Play the Flute

The flute is a beautiful sounding brasswind instrument, which can be played as part of an orchestra, band, or enjoyed on its own. The flute is also the oldest known musical instrument - in fact, flutes dating as far back as 43,000 years ago have been found in parts of Western Europe.[1] So if you want to become part of this great musical tradition and learn how to play the flute, begin with Step 1 below.

Steps

Getting Started

  1. Buy or rent a flute from a music store. When first starting to play an instrument, you should consider renting to be certain that you enjoy it enough to purchase.
    • If you're sure you are going to enjoy it, rent-to-own or buying are good options. If you are taking lessons, it's a good idea to consult with your teacher about the right type of flute for you.
    • Flutes can cost from 100 to 1000+ dollars, but good quality student flutes sell at around the 500-700 dollar mark. Beginners should get an open-hole student flute that has removable plugs. Over time the student should remove plugs. The flute produces a better sound as the vibration hit skin than plastic. Try to research and purchase/rent a reputable brand, as many cheap flutes are poorly made, and hard to play as a result. You can also rent a flute from a a music store that is recommended by your music teacher.
    • Also some flutes have an extra key at the end. This is called the B foot flute. It is slightly longer. When a flute player becomes more advance, they should think to purchase a step up flute with a b foot.
    • Expensive, professional flutes are for more experienced flute players. These can range from 1000-10,000+. These tend to be hand made with different precious metals added on. Including gold, platinum and the most common silver. This is for players that want a career in music.
    • Before you buy, get some advice from other players and/or teachers to help select the right instrument for you.
  2. Consider paying for lessons from a good private flute teacher. Ask your band director or a music shop employee about it (towards the beginning of the school year, if you are in school). This resource will be very useful as you learn to play and advance to higher levels.
  3. Assemble a Flute Before you can play your flute, you will need to learn how to assemble it. You can do so as follows:
    • The flute has 3 parts. The top part is the headjoint and has the mouthpiece or lip-plate. The part with most of the keys is called the Body at the top of the body (where the headjoint goes into) is called the barrel or tenon, and the end is called the footjoint.
    • When putting the parts together one must be very careful to not grab the rods and keys of the flute. This can bend the rods and keys and cause the flute to not function properly.
    • First put the foot joint on by holding the barrel of the flute. Hold the end of the foot joint where you are not grabbing the keys and then do a twist and push motion, and the footjoint should slide right on! Now align the rods of of the footjoint to the middle of the keys of the body
  4. Next is the headjoint. It is the same thing, grab the barrel and the headjoint. (don't grab the mouthpiece! you can bend it!) Same motion, twist and push. Now align the bore (or the mouth hole) to be aligned with the first key of the body.
    • !!!This is for beginners!!! The top of the flute is called the cap.Which holds and adjusts the cork. This adjusts the tuning of the flute. Do NOT keep twisting it and DO NOT take off and take cork out! If you feel the flute is out of tune ask a teacher or someone who works at an instrument store.
    • For those who do not have a lesson teacher and would like to check if the cork is in the correct position take your cleaning rod and flip it around. The bottom of the rod should have a etched line, stick this into the headjoint and look in the hole of the mouthpiece the etched line should be right in the middle.

