In GL’s flute book, there is an exercise he recommends for training the embouchure to jump octaves. He says that by controlling the embouchure, it is possible to play in sequence:
D → D’ → A’ → D’’ → D’‘’
I assume that these are strictly overtones and that all six holes are closed for all of these notes. Is this possible on a flute with no keys and with a simple D fingering?
With XXX XXX I can get a 3rd octave D but the note is not stable (OXX XXX is stable). Getting a 4th octave D would require some lip muscle development, I think, if it were possible at all.
you got it.. the idea is not to tongue between each note but rather to get each overtone by simply controlling the direction and velocity of the air stream.
The ability to do this does depend a lot on the flute. On my old Tony Dixon polymer, I can’t seem to easily get this to work above the third octave D, and that note is not stable either. But on the Paddy Ward delrin, I can easily get low D, d, a, d’, and f#‘’ (the next note in the overtone series).
Yeah, different flutes can be very different. I have a LOT of difficulty jumping from the d’ to a’ on my Olwell, but on my Thin Weasel it’s a piece of cake. In many ways the TW is overall more difficult to play than the Olwell, though.
Yes it is possible on a keyless flute, the keys have nothing to do with it. But each flute responds differently and for some it may be difficult to produce 3rd or 4th octave notes.
When I overblow my magic Tipple D-flute on the lowest note I get this series: D → D’ → A’ → D’’ → F#‘’, which are the first five notes of the overtone series on note D.
It is helpful practise to do this not just with six holes covered, but with five, four etc through the first ocatave. And to focus on producing the octave notes by embouchure adjustment alone, and not by blowing harder. In fact one exercise can be to make a loud lower octave note and then change to a soft second octave note. By giving attention to the volume the forced overblowing can be avoided and greater embouchure control achieved. Restricting the embouchure more and more has the effect of increased airspeed, without the need to blow harder, and thus producing higher octave notes.
Glenn Schultz, better known for making whistles. www.thinweasel.com . They’re beautiful flutes; I find mine is not the easiest flute to play. But when I find the zone, it’s an incredible flute to play.
mcdafydd, thanks for correcting the overtone series. With my CB folk flute, I have been able to get D - D’ - A’ - D’‘, but not the F’‘. It is not easy to get the D’’ with chapped lips. After imbibing hot tea to moisten the lips, I had to smear on ChapStick (on the lips and the embouchure hole wall) before I could produce the D’'.
That you could reach F’’ is certainly an endorsement for the Ward Delrin. It has a vented foot and I wonder if that helped the sound.
Hans, does your Tipple flute have 6 or 8 holes? And do you have the smooth bore and/or the wedge? I have been under the impression that flutes w/ circular blow holes (like that on the Tipple) have more trouble reaching and sustaining 3rd octave notes. Not true?
I’ve experienced no correlation between the vented foot and the third octave/overtones. As for the circular embouchure hole and third octave, I strongly suspect it doesn’t hurt. The Baroque flute had a circular hole and is generally viewed as playing more easily in the third octave. That’s undoubtedly related to the narrow bore, but I doubt the circular embouchure is an impediment.
headwizer,
my Tipple has six finger holes, a dimpled bore and a wedge. I find the wedge is crucial for good intonation of the higher notes. I can play third octave with ease up to A’'.
Headwizer wrote, "With my CB folk flute, I have been able to get D - D’ - A’ - D’‘, but not the F’‘. It is not easy to get the D’’ with chapped lips. After imbibing hot tea to moisten the lips, I had to smear on ChapStick (on the lips and the embouchure hole wall) before I could produce the D’'.
That you could reach F’’ is certainly an endorsement for the Ward Delrin. It has a vented foot and I wonder if that helped the sound. "
I can get the F# on my Burns Rudall (and almost the A). My Ward Delrin reaches the A (fifth overtone) fairly easily (actually a B-flat, since it’s an E-flat flute, but it’s the same overtone above the fundamental). My Olwell bamboo reached that same 5th overtone too. It was fun to compare them. I’d never tried comparing the flutes in that manner. Overtones add depth to the basic tone, so the more possible overtones you can get on any particular flute, the richer the potential of the tone, I guess. Perhaps a good test to try when trying a new flute?
"Overtones add depth to the basic tone, so the more possible overtones you can get on any particular flute, the richer the potential of the tone, I guess. Perhaps a good test to try when trying a new flute? "
Hoovorff, that’s a good question. I’ve heard that some Irish flute makers only tune for the first two octaves, which is the range of most ITM tunes.
It is not easy to get the D’’ with chapped lips. After imbibing hot tea to moisten the lips, I had to smear on ChapStick (on the lips and the embouchure hole wall) before I could produce the D’'.