How to practice the flute
by Radhakrishnan
(Oman)
Question: I am a beginner student of flute. I am practicing a minimum of one hour per day, started almost 6 months back, but I am not happy with my blow. What I am hearing with professionals, fantastic sound to hear means to say zhu, zhu...zhu... kind of transition from one note to other notes. How and when I can achieve the same. To get the same blow I am ready to practice. But I want to know the correct method of practice. Can you just help me to get the technique.
Answer: Developing a beautiful tone takes a lot of consistent practice over time. It won't happen overnight, and I can't tell you specifically when your tone will become beautiful. That's like asking "when will I be a great baseball player?" Just start working at it and it will happen.
Work on
breath control and
long tones a lot.
1)
Inhale deeply, taking in a lot of air. I tell students to pretend they are swallowing a watermelon and imagine their stomach having a watermelon shape! The point is, breath in and make that air go down to your diaphragm so you expand around your waistline.
2) Next, blow a fast airstream. Think of your airstream as a baseball pitch. The baseball should be thrown 100 miles an hour. Most beginners "throw" their airstream about 1 mile an hour. Imagine that your airstream is a laser beam and you want to bore a hole into the wall. Push that air up from your diaphragm fast!
3) Practice holding the airstream for a longer and longer duration. Set your
metronome for quarter note = 60 and start out holding each note for 4 counts. Play through the entire range of the flute, or as much as you know at this time.
When you can do that, hold each note for 5 counts. Next, 6 counts, then 7, etc.
Work to have a fast, solid airstream at a medium loud dynamic level.
There is no end to this exercise; keep going until you can hold each note for 12 counts, 20 counts, 24 or more!
Start your practice session with long tones. It is the most important part of your development as a flutist. Good luck!