{"id":4154,"date":"2019-10-21T11:35:03","date_gmt":"2019-10-21T18:35:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/?p=4154"},"modified":"2025-03-21T14:06:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T21:06:51","slug":"ten-things-that-every-band-director-should-know-about-flutes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/ten-things-that-every-band-director-should-know-about-flutes\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Things that Every Band Director Should Know About Flutes – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several simple things band directors can teach to flute sections that will quickly produce measurable\nimprovement in tone quality, technique and intonation. These tips can be used with beginning flutists, as well as\nflute sections in middle school and high school. How many times have you lamented that your flute section is\nextremely sharp and shrill in the high register? How many times have you reminded your flute section not to go flat\non the diminuendos? Does your flute section have a breathy sound instead of a beautiful and focused sound? This\narticle addresses these concerns and others with tips that every band director should know about flutes.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. PRODUCING THE FIRST SOUNDS AND GETTING A BETTER <\/em>SOUND <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Start on the head joint only <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When teaching beginners how to get their first sounds, it is beneficial to use the head joint only. This allows students\nto experience success without the awkwardness of holding the whole flute. Many important skills can be developed\nusing the head joint, including starting notes (tonguing) and blowing with a strong air stream. Fun activities with\nthe head joint include exploring the variety of sounds that can be produced, including glissandi (like trombones) and\ncovering the open end with the palm to produce a low pitch. Students can also learn to play several scale-wise\npitches by inserting their right index finger into the open end of the head joint which will allow them to play three\nnote songs such as <\/strong>Hot Cross Buns <\/em><\/strong>and <\/strong>Mary Had a Little Lamb.\n<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Placement of the lip plate <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For good tone, the embouchure plate (or lip plate) should be placed just below the flare of the lower lip allowing 1\/4\nto 1\/3 of the tone hole to be covered. The student should be able to feel the edge of the tone hole under the flare of\ntheir lower lip, which will help with placement. This position enables flexibility of the lower lip, which controls the\nangle of the air stream. Students with full lips having difficulty with sound production, can place the lip plate\nslightly higher directly <\/strong>on <\/em><\/strong>the lower lip. Traditional methods of placement such as \u201ckissing\u201d the tone hole and then\nrolling tend to place the lip plate too high for many players.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fast air stream <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Using a consistently strong fast air stream on all notes, <\/strong>both low and high<\/em><\/strong>, is required to develop a good tone. I like\nto use the analogy of using \u201cbirthday candle air\u201d, i.e. the speed of air used to blow out birthday candles.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forward tonguing <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Teaching students to tongue as if they were \u201cspitting a grain of rice off the tip of the tongue\u201d is a method of tonguing\nthat helps students blow a strong air stream through a small aperture. This type of tonguing produces tone that is\nstrong and full without the usual \u201cairy\u201d sound that is produced when the air stream is too wide. This method of\ntonguing is sometimes called <\/strong>spit rice <\/em><\/strong>tonguing, Suzuki tonguing, <\/strong>forward <\/em><\/strong>tonguing or <\/strong>French <\/em><\/strong>tonguing. Its hallmark\nis tonguing slightly between the lips–sometimes it is helpful for students to think about touching the tip of their\ntongue to the top lip to start each note. When they do this successfully, there is a small \u201cpop\u201d sound as the air is\nreleased.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most students will figure out ways to adjust after getting braces, but for students having difficulty getting a sound,\nthere is something simple that can be done to help. Patricia George, flute pedagogue, recommends putting layers of\nmasking tape on the part of the lip plate that rests against the chin. The idea is to build up layers to compensate for\nthe changed blowing angle caused by the hardware on the teeth. Two layers of masking tape might help some\nstudents, while it may take up to six or more for other students. (See photo #1 below) After the number of layers is\ndetermined, the masking tape can be trimmed neatly with scissors to the shape of the lip plate.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Flute
Photo #1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

2. PLAYING SECOND OCTAVE NOTES <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Producing notes in the second octave is sometimes difficult for beginners. Since most of the first and second octave\nnotes have the same fingering, students must learn to change the angle of the air stream with their lower lip to\nproduce the higher octave. Have students start the high note with the syllable \u201cpooh\u201d (as in <\/strong>Winnie the Pooh<\/em><\/strong>). This\nwill probably cause some giggles, but that\u2019s part of the fun, and the silliness of the syllable will help them remember\nhow to start the high notes. This syllable pushes the lower lip forward, raising the angle of the air stream to blow\n<\/strong>across <\/em><\/strong>the tone hole, rather than <\/strong>down <\/em><\/strong>into it. Remind the students to use strong \u201cbirthday candle\u201d air, which they\nshould already be using on their low notes.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. RIGHT HAND POSITION <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arched fingers <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Not all hands are the same shape and size, so it is important to teach a hand position that maintains the natural\nshape of the hand as much as possible. Fingers of the right hand should be <\/strong>arched <\/em><\/strong>in a position natural to the shape\nof the hand rather than curved, so that the pads, rather than tips, of the fingers are on the keys. (See photo #2\nbelow) This natural position will allow the students\u2019 fingers to move more freely as they change from note to note.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Flute
