I am a low whistle player, but new to the flute. The biggest thing holding me back at the moment is the amount of air I seem to need to keep a tune going on the flute - I can probably hold a note on flute for about half the length I can on low whistle. It means I am struggling to get through a tune, even though the fingering is going ok and I can get what sounds like a decent tone. Is this normal when learning the flute or is my embouchure and/or flute and/or breathing likely to be at fault here?
I understand about diaphragmatic breathing and can do it ok, although I wouldn’t say my breathing is perfect.
Hi Ben (very good first name, by the way ) and welcome!
I started on flute just over 5 years ago. When I started, some people whose opinion I respected told me that the amount of air that I would need for flute would be less than for high whistle, let alone low whistle. I didn’t believe them, but it has turned out to be the case. It’s all about focus. Embouchure is key, but it’s about more than that. When you finally develop both the right embouchure and the right breath support from your diaphragm, you too will find that flute takes less air than a high D whistle, and about half (in my estimation) of that required to play low whistle. But it takes time. Lots of it.
Good luck! I love flute. It’s the best instrument there is!
Don’t believe everything Ben says! He’s just fiddling about. But he’s right about focus and efficiency. It takes time and practice for the fine control of the lip muscles to develop and, until it does, newbie flute players inevitably waste a lot of air. The amount of air you use is defined by your embouchure, which is adjustable but has to be learnt, whereas on whistle it is defined by the flow capacity of the windway, which is fixed. If you haven’t already used it, have a look at my embouchure help sheet in the resources linked in my “signature” below.
Actually, it’s perfectly possible to constrict the air flow of the whistle by constricting the embouchure. The windway only defines the maximum capacity. But yes, the overall technique (mechanics, effect, rationale) on whistle is quite different. That sweet spot focus with increased backpressure and more efficient air flow is unique to non-fipple flutes.
Also, is there any possibility the flute is leaking (at cork, tenons/sockets, slide, pads if keyed, cracks, etc.) reducing your efficiency on the instrument?
In my, admittedly limited, experience, this wouldn’t make any difference to the air requirement - it would simply make the notes either fluffy or non-existent.
Yeah, but a natural response to such fluffiness and weak response, especially amongst beginners, could well be to suspect their own probable deficiencies exclusively, have a great big battle with their embouchure trying to focus, blowing too hard, etc. and get nowhere. Make no assumptions, check the kit to eliminate issues there. Then, if all’s well, you know it’s your own technique that needs sorting and that you’re not fighting an unwinnable battle with duff gear.
Leaks do make it harder to blow and grip/finger properly - one tends to try and compensate to produce good tone, pitch and articulation, and thus can result in bad habits of focus, grip, speed.
Those were the kind of answers I was hoping for - i.e. that with practice it becomes much easier. I had started to wonder whether all Irish flute players had super-human lung capacity… Re the flute - it is not the finest instrument but seals ok I think and it is keyless so less places for leaks etc. I have had others play it and say basically that it was quite ok to play and suitable for a beginner.
) and welcome!
He’s just fiddling about.