Dynamics

by Emily Benjamin
(NJ)

I find it difficult to play pianissimo, what to speak of PP. I find that if I make the hole smaller in the center of my lips, it helps a little, but the sound is airy.

I also have difficulty playing in a certain high range note, and then descending down the scale while playing piano. My flute is a brand new, silver Amadeus, so it's not the flute's problem, it's my not knowing how to achieve the correct mouth form to play softly without having air sound or without the note cracking. I read something about TU, GU, DU, does this help? If not, what is it used for?

Thanks, Emily

Hi, Emily!

You're right about making the opening in your lips smaller. You should be pushing the bottom jaw out. Thus, you're getting a smaller stream of air. It's like when you make the opening in a garden hose smaller.

Compare a small stream of water coming out of a garden hose to the big stream of water coming out of the hose firemen use to put out a fire.

What you might be missing is the speed of the air stream. The air stream has to be as just as fast for soft dynamics as it is for loud dynamics. You need a lot of support from the diaphragm as well.

Small stream of air + fast air speed = soft dynamics.

This will take care of the airy sound, too.

I like to think of a fast air stream as a laser beam that will drill a hole through a wall.

Here's another analogy. Pretend you're in the library and you must speak quietly. But you're really, really mad about something. You're speaking softly, but you're really intense at the same time. Quietness and intensity can co-exist!

Direct your air stream up at the ceiling to help keep the pitch from going flat when you're playing pianissimo.

Lastly, sometimes flutes are "afraid" of high notes, especially when playing softly. Direct that "fear" into strength by push the air out fast. Aim your air stream up at the ceiling if your notes are cracking.

The TU, GU you mentioned relates to double tonguing. See my flute articulation page for more information about that.

You can do this! Consistent practicing of these principles is necessary to master it.

Good luck!