Hey, I have a question about high notes.

*groan from the audience*

I know, I know, everyone seems to ask, but I put in a search and I didn't find what I was after. I've heard that 'making the stream of air thinner' helps with producing the high notes, coupled with greater pressure. My question is: in which dimension is the thin-ness desired? Vertically or horizontally?

For instance, if it's already like this

******
******

(Pretending that it's a cross section fo the air stream)

should it end up like this:

******

or like this:

****
****

?

I'm just having a bit of trouble getting clear notes, you see. I encounter difficulty when I reach the second E (I don't know if it's E2, or what, but it's the one that has the same fingering as the lowest E, but is an octave up) and the sound quality seems to degrade the higher up I go. I haven't tried anything higher than the C# above that E yet.

Thanks for any help

Tata!

Jack

just make the hole (epature) Smaller then blow fast its that simple!

The idea is to raise the speed of the air-stream. Making the aperture smaller is one way. Directing the air higher is another.

Joe B

Usually when I can't play high notes clearly I'm blowing too far into the embouchure hole so try directing the air higher.

Every player is different and will need to manipulate their embouchure differently to produce a desired effect. There's no way we can say "make your aperture smaller/bigger by this much in blank direction", particularly without being able to observe you playing. I would suggest just experimenting with your playing until you find what works for you. Try taking a note you like the tone of and move upwards chromatically, slurring, trying to match the tone of the starting note. If the tone deteriorates, stop there. I don't know how long you've been playing...Eventually you'll be able to play 3 octaves or more, but give it time if you're still just a beginner. It takes work and patience to get some of this stuff.

I see, I see!

Thanks a lot guys, that's all great help. I'll try the slurring thing, too, that seems great. I guess it will take some time - I've only had the flute for about 3 weeks! Sometimes I'm fed up with how 'breathy' the higher notes sound, but that's only natural, I suppose!

Thanks again; have fun fluting!

Jack

I find telling beginners to imagine they are blowing into a straw is an effective way of ensuring the lip opening is smaller and (eventually) channels the air in a controlled direction.

When I was starting learning, my teacher made me excersise by having me blow air and feel it on my hand, placed at a certain distance (about one feet at the beginning).

I had to focus the air stream and blow harder so that I could feel the air at increasing distances.

The lips are different among people and you have to find the right position of yours; then you will have to adjust them to allow for other changes, but that should come a little later.

Hope it helps.

here's may take on this, at risk of repeating myself, I always have a very strong airstream, it "appears" to go faster on high notes because of the small apeture in my lips, blow air through different size straws to see what i mean.