Photo #2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The right thumb does not help hold up the flute <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The right thumb does not need to be under the tube of the flute. Yes, you read that correctly: <\/strong>The right thumb does\nnot help hold up the flute. <\/em><\/strong>The right thumb serves as an anchor for the fingers and a point for balancing the flute.\nFlutist and Oberlin Flute Professor Michel Debost describes this hand position as \u201cpulling the book off the shelf\u201d\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

(with the book laying sideways). (See photo #3 below) Many students tend to play with the right thumb too far\nforward cramping their fingers and hindering their technical facility with fast notes.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Flute
Photo #3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To find the optimum hand position for each individual, have students stand with their right arm relaxed and down at\ntheir sides. Without changing the shape of their hand, have the students lift and rotate their right forearm until it is\nparallel to the ground with the back of their hand facing the ceiling. Have them first place their fingers (ring,\nmiddle, and index) on the last three circle keys of the center joint of the flute, <\/strong>then <\/em><\/strong>bring the thumb up to the flute\nwhile maintaining the arch of the fingers. In most cases, the thumb will be placed on the <\/strong>side <\/em><\/strong>of the tube, rather than\n<\/strong>under <\/em><\/strong>it. This is good and should be encouraged (see photo #4 below), since <\/strong>the right thumb does not help hold up the\nflute<\/em><\/strong>.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Flute
Photo #4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lateral position of right thumb <\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Laterally, the right thumb should be positioned under the index or middle finger or somewhere between, depending\non the shape of the student\u2019s hand. (See photo #4 above) To determine lateral placement of the right thumb on the\nflute, the student(s) should pick up a soda can (with their right hand) as if they were going to take a drink, checking\nthe position of the thumb relative to the index and middle fingers. This position will be the most ergonomically\ncorrect for the shape of their hand.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is best to encourage that the thumb be kept as straight as possible (not bent at the joint) and to discourage\n\u201chitchhiker\u2019s thumb\u201d where the thumb is stretched to the left of the fingers along the tube.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. BALANCING THE FLUTE <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rather than teaching students how to hold the flute, flute pedagogue Patricia George advocates teaching them how to\n<\/strong>balance <\/em><\/strong>the flute. The most important support and balance point is the left index finger. This finger holds the flute\nup and pushes toward the flutist\u2019s chin. The right thumb, when positioned on the side of the tube, helps balance and\nstabilize the flute by pushing it away from the player and serving as a counterbalance to the left index finger. This\ncounterbalance stabilizes the flute so that it won\u2019t roll toward the player when lifting the thumb key for notes such as\nC.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beginning flute students often learn C and D as two of the first notes in their Band Method. This necessitates\nswitching from fingering with two fingers (C2) to almost all the rest of their fingers (D2) which is very awkward.\nHaving the flute well-balanced will keep it from rolling toward the player when fingers are lifted from the keys to\nplay C2.\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. MUSIC STANDS <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Because of the asymmetrical playing position of flutes, reading music from a music stand presents special challenges.\nIf at all possible, each flute student should have their own music stand, as well as ample lateral space between chairs\nin the flute section. Flute students should face their music stand and then turn their body and\/or their chair 45\ndegrees (1\/4 turn) to the right. Their body should remain properly aligned with shoulders above hips rather than\ntwisting at the waist. If they lift their left elbow, it will be pointing directly at the music. (See photo #5 below.)\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Flute
Photo #5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are several simple things band directors can teach to flute sections that will quickly produce measurable improvement in tone quality, technique and intonation. These tips can be used with beginning flutists, as well as flute sections in middle school and high school. How many times have you lamented that your flute section is extremely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":7464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,22],"tags":[247,246,15,786,362],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4154"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/52"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4154"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4154\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4173,"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4154\/revisions\/4173"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7464"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4154"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4154"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandworld.org\/magazine\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4154"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}