I’m finding that the embouchure hole on my new flute has a certain sweet spot that I’m able to find by slightly angling the entire body away from me. In other words, rather than blowing straight across the embouchure hole at a 90 degree angle, I’m pushing the flute out slightly with my right hand so that it’s tangent to my head. If I do this, I can get a much sharper and more consistent tone in the low octave.
Have I stumbled onto something that I should have known about wooden flutes in general, or is this a peculiarity of this particular flute?
The former. Unlike Boehms, wind should not be directed across the embouchure hole, but driven down a bit. Most players turn the head inward, toward their chin (so as not to turn the flute itself, thereby messing with your hand position). Finding the sweet spot on your specific flute is an individual thing, though, as all flutes embouchures are cut slightly differently, and we each are pleased by slightly different sounds. Between these two facts, there really is no precise description of where the spot is, or can be found. With experience, the sweet spot is found fairly quickly, though, from flute to flute.
i have found that same ‘sweet spot’ on both of my flutes, one is a hall glass, and the other is a romy benton bamboo.. the sweet spots are a little different, but when you find it.. its lovely!
its lovely!