So, I got myself a fife – for no other reasons than 1) it was cheap, and 2) I was curious about trying a transverse flute. It’s an Aulos, a brown and quite ugly plastic thingie.
Now, I’m proud to say that I can actually make it produce sound – notes even! – with some effort. Well, OK, there’s more breath than notes I suppose, kind of an asthmatic wheeze with a pitch. But from what I’ve read I was expecting it to be nigh impossible.
What I don’t get, however, is how to go beyond the first octave. Do you overblow it like a whistle, or is there some business with the thumb hole? Yes – there is a thumb hole. I read somewhere that this Aulos fife is basically a side-blown recorder, so it’s not one of those classic 6 hole army fifes. But I still don’t get it. Is my embouchure still not developed enough (or at all) to reach the upper octaves, or what’s the trick?
Embouchure. Fifes are rarely played in the first octave. It’s all second and third. And it’s done by developing a seriously narrow, strong stream of air, through a well-developed embouchure. Do that for a few months, and a D flute will be less daunting, (if you can still hear it).
Traditionally they were designed to play in the higher octaves easily so they could be heard over the noise of armies marching, drilling, fighting, pillaging, etc.
Your instrument isn’t a traditional fife (which usually has only six holes) but a kind of preparatory instrument for someone who will be taking up the “proper” (i.e. silver Boehm) flute. Still, a good instrument to get started on.
Not na aulos fife. Aulos and yamaha fifes arent traditional fifes- they’re more liek a little starter flute. They’re just called “fife” because they’re small transverse fipple-less.
I see. So what techniques I manage to learn from this mini-flute would be transferrable to a Boehm flute?
That’s kind of what I suspected, yeah. Because when I occasionally manage to play some clean notes, the first octave doesn’t sound bad at all. I mean, it doesn’t sound like it’s not supposed to be played in the first octave.
Thanks for the info guys. I’m very new to wind instruments so it’s like a whole new world opening up before me here. I just want to try a little bit och this and a little bit of that, in case someone is wondering why I’m trying to learn the flute only a couple of months after picking up the whistle
Have you tried “The Fifer’s Smile”? partially cover the voicing embouchure with your lower lip and “roll” the instrument towards or away from you till you get the best sound. At the same time, “smile” or stretch the corners of your mouth by tightening your cheek muscles. This will help improve and focus the airstream on the “edge” opposite your lips.
The Fife thumb hole should be “pinched” open, just as a Recorder Player does, to better sound the upper registers. Slide your thumb down till the edge of your thumbnail drops into the hole. This will leak air into the hole and cancel the fundamental register, sounding the next dominant harmonic register (2nd octave for Fifes/Flutes).
“Pinching” open the top tonehole on a Tin whistle will make the second register easier to sound in the same way. This “cancels” or disrupts the fundamental harmonic, leaving the next dominant harmonic (2nd octave for flutes/Whistles) to sound without overblowing.
Hey West!
If you decide you want to try something a bit different from the plastic instrument you have there, try these: http://www.angusfifes.com/
Scroll down to the ‘D’ or Bb fifes section and have a look at the instruments there.
I used to play Fife, these particular models have six holes (like a tin whistle) and are played in the second and third octave, by overblowing.
This is because they are usually played along with a Lambeg drum which is a monster of a thing and it is the only way to get heard.
The key for playing along with the Lambeg drum is usually Bb.
Have a look here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJf49xFaUxA&feature=relate
Cheers.