Learning to Play

  1. Learn how to blow into your flute. At first, producing a sound from your flute can be a little tricky, so you should practice the correct blowing method first, before you attempt to play any specific notes.
    • BREATHING!! This is one of the most important aspects of playing the flute! Keep your shoulders relaxed and head up, breath from your stomach. By that, just imagine a string pulling from your belly button. Ladies especially young ladies. Your stomach is going to stick out, but this is the correct way to breath.
    • Deep breaths, not shallow!
    • Don't just blow, one must have the correct embouchure to play correctly. Think of spitting out a sunflower seed! Try it! Try it again and freeze after you spit the seed out. That is how small the hole of your mouth needs to be while you blow. Now, say the word "poo" and freeze your face. This is the general facial position. Now add those 2 together and you now have the right embouchure to play.
    • Now onto making a sound. Blow across the mouthpiece like blowing across a bottle. The sound is produced by the breaking of your airstream on the edge of the embouchure hole. Half your breath should travel above the hole, and half should travel down through the flute.
    • Try to keep the corner of your lips firm but not tight!! You will know when they are too tight when you practice and the corners of your mouth is tired and sore. Remember to say "poo". This keeps your corner relaxed yet firm!
  2. Learn how to hold the flute. Hold the flute with your mouth on the embouchure (lip hole) and the remainder of the instrument pointing to your right hand side, in a horizontal fashion.
    • Lets start with the right hand. Shake your hand out and let it relax naturally by your side. Bring it up it should be naturally curved. Now make a duck/dinosaur. Notice where you thumb rests naturally on your hand. Some thumb rest between the pointer finger and middle, or under the pointer finger, or under the middle. Just make note of where YOUR thumb lands. Now, open the "mouth" and feed it your flute. Remember where you thumb landed naturally? Well place it on your flute and you fingers should be hover above. Now place your pointer finger down on the first key this will be called 1, the next key is where you middle finger is placed, this is 2, you ring finger is the next key, this is 3, and you pinky will rest on this flat half circle key. 9 times out of 10 this pinky will be pressed down and you learn different notes and fingerings.
    • The left hand is the awkward position. Same as the right hand shake it out and let it drop naturally to the side. Then bring it up and make the duck/dinosaur, then turn the duck/dinosaur to face you. Open the "mouth" and feed your hand the flute. Rest your thumb on the circle thumb key (for now, the rectangle key is also a thumb key it is the B natural key, you will learn this as you get a fingering chart) Now skip the top key and place you pointer finger on the second key, this is called 1 as well. Skip the next key and then place you middle finger down that is 2, and you ring finger goes on the key next to your middle finger, that is called 3. Now you pinky will hover over the key sticking out of you flute.
    • Keep you LH pinky hovering over the key! Get into this habit, don't let hang below or press down. As you learn fingerings you will press this key for certain notes.[2]
    • Bear in mind that this finger placement will feel awkward and unnatural at first. This is completely normal. With practice, it will begin to feel more normal.
  3. Consult a fingering chart to help you learn the notes. In order to learn how to play specific notes on the flute, you should consult a fingering chart, which will guide you through the finger placement for each note.
    • Fingering charts make use of pictures and diagrams, which make it easier to visualize the finger placement for each individual note. Most instruction books for the flute will contain a fingering chart, but it is also easy to find these charts online.[3]
    • Practice playing each note until you get it sounding just right. When playing a note on the flute it should not sound like you're just blowing or whistling - it should be a full, steady tone.
    • Once you have mastered playing each note individually, you can practice playing multiple notes in a row. It doesn't matter if it doesn't sound very musical - the point of the exercise is to learn how to transition smoothly from one note to the next.
  4. Maintain the correct posture while playing. It is essential that you maintain the correct posture while playing the flute, as this will allow you to improve your air capacity and produce more consistent tones.
    • Stand or sit up as straight as possible, with your chin raised and your eyes looking straight ahead. This opens up your body and allows you to produce clearer, longer notes.
    • Stand with your two feet planted on the ground and the left foot slightly in front of the right. Your body should be at an angle, this is a more natural position then being body facing straight ahead, your shoulders will not be in a awkward position when read music. You want most of the weight on the right foot/back foot. Try not to stick your hip out too much or have weird angles with your neck, and back.This will only lead to tension and pain, which will interfere with your practice.
    • Remember to keep your body relaxed and avoid tensing up as you play - this will help you to produce a smoother, richer sound.
    • If you're using a music stand, make sure you keep it at eye level. If the stand is too low down it will cause you to bend your neck and tuck your chin, which will restrict your airways and cause neck pain.[4]
  5. Practice for 20 minutes everyday. Perfect Practice makes perfect, as the music saying goes. But keep in mind that it's much better to practice for short periods everyday, than to cram all of your practice into a two-hour weekly session. As you get more advance start to increase your practice time.
    • Make your practice goal-oriented, as this will help you to remain focused. Keep these goals small but concrete. For example, aim to perfect the transition from a B to an A note.
    • Practicing in infrequent, marathon sessions is inefficient as it overtaxes the body, leaving you feeling stiff and frustrated. You will notice much greater improvement and less stiffness if you practice consistently everyday and increasing your time.[4]
  6. Stretch after practicing. You should always stretch after your practice session as it will relieve tension and prevent stiffness after playing, leaving you in better shape for your next practice session. Some good exercises are as follows:
    • Bend your knees slightly and crouch down with your arms extended behind you, as if skiing. Then swing your arms upwards as if you intended to fly away. Repeat 5-10 times to stretch out the arms and shoulders.
    • While inhaling, draw your shoulders upwards towards your ears and hold in this position for several seconds. Release your shoulders downwards as you exhale. Repeat several times to release tension and pain in the shoulders and neck.
    • Stand with your hands down by your sides and shake your arms and hands as if they were made out of rubber. This will help to loosen the joints in the arms and hands.
    • There are many other stretches you can do to relieve any tension or aches - just do what feels right for you!
  7. Don't give up! Learning to play the flute takes a while. Some go for months without making a sound, so don't get discouraged if you can't make one when you first get it. Be patient, keep practicing, and get the assistance of a good teacher. Soon you'll be making beautiful music!

Caring for Your Flute

  1. Clean your flute Your flute should have come with a wood/metal/or plastic rod that looks like an over sized threading needle. Thread a silky swab through the top or purchase a cleaning flute flag, this is to remove condensation from the inside of your flute. Occasionally polish it with a cloth. Make sure it isn't silver polish. A simple microfiber cloth is all you need.
    • Never leave your cleaning swab inside you flute, this will cause the moisture to ruin the pads of your flute. You wouldn't leave your wet dirty sock in your sneakers would you? No. The same thing with your cleaning rod.
    • Take your flute apart the same way you put it together. Grab the tenon and twist and pull the headjoint and the foot joint grab the tenon and the bottom of the footjoint and twist and pull. Put each piece back into the flute case where it belongs!
    • Now take your cleaning rod/flag and swab the inside of each piece and place back into case.

