h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Nice rundown of flutes. As a flautist I find it mildly amusing that you say the modern flute covers three octaves with ease. With extreme difficulty in some cases on my flute is closer. But every instrument has its eccentricities. I congratulate you on your knowledge.

Hmm... technically all flute should do the normal 3 octave range relatively easy... the only problem I have on mine is the middle C and the high C, which are actually problems with me.

Hmmm... I have difficulties with high B and C - never managed to make them sound good...

On a good flute quite often the reason for difficulty obtaining either low C or the highest notes can be something as simple as very minor adjustment required. Many's the time I've 'tweaked' the lay of a pad on one of my pupils instruments. I don't recommend doing this unless you know what you're doing though - a visit to a good instrument technician can usually help.

Although I agree that nearly all flutes available today are silver-plated, you haven't mentioned the earlier nickel-plated ones from the mid 20th Century. Originally conceived as a cheap 'starter' instrument, they were usually much harder to play than a more advanced 'silver' version.

I was lucky enough to start with a wooden flute, although I soon progressed to a nickel, then silver plate and finally to a solid silver one. Although now retired from teaching, playing this, the picollo and all the recorders still give me hours of pleasure.

shazz

Of course I meant a piccolo -

shazz

Here's a little known fact: Professional flautists sometimes use little known fingerings and/or enhanced instruments to achieve ranges of 3 1/2 to 4 octaves. Very few compositions call for this, because it severely limits the number of players capable of playing the part.

That, I feel, is distinctly unfair. Of course if I ever become a professional flautist I will fully agree that it is the only way to play.

It's the whole virtuostic element of the instrument, I think...

*she says... having a honors audition in an hour and a half!!!!! *

Good luck, Amy. I have the utmost confidence in you, a complete stranger.

Actually did okay... Not gonna get into the official recital, I'll wager - everyone else was *marvelous*.

I'm mostly just glad it's done.

Good for you.

i agree! i am a flautist and i often have to argue with my flute to reach to reach to the top of the the third octive, although i like the idea of playing my piccolo early in the morning cos i hate my neighbours

Yay! I just got a piccolo!

I've got no hope of reaching the top half-octave though.

...well not without more practice.


Great article, Amy!

Lot o air and a teeny embrochure and lots and lots of practice are what I think works best. So I hear. I have yet to have actually *played* picc yet... just played with them.

I've play piccolo and alto flute. Both require more breath control than the traditional flute. One person I knew who played both piccolo and trumpet for marching bands told me the piccolo requires more air, and I believe it. Cultivating a small embouchure also helps because you are "wasting" less air that could be converted into sound.

I seem to do a lot of spitting when I try it! I've managed to (sort of) hit top A though since I posted that.

My teacher's been having me work on the high C# and D on normal flute... I'm to the point where C# comes out okay, but I can hardly get D out still. Any ideas? (these are the extended notes - not the easy upper octave)

Hmm. I used to play extended as well. It's a nice trick, though you rarely see it called for except for a particular brand of modern classical stuff that people rarely enjoy hearing. You need an exceptionally tight control of your mouth. I remember it was a case of needing to build up the muscles in my lips to reach those top notes.

For some reason, I also found it a bit easy to nod my head down a bit when reaching for the extended notes. I'm not sure whether that was just me, though! My playing style is odd. I have to compensate for a small divot in the center part of my upper lip. But hey, it's worth a try. Just remember not to get frustrated. Work those muscles, eh?

Hmm... building up muscles in lips, eh? Too bad my bf's in England (and I'm in the US)... he could help me practice.

I suppose it'll just be constant flute practice instead... *sigh* Darn that frustration.

*must go find fingering for extended notes*