off Topic there with my rambling. Back on track…initially, I found it hard not to get muddy tone and a weak low end, but now have actually found it easier to maintain my embouchure and produce a nice reedy resonant tone through a whole set of tunes. I think once you find the sweet spots for your lip and direction of air flow, things come together. I also think that the cut of the embouchure hole has a lot to do with it. My old flute had a traditional elliptical cut, which meant rolling in sounded fuzzier and was more difficult to maintain. My current flute had a boxed oval embouchure, which is larger, but also is more undercut. That would, as I’ve been informed, facilitate better air direction with less noise and waisted air.