Tips

  • Buy a beginners' book. If you have a band director or a flute teacher, they will be able to recommend one. Use your book and try to play some easy music.
  • If your headjoint and body don't go together easily, consider cleaning the overlap with a soft soap and water.
  • Learn how to read sheet music. Most beginners' books will start out with the note names on the notes in the staff. However, you will have to learn how to read music if you do not know how already.
  • Clean the flute thoroughly before and after practice to get all the saliva and condensation out! It will make the flute sound better.
  • Blow into your flute at a slightly higher angle with a smaller embouchure hole and faster air to produce higher notes. Play lower notes with a slightly lower angle and larger embouchure hole.
  • Make practicing part of your daily schedule. If you plan it as you do any other activity you will find plenty of time for it.
  • Become familiar with playing your major, minor, and chromatic scales. These should be printed in your flute book. Music is usually made up of patterns which consist of scales so if you are familiar with your scales you will be better equipped to play the music. Also practice the arpeggios, thirds, fourths, etc. for this purpose.
  • If your flute is consistently out of tune there may be something wrong with its tuning cork. Notice that there is a line around one end of your tuning rod. Twist off the head joint and stick that end into it. When that end is resting against the top of the head joint, the line should be exactly in the middle of the embouchure hole. If it is not, ask your flute teacher to adjust your tuning cork for you.
  • It's helpful to keep a fingering chart in your music folder.
  • Try to blow quite hard! If you don't, it makes a breathy sound which doesn't sound particularly nice.
  • Try rolling the head joint either way to get a better tone.
  • When learning a piece for the first time, go through the piece without playing and finger instead. Pay attention to STARS --style, tempo, articulation, rhythms, and signatures (key/time). Also watch out for accidentals (flats or sharps not in the key signature).
  • If when tuning your A it is flat, you can push the head joint in and roll it out. If the A is sharp, you can pull the head joint out and roll it in. It can take some adjustments to get the note in tune.
  • Have someone monitor your posture for a while, then later it will be easier to keep you back straight, feet flat on the floor, and flute up.
  • Practise making a sound without blowing too hard.
  • Most music stores sell Essential Elements for band. They have a book for every instrument. They are not expensive, and they are very helpful.
  • Try not to rest the flute on your shoulder or tilt your head. These habits become very hard to break later on.
  • Always practice.
  • Try to hold your flute parallel to the ground, unless your instructed not to.
  • Find a place where you can practice without bothering anyone by your noise.
  • Start off with blowing through just the headjoint. It helps you figure out how your mouth position should be when playing.
  • If you want to fix the pads up by yourself, please allow up to ten hours for beginners as this may be a daunting task, this is for both French openings and non French openings. Take the metal rods out first and place them in groups, lubricate them as well so this will save you time and money, just in case they get scratched, also place them on a soft cloth to prevent dents and scratches. Be careful with those thin stick like rods on the body joint, they can cut your skin.
  • Keep your neck up when you play. Also, keep your back straight; it helps produce sound easier.
  • If you can't get a sound at first, its okay. Try pulling off the head joint and covering the bottom. If you can make a sound that way, try adding the rest of the flute.

Warnings

  • Don't leave your flute in extremely warm or cold temperatures for too long. That can be especially bad for the pads under the keys.
  • Never leave on a stand, it could potentially roll off and bend rods and keys
  • Don't let your right arm droop while playing flute. This eventually causes the rest of your body to collapse and will negatively affect your tone. It will also cause pain in the back.
  • If the pads do fall out, do not try to glue them back in again. Take the flute to a shop or repair center.
  • Never take the cap of your flute off and take the cork out to swab your flute!!
  • Don't drink sugary drinks or eat while playing the flute. Rinse your mouth with water after eating or drinking before you play the flute. It is very expensive to remove gum or candy from a flute.
  • NEVER clean the flute in water. Use a cleaning swab.
  • Do not grab your flute by the keys. Always lift it up by parts free of any mechanized parts. This will save you from expensive repairs. Do not roll a flute in your lap while sitting either.
  • Be careful that your fingers do not come very far off the keys while playing. If you try to play faster music this will become a hindrance.
  • Don't let you flute get wet!! If you are in marching band consider getting a beat up flute for marching and a keep your good flute for concert band
  • Never use Cork grease to help your flute slide on together easier if you are having trouble putting it together. By doing this, yes it will slide together but it traps dirt and other nastiness and creates a sticky black residue. **Instead** take a clean cloth and wipe down you the ends, be gentle!! If you find you flute still tough to put together, take a pencil and color around the end of the areas and slide and twist your flute together.
  • When you first start sitting up straight (if you don't already) your back will hurt for the first many times you do it.
  • Don't put your cleaning cloth on top of your flutes keys while it is in the case. This may bend a key.

Things You'll Need

  • Flute
  • Fingering chart/music book
  • Swab or soft cloth
  • Music stand (optional)
  • Private lesson teacher (optional)
  • Metronome (optional)
  • Flute stand (optional)
  • Flute thumb Position (optional)

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flute
  2. ↑ http://www.thefluteplayer.net/how-to-play-flute.html
  3. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/flute-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.jennifercluff.com/habits.htm
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