Flute Open Throat

Flute open throat playing is essential to a full and vibrant sound.

Think of the oral cavity as a cave. If a cave is large and hollow, sound will echo and resonate.

If the throat is not open, the oral cavity will not be cave-like, but more like a room stuffed full of padded furniture. The sound will drop like a thud.

Flute open throat playing can be a difficult concept--it was very difficult for me to grasp for a long time.

Some simple analogies can make it very easy to comprehend. Here are a few...

• Pretend you are stifling a yawn--yawn with your lips closed. Your soft palate is dropped as you do this.
• Pretend you are holding an egg in your mouth, again with your lips closed.
• Pretend you are holding a cotton ball in the back of your teeth, such as when you go to the dentist.
• Drop your jaw and put your fingers next to your ears. You can feel the space that is opened by the mandible lowering. Your throat is now open.

Playing with an open throat is essential to a vibrant tone because the air is not hampered as it proceeds up from the diaphragm.

It also helps to raise your eyebrows and flare your nostrils. The idea is opening all the nasal cavities in the skull. Some people might feel odd doing this, so reach a happy medium. Raise the eyebrows slightly and think of opening the nostrils a bit.

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