Striving for a dark, reedy tone

[kothz]

*bangs*
*thud*
*head*
*thud*
*against*
*thud*
*wall*
*thud*

I *know* my Hammy can do it. It teases me with it. But, I suppose after not really playing for a very long time, I have to retrain the face. I can get a great, open, modern classical flute tone from low-G up. It suffers almost consistently from F# down.

Ok. I'm done whining now. (But if anyone has any tips on easily (hahaha) getting that Nicholson-tone, they'd be appreciated. Seriously, isn't there a pill or something developed in the past decade?)

Back to long tone exercises... The face and the diaphragm have been layabouts long enough.

[Cork]

As a suggestion, the sound you're seeking could be found with a more relaxed embouchure, not a tight one.

This applies especially to the inner surfaces of the lips, right where the air stream passes by them.

In effect, the looseness of the surfaces allows for a fluctuation, which creates a disturbance to the air stream, not otherwise produced by a tight embouchure.

See just how loose you can get your embouchure to play at, and somewhere along the line you'll find what you're looking for, no doubt.

;-)

[Terry McGee]

I think it makes sense to examine the approach taken by flute players in the golden days of the wooden flute. John Gunn, a Scottish teacher, is of particular interest, writing just before Nicholson was born!

Gunn strongly espoused the principle of blowing down towards the centre of the flute, rather than across the instrument as later taught. Read his explanation in the section called "Forming the Embouchure" at

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Gunn%20on%20Tone.htm

And try out my exercise there - blowing at the far edge, then jutting out the top lift to direct the jet downwards. You should hear the tone darkening as you go.

Terry

[Brazenkane]

...also....try recording yourself. from a distance of more than 1ft. away. if your only perception of your tone is from the flute against your jaw...well, what you're hearing may be deceiving AND you may be very surprised/pleased as to how your tone actually sounds 3-5ft or 10ft away!

[connie]

Gunn strongly espoused the principle of blowing down towards the centre of the flute, rather than across the instrument as later taught. Read his explanation in the section called "Forming the Embouchure" at

http://www.mcgee-flutes.com/Gunn%20on%20Tone.htm

Terry

I found that article Terry mentions above very helpful in improving my tone.

[segv]

I'm pretty much a hack and have a long way to grow into my flute (a Grinter), but my limited forays into "playing downward" confirm Terry's advice. I noticed that especially when the flute warms up and therefore sharpens up and I'm trying to compensate by turning the flute inward and playing more "covered", the tone suddenly gets this wonderfully dark timbre. I'm sure it's possible to do this more intentionally and consistently.

[monkey587]

There's probably a thousand threads on here with lots of contradicting advice.

Personally, I can get this kind of tone you want by using the "covering the hole" technique. However, I can also get such a tone without covering the hole at all, by having more relaxed lips and trying to breathe through the flute rather than blow into or across it. It's also louder, fuller, and more in tune.

This is what Catherine McEvoy recommended to me. I've gone back and forth between the two methods, as the way she recommended seemed to be a big struggle for a long time, but that struggled turned out to be against a leaky flute rather than anything else.

I think the best thing to do is to try every variation you can think of and see what works best for you, and keep in mind that as your embouchure gets stronger you may need to keep adjusting it get to the best tone. Always try to make it better.

[Cubitt]

There's probably a thousand threads on here with lots of contradicting advice.

Personally, I can get this kind of tone you want by using the "covering the hole" technique. However, I can also get such a tone without covering the hole at all, by having more relaxed lips and trying to breathe through the flute rather than blow into or across it. It's also louder, fuller, and more in tune.

This is what Catherine McEvoy recommended to me. I've gone back and forth between the two methods, as the way she recommended seemed to be a big struggle for a long time, but that struggled turned out to be against a leaky flute rather than anything else.

I think the best thing to do is to try every variation you can think of and see what works best for you, and keep in mind that as your embouchure gets stronger you may need to keep adjusting it get to the best tone. Always try to make it better.

Just to emphasize the point I think you are making - strive to make the air more of an exhale (as you would to steam up a mirror or window) than a blow (as you would to blow out a candle).

The thing is, you won't get the reedy sound right away because playing this way takes more air and practice to get a strong tone. But the stronger your tone gets, the more reedy will be the sound.

[Aanvil]

^^^ Who IS that handsome man in that avatar!

[rama]

he's very dark and reedy.... nicholsonian in appearance

[jim stone]

Helpful advice and, if I may, playing, practicing
and developing your embouchure are likely
to give you the tone you want, sooner or later.
It does come. Patience is a considerable
virtue and patient practice will prevail.

[Cork]

...However, I can also get such a tone without covering the hole at all, by having more relaxed lips and trying to breathe through the flute rather than blow into or across it. It's also louder, fuller, and more in tune...

Bingo, you've got it!

However, and it depends on the particular embouchure shape of the flute, but in general, try covering some of the embouchure hole, as well.

When you feel the whole of the flute vibrate under your fingers, then you know you've hit maximum power, dark and reedy.

:-)

[Doug_Tipple]

I really shouldn't be giving advice about this topic, but in my professional opinion I think that it is helpful to incorporate more Chinese food into your diet. For that reedy tone that you desire, bamboo shoots are especially good, I am told.

[sponge]

Monkey587 wrote.
Personally, I can get this kind of tone you want by using the "covering the hole" technique. However, I can also get such a tone without covering the hole at all, by having more relaxed lips and trying to breathe through the flute rather than blow into or across it. It's also louder, fuller, and more in tune

I tried the blowing across the whole and the into the whole, both of which give a great sound, then I tried the breathing or blowing through the flute,
which is great, I can get a more consistent tone this way, when I first read monkey587's post I though blowing down into the flute and breathing/blowing through the flute were the same thing, but there not, I can blow through the flute with a relaxed embouchure, but when I blow down into the whole it needs more air speed and a tighter emboucher so nice one monkey587

sponge

[Mike Meyerstein]

when I was at Drumshanbo this year (my first time) I was exposed to the playing of lots of flute players from Up North. Sam Murrays seemed to be the order of the day.

Upon enquiring how they get that bright, driving tone (not sure if that's what is meant on this thread) I was told how they direct their embouchure downwards into the flute. Back at home, I experimented with several ways of doing this, including the tight and loose lip methods talked about on this thread.

I achieved satisfying results on my 8-key R&R (#1364, made in the days of Nicholson and with the idents for the L/H knuckle and R'H thumb) and on my 8-key Z.T. Purday (which has a head by John Wicks).

But I had no luck on my Sam Murray 3-key Eflat. It seems to resist all atttempts to cover the hole and/or direct the embouchure downwards. what am I doing wrong? Why?....Why? (looks skywards and wrings hands)