Hey, everyone! I'm new to the forum, but I hope someone will be able to help me! Here's the problem: I'm an absolute beginner in flute playing. When I play D (on the fourth staff line) or anything higher than that, it sounds extremely breathy, and I mainly hear a lot of rushing air, unless I blow really hard. However, any note that is C or below takes little effort to play and sounds beautiful. Does D just naturally take more breath to play? How can I get it to piano or pianissimo so the transition between C and D is smooth?

If you don't have a teacher, get one. Even a few lessons will help you a lot.

Higher notes need faster air, not a larger volume of air.

Have you had your flute serviced?

It might be leaking. Even if your flute is new, it might need some adjustments. The pads could need adjustment.

Welcome and good luck.

D was a hard note for me too. Some things to check for are mainly if you are breathing from your diaphragm or not. That will make a lot of things sound breathy. Also, is your flute open-holed? Check that you are covering the keys.( If not, the pads could be leaking.) Good luck!

Notes around the middle E are known to be more difficult to have them sing clear. D and D sharp are critical aso in my intermediate level flute ands so far I have not been able to make them sound as well as the other notes. My flute is OK and almost new.

I suggest you have it tested by someone with more experience before taking it to the service. If you have a teacher this would be the best choice.

<Added>

OOPS:
aso = also
ands = and

this happened to me try pulling a little on that funny lookin key after the 4th key pull it back a bit thats how i solved it

Thanks for you positive input, everyone! The diaphragm and faster air suggestions have really worked wonders for me. In response to the people who thought I might have a leak: my flute is a rental, and has been used before. It was completely checked for leaks and cracks after the last user was finished with it. Jasmine: what weird-looking key are you talking about? Your suggestion sounds helpful, I'd just like more clarification.

Firstly, Jasmine I have no idea what you are referring to. Where do these people come from? *Shakes head*

Getting a private teacher would be one of the best things you could do.

Hi Jasmine,

What is it, a church clock sounding 10 PM on C minor?

Sorry, but there's only 7 "C"s in our minor world. (Ha,ha,ha)

"Sorry, but there's only 7 "C"s in our minor world. (Ha,ha,ha)'

Argggh matey!!! but do ye sail them high "Cs"?

As I count 10 wholes, it must be those seven seas plus the three oceans. Therefore, it is no longer a minor but a major. We should get rid of those flats in the armature as they not longer fit.

This strange hieroglyph so turned out to be a cryptic depiction of our world. Perhaps, even a kind of denounce of the global warming problem that brings that forgotten arctic ocean into the News every afternoon.

Hehehe. I love musical puns.

OK then,

Calling for ideas.

We have a few theories about the meaning of the staff with 1o wholes:

- A chime was sounding 10 PM (or AM) when our friend was checking the function of the flute keys. The bell sounded as the note C and that's the why of the score. The reason for the chime playing such an obstinato in C minor and not C major is open to further research.

- It is a graphic metaphor (but only for those who can read some music) of the Seven Seas of the Antiquity. For those interested in further research, you can read here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Seas. But as you noted, there are 10 and not 7 Cs in the score, the why of it is subject to coming debate.

- It is an alert concerning the Global Warning problem, as it could remind us about the long forgotten and now melting Arctic ocean. There over 100 bodies of water that can be called "Seas", but the three Oceans are the most important, according to the proponent of this theory. For a deeper insight, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

- (New) Always with the seven seas in mind, it could be a failed attempt to write "Popeye the Sailor" song last line using our terrible SW notation. May be it was stuck and only printed "Cs". There is a surplus C however, unless I'm not counting correctly: I'm Po-peye the sai-lor man + the two Tu-Tus. These two sound as "Fs" in my childhood memories, but who knows? Again, for those interested: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popeye

More theories are most welcome....



<Added>

OOPS!
Global Warning = Global Warming. But it is also a warning...

Still another, more serious idea:

We were talking about middle E and D. She was playing long notes, (a very healthy habit) and had reached C. At that moment, she push inadvertently the second trill key and she got something like D (this is the relationship with the original post). She wanted to show it graphically but forgot to change before-last note into a C. Releasing the key solved the problem.

The minor tonality is left to your wits to find an explanation. Maybe it is an artifact of the available notation SW.