Flute Tips & Tricks

Flute posture

The flute was a different experience than any other instrument I learned so far.  Trumpet was completely new, and saxophone and bass clarinet were very similar to what I already know; flute was a combination of familiar and unknown.

Posture
Proper flute posture involves sitting up straight and holding the flute so it's close to parallel to the floor.  I'll admit my flute wasn't completely parallel, but I wasn't hunched over the instrument like some flautists in band tend to do.  A good way to summarize good posture is, "Bring the flute to you; don't bring yourself to the flute."  Don't get lazy and rest your arm on the chair next to you or lean over so your arms aren't as high.  You'll eventually get used to holding your arms up if you keep practicing.

Embouchure

Flute embouchure

A flute makes a sound when the mouthpiece splits the musician's air column, resulting in a swirling pattern inside the instrument.  Therefore, it is very important to correctly place your lips on the mouthpiece.  If the mouthpiece is turned too far outwards or inwards, you can't produce a sound.  The lips should be pursed with the corners tight, as if they're pulled towards your ears (think of blowing air over your chin - it's a similar feeling).  This creates a "compressed" air column that's directed towards the mouthpiece.  Keeping a mindset of "blowing through a straw" helps a lot.  The edge of the mouthpiece should be touching the outside edge of the lip.  (It's perfectly normal to produce a very airy sound at first - you have to get used to the embouchure and mouthpiece placement.)

The flute can be turned inwards or outwards to slightly change the pitch of the note.  If a note is a bit sharp, roll the flute in towards your face to lower the pitch.  This comes in handy when playing lower notes; rolling the flute in a bit aids in getting the note to sound since it requires slower air.

I found it very helpful to watch my embouchure in the mirror as I was playing.  My embouchure tends to get tired after I've been playing for more than 20 minutes, so seeing it in the mirror helps me remember where it should be and improve my tone.

Octaves
Unlike other woodwind instruments, there is no octave or register key on the flute.  To play higher, one must blow faster, "cooler" air.  To do so, the embouchure must be tighter.  The opposite is true for low notes; relax the embouchure and blow slower, "warmer" air.  I've always heard Mr. Klepacki tell the flautists to pretend they're "cooling hot soup" for the lowest notes.

The higher notes may require more intonation adjustments; tighten the embouchure to raise the pitch, and relax it to lower the pitch.  Rolling the flute inwards may also lower the pitch slightly, but be careful not to lose the sound.

Dizziness
In elementary school, I always heard flautists complain about getting dizzy when they play.  As a clarinetist, I couldn't understand how playing an instrument would make you dizzy, but it's true.  More air is required to play the flute, so it's easy to get lightheaded.  If you do feel dizzy, stop playing and take a break.  Stretch, walk around, get a drink.  After a few minutes, once the oxygen has returned to your brain, you may continue playing.  With time and practice, you will develop the endurance to play for longer periods of time.

One cause for lightheadedness is exhaling too much air at once.  Air has no resistance on the flute, so it must be controlled by the embouchure.  Make sure your embouchure is tight and directed towards the mouthpiece (the same concentration as blowing through a straw.)  This will help your air supply last longer so you won't feel dizzy.

Instrument Troubleshooting
I discovered that it is possible to unscrew the dome-shaped cap at the head of the flute.  If this happens, the flute won't play properly (I learned this the hard way.)  Make sure it's always screwed in.