breathing advice can be very confusing when explained in a techinical way, even though all the advice your getting is good advice

I have learned more from working with and observing singers over the years.

email me for more detailed advice if you want to

"Hey bilbo, thanks a lot! so, on my new flute it has a BIGGER hole on the head joint, so i have to make my embrochre bigger."

No. larger hole in your mouth = louder note and less time between breaths. If you want louder make your airstream larger but you will run out of air faster.

"Maybe that's why i keep on losing air. Maybe if my embrochure is bigger i could still try to make my apperture smaller..? "

If, your airstream is smaller you can hold the notes out longer. If your airstream is larger you may be wasting air that isn't being used to produce the sound because it is going to either side of the Embouchure hole in the lip plate.

" i tried AndrewB advice where you hold your breath as long as possible. i passed out @__@! And bilbo you didnt?"

I get light headed when I breath too much and too often as anyone would. I may pass out if I don't breathe when the oxygen in my system runs out but I feel the need or impulse to breathe and I do. If I'm playing a long note or phrase, I don't get light headed as I try to conserve my air.

Pushing harder= more inensity not necessarily more volume.
Larger airstream= more volume until you are wasting air.
Smaller airstream and more muscular lips=more focus to tone. less fuzzy sound.

Important how muc air you take into the lungs when you try to play long notes.
The shape of the airstream or hole in the mouth is important to the tone. Some say oval or football shaped is good. But the important factors are width and height that can be controlled.
So is the amount of the flute's embouchure hole that you cover. Cover less and it gives more sound and projection.

Practice with long notes and mirror to see lips. Also very important to use ears when playing.
Out of time. must go
~Bilbo

Bilbo, good advice to him, I tell students that there is a direct correlation between the purity of the tone, the focus and the ability to control the air.

Most young flute players don't realize that the reason so many lack air is due to the fact that they overblow and don't focus properly

Ahhh...those are some really good advices. I'll try that! so, i'll play in front of a mirror and try to focus my sound and ...try different ways to sustain my long notes. Oh, and also, i'm a GIRL^^. yea,.."schoolgirl". I'll focus on the comments you said bilbo..thanks. That's gonna help me a lot.
P.S-..i wish i could add pic to my username..

Yes Patrick I agree. Usually too much blowing and not enough focusing. It's in using the correct muscles to get the job done and not overusing the wrong ones. Everyone's always saying support, support the air column and they may need to focus instead of pushing their guts out. Focus the sound and you can actually play in tune & the sound carries better. ...not that support isn't important.

It's also important to have a good concept of a good sound and of not permitting your flute to sound bad. You have to ahve a great teacher, hear great flute players in concert live and recordings.

One recently reinforced comment from my teacher was about fingering changes. It's more important sometimes to pay attention to which fingers that you lift rather than what you are putting down.

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

Oh yea, listening to other WONDERFUL flutist really helps me to match my tone as theirs. I do that with my private teacher..but she doesn't play often, and i'm the one that's playing a lot. jim WALKER is a inspiration. LOL..

Hey, You want to hear someone doing some nice Jazz flute. Someone posted a link to Katisse Buckingham at the Galway site yesterday..He was the Ian Anderson imitator in a Will Ferrell movie called Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.

Free clips at
http://www.katisse.com/audio.html

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

WOW!..that's so cool. Honestly i LOVE jazz. I would of loved it if i joined jazz band, ..but none of the flute in my band tried out.and besides who can listens to the flute? IT's such a quiet instrument in a band...you could barely hear it. Wow, that's amazing...I wish i could play that. I'm getting some jazz music!! OH yea,.. some nice recording there, I never get to hear a lot of REALLY GOOD flute playing. AHHH...LOVING IT!

schoolgirl, you could learn to play jazz, its fun, just learn some blues scales and listen to some great jazz flute players as often as you can. You can also buy some good collections, especially by Bill HOlcombe, where you have a CD to play along with, I own those, so if you need help finding them I can do so

oH,..COOL!! So maybe i could find the sheet music about the guy you're talking about. I've played jazz music with a recording..(sightread).and my teacher said i was a awesome jazz player. That's the last time i played though..*sniff* very sad. I haven't found any challenging jazz music..maybe i'll look in music stores..or ask my teacher. i love the little scalesand turns they do..fun fun FUN!
Jazz and classical..LOVE BOTH.

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HHmmm..i should try different types of styles...just didn't get my hands on them. Well,..we play all kinds of music in band. BUt the only solos i do is classical because the teacher picks them..

The other jazz/rock Flutist that i think I mentioned is Ian Anderson. Google that name or the band name " Jethro Tull "
He recorded a piece entitled Bouree which is a really cool Jazz version of a Bach piece.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0898988934?v=glance

Other flutists around have been Herbie Mann and a guy named Henry Mancini... (Wrote the theme to the Pink Panther movie among many others)
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/4547/mancini.html?20065

~Bilbo
N.E. Ohio

Jethro Tull is awesome(my personal fave song by them is "Locomotive Breath" cool solo in the middle). But Guess Who also has a song 'Undone" that has a cool rock flute thing going on. Even the group Canned Heat "Goin to the Country." If you're looking for sheet music you should try the Bolling Suite

Can you guys tell the difference if you are flat or sharp? So if you're in band..can you tell the difference? it's so hard at times... Maybe it's because it's a new flute, but still. The only thing i'm having troube is pitch..AAHHHH!

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NEVER MIND you guys.. i just need to really listen to others.^^