I’m curious: how do you hold your flute, and where? I’m currently struggling to find the optimal position of flute and embouchure hole for that ‘perfect’ barking hard D. I find that it’s easier to hit the D when I place the flute head on my lower lip (D, see below for illustrations), but playing comfort and the second octave works better with the flute head between lower lip and chin (B).
I’m interested in how you’re holding your flute when playing. And do you alter positions for different ‘normal’ notes (ie. not for special effects like ‘double’ tones etc.). Please also add what type of flute you’re playing, i.e. large-, medium- or small-holed, Rudall, Pratten, large embouchure hole, small hole…
I hold mine closest to D, but a bit lower, so the edge of my bottom lip is more or less against the edge of the hole. My top lip also sticks out way past my bottom lip, but less so when I’m playing higher notes. I don’t have any other flutes to compare against, but I think mine’s small-holed with a relatively small bore.
I almost missed it myself, but the difference between A and C is the elevation: you’ll notice that the lip opening in the A example is placed higher than that in example C.
Like you, James, I’m into B&D. Oh, my. That didn’t come out right at all.
Like Huliyska, my upper lip extends out past the lower. I do a combination of embouchure change and rolling when it comes to the 2nd octave, but prefer to bring the 2nd ocatve into tune without rolling when I can. One rule of thumb I go by: the embouchure focuses the higher I go, and “broadens” the lower I go, and the lowest notes get more breath force.
My flute is a Noy 8-key, supposedly Nicholson-esque body and toneholes (not so large as Pratten, maybe, but not small; some people have remarked that the toneholes are large), and a so-called “Rudall” embouchure hole. The tone is “narrower” than that of a Pratten, but all in all, I think that the optimal position for what sound you want depends quite a bit on the individual as much as on the flute.
I’ve never really thought about it before but “A” turned just a wee bit back towards me, but not just quite as far as “D”.
That gives you the whole hole to play with. Maybe move the lips a bit for getting the bottom D to bark a bit. It also depends on the flute. Trial and error is maybe the best way though. Sometimes not worrying too much about it gives the best results.
Gabriel, your drawing isn’t that bad. You can clearly see what you are aiming for. Heck, any attempts of mine would have looked like a cross between bluesman John Hurt and an Ewok of some kind.
I’m smack in between B and D. I have the odd need to get the very lowest part of my lower lip slightly in the hole and have the embouchure hole slightly tilted towards me, less than in the drawings.
I don’t know if position this is a carryover from years of playing bansuri or a subconsciously need to find a consistent place to “set up” my lips, but it works very well for me. My position doesn’t seem to vary from flute to flute. It gives me reasonable volume and wide dynamic range (if needed) and can get a broad spectrum of different tone colors.
My flute is a 6 key M&E Rudall Rose copy, which I’ve played for a few years now and rather pleased with. It has a 12 cm embouchure hole, ovalish and slightly asymmetrical l like the originals I’ve seen, with medium size tone holes. It does what I ask of it without undo cajoling.
One rule of thumb I go by: the embouchure focuses the higher I go, and “broadens” the lower I go, and the lowest notes get more breath force.
Elegantly put. I do much the same thing, with my upper lip slightly out over the lower. But odd as it sounds, on the lowest note, I try to focus on a very specific spot which seems to blow into and through the whole instrument getting a nice bright hard low D.
As Brother Nano implied, individual results may vary!
B&D…Jimmity Christmas! You think you know a guy after a few years…
How do most of you that use B or D achieve the angle-by rotating the head forward or by keeping the hole aligned with the finger holes and simply rotating the flute?
I’m closest to “D”, the difference being that I place the bottom line of my lower lip on the edge of the embouchure hole.
How do most of you that use B or D achieve the angle-by rotating the head forward or by keeping the hole aligned with the finger holes and simply rotating the flute?
I routinely assemble the flute with the far edge of the embouchure hole aligned to the center line of the finger holes. So it is rotated towards me by a fixed angle.
I seem to be unusual - I am probably somewhere between A and C. My lower lip covers the edge of the embouchure hole just a wee bit and my lips when pursed neutrally as in blowing a kiss naturally direct the air stream directly onto the far edge of the hole.
Second octave comes from a combination of breath support and pushing the lips further forward, i.e. decreasing the distance between lip aperture and blowing edge However I am not turning the flute to do this. A nice exercise is jumping octave both up and down (e.g. on G) purely by thinking about the degree of lip pushing forward. My lips themselves are relatively relaxed and I get good low notes close to my resting position - i.e the second ocave is the one where I work harder. However I can tell that the facial muscles around the lips are working hard to form the embouchure because my face gets tired…
I have the flute assembled with the embouchure hole turned away from me compared to the line of the finger holes. This also allows me to cock my left wrist less helping to relieve wrist pains (in my case).
The flute is a McGee GLP. Consciously it seems to me that I blow my Boehm flute in a fairly similar fashion, but no one tells me my sound on the wooden flute is non-trad, so I am obviously varying a lot of things that I am not aware of when moving between the two flutes.
I think it is more of reducing the size of the embouchure hole, which would flatten the notes a little. Seems to bring the R&R into better tuning, as the slide isn’t pulled out as much. Also, by blowing more into the embouchure hole, then across seems to help. Well. works for me…
I used to play mostly B-ish (which made the 2nd octave very sweet and easy to play but was also leading to a very weak lower end) until yesterday’s session, where I, being motivated by those who play D-ish, tried to move the flute up without changing the angle. It felt very unfamiliar and was a bit out of tune as the relative size of the embouchure hole increased (moving out the slide helped), but the sound of the first octave suddenly was crisp, hard and barking (just like I want it to be) while the second octave was considerably catchier to hit and hold. I still have to practise on that, especially on tightening my embouchure to make the second octave easier and decrease loss of air, but I think I’ve hit the right path and just have to follow it.
)
