I find that when I’m playing flute, sometimes
my vocal cords get involved, which means
I’m making odd noises. Not helpful, obviously.
Anybody else? Any suggestions?
I stand up straight and so on…
Umm …
you could start a Jethro Tull tribute band ??
(sorry, couldn’t resist).
but can you stand on one leg Jim? 
The composer/performer Robert Dick sings when playing his Boehm to get some very interesting sounds. Glenn Gould hummed/moaned when he played the piano. So you’re in good company!
One of the differences that I have noted between the ITM people and that of my baroque instructor is that in baroque music gutturals and some of the other methods are frowned upon because it may cause a non flute noise and tension in the throat. The thought is that you should loosen your throat in much the same way you breath when you are trying to fog up a window. This open airway should only be restricted by diaphragm pressure, the tongue, and the embouchure.
The main point that he has tried to get through my head is that forcing the note in any way is counter productive, and any muscle that is not necessary to use should be relaxed.
This seems harder to do the higher I go.
Humming while playing the saxophone creates a very sleazy sound.
Sounds like your throat’s too tight.
FWIW, it’s also a common problem with people who use throat-vibrato; it happens to me on my Boehm now that I’ve gotten lazy and quit using my diaphragm to produce it when I play classical stuff.
Softly dropping your jaw and opening your throat can help. And maybe lay off the glottals for a bit as I.D. suggested above; might be time to work on your tongueing for a bit.
Good luck!
Try barking while playing the digeridoo. A good time for doing this is during the full moon. However, the very best time is coming up in four weeks. Hum, sing, bark, they all make for interesting and complex sounds with a flute tone, which is rather boring all by itself. Mozart had to be bribbed to write for the flute.
Jim, I’m not sure what noises you are making obviously, but don’t you find that Mike Rafferty makes a few odd noises in the opening couple tracks of RPM? Something I had been wondering about.
Sometimes I accidently make noises while doing vibrato.
Collin
Sometimes I will make a noise but usually my Flute is the one making the noises 
When I was first starting out I would sometimes snort while breathing in but that was rarely and was loud and funny but that has stopped now.
Absolutely brilliant!!! I never thought of blaming those noises on the flute. Excellent!
djm
You’ll need a reed instrument to explain those away djm.
Yes I can stand on one leg.
Well, I must think this through and will consider
all of the above advice meant to be considered.
Not good sounds–sort of ‘uuh! uhh!’
Vocal cords sounding randomly,
getting engaged. Not humming
or anything that sounds like
it’s intended.
I’ll try fogging windows. Thanks to all. Jim
Well try humming…
…then quit
Hi Jim,
I’ve got a paralysed vocal cord (from the kidney surgery in January) and have been working with a Speech Therapist/Pathologist. We’ve achieved quite a lot of accommodation to the problem, and increased my flute and singing phrasing. Certainly there were issues of relaxation of the throat muscles, visualizing a tennis ball at the back of the throat, stretching exercises, massaging the throat to relax/lower the larynx, and coordination of the muscles involved in breathing (rib area, low back, abdominals, etc.) These have all helped. You might be forcing air out, rather than simply breathing/speaking into the flute. If noise on the inhale, you might wish to relax and learn to take a quick, quiet breath. I have noticed that some of the older players tend to grunt a bit, I think largely from the effort they’re making at their age and state of health.
Kevin Krell
Throat noises, as many have mentioned mean that the throat is engaged in a way that is not needed for flute playing. The “uh-uh” sound you mentioned seems a bit like a gentle glottal stop. (Boehm players generally prefer to not use glottal stops; we are taught that an open throat help to prevent impediments to sound).
If you can make yourself yawn, this pretty much forces an open throat. In my opinion, having an open throat and oral cavity adds to the resonance of the sound you’re able to get.
Dana
Thanks. All of this appreciated.
Jim, I find myself doing this too, though I’ve only noticed it when I’m playing whistle. It’s as if I’m trying to make up for not tonguing by articulating in my throat. So far it seems to be a very rhythmic thing. I haven’t really thought about whether it might be advantageous to develop it, as an added control. But in flute playing I’m working so hard to get as much air flow as I can that it hasn’t showed up.
Does anybody do this on purpose? When?
Jennie
I “grunt” occasionally playing whistle as well, but I really am terrible with the grunts while trying to play the flute.
I find that I grunt less when I am standing up playing.
When I am sitting, apparently I slump some, plus my disease makes me gassy, so my stomach presses against my diaphram and that limits my lung capacity.
Stand, open your mouth cavity more, and open the back of the throat (almost a yawn) and relax.
A vocal teacher used to make us do scales with the index and middle finger stuck in our mouths as far as you can put them, then you had to raise the back of the throat above the middle finger. That was to get you to learn the feeling of keeping the back of the throat open.
That works for me until I forget again…