Flute Notes

Some tips for beginners...

I have seen many beginners asking which flute to buy?...how do i get the sound?...I am not able to get the transition from ma to pa...etc etc...This write up may help you in getting the answers for the above questions..

If you are a beginner i recommend a medium sized flute for example the C scale flute...The length is apt for a beginner and you can practise on the flute until you can blow a note properly for atleast 20 sec. Now once you are comfortable with your flute you can go in for flutes with more length. Do not buy lengthy flutes at the start because it will be difficult for you to play considering  the fact that the air should pass through the entire length of the flute. Once you have bought the flute the next big step is to make a sound. Making a sound on the flute can be tricky as some players think that they have got a sound but what they would have got may be an airy sound. The first sound to be produced is 'ma' with all holes open which would be the easiest to play whereas 'pa' with all holes closed would be the most difficult to get. Playing lower 'pa' is the most difficult note and once you can play that with ease then you are an inch closer to becoming a flute player. So how do you know whether you have got the sound. The trick here is to play the note for 2 sec the again play the note giving the interval. Play it atleast 10 times and make sure you get the lower octave every time. Most probably 4/10 times you will play the higher octave which is not what you want.

Transition from 'ma to 'pa can be very tricky for beginners especially for those who have not practised the lower and higher octaves. There is no special guide on how to do this. All i can say is practise..You can try different variations like higher 'pa' to 'ma' or 'ma' to lower 'pa' . If you are finding difficulty in playing lower and higher octaves combined then you can adjust the flute to create a high pitch. This can be done by moving the flute inwards which will give you a higher pitch. The standard method however is to blow by reducing the area between your lips to produce a faster blow of air. This can also be practised by blowing to the back of your hand. Do not blow more air into the flute which is not going to produce anything. The only thing that is going to happen is that you fall out of breath very soon. Understand your flute and practise well...!