Flute

[AutumnDae]

I've set a goal for myself this summer. I want to learn how to play the flute. I can already play the clarinet, and a tiny bit of the piano. Actually, almost no piano. But what I am trying to say is that I can read music, and I usually pick things up pretty easy. I would love some tips, and maybe some links on how to play? It's starting to thunder right now so I have to go. When it stops I will add more.

[MoveAlong]

I don't know anything about fingering and stuff, but what I can say is don't be suprised that the notes will be different from how you read for clarinet.

If you play Bb clarinet, all the notes are going to sound a half step lower from how they are written. If you want to play regular flute, it will sound exactly like it is written. So just don't be suprised.

sorry if this doesn't help

[theOperaGhost]

Good luck. I play tuba, which is several octaves lower, but we have the same key signature! Sorry, I don't know anything about flute, I just wanted to wish you good luck.

[Mzor203]

Hmmm... I bought a flute earlier this year,and I've played around with it a bit, but all my other instruments have been taking my focus away.

A couple things to keep in mind:

The embouchure is going to be much different than the clarinet, so you are going to have to practice it a lot and keep at it. Finding the right embouchure was probably the hardest part of getting going with the flute for me,and it's hard to explain, but I'll try to outline it a bit.

I find it helps to put my lips in a position as if I were about to say, "Weee". When you have your mouth in that shape, put the mouthpiece just beneath your lips and blow across the top of the hole so that about half the air goes in, and half the air goes across the top. It will take some practice, but whatever you do, don't get discouraged. There are challenges to every instrument.

You will be used to having a lot of different fingerings as you play clarinet, so that shouldn't be too hard. Just e aware that having your arm raised in position for a long time like that is not something you will be used to, so you will have to take breaks and don't strain yourself.

Going from one key of instrument to another is something I can't help you with too much, because somehow every single one of my instruments has been a C instrument. Just remember that, as Zach said, every note will sound a half step down to you from how it is written. So the flute's C would sound like the clarinet's Bb. This is assuming your clarinet is a Bb clarinet.

Are you planning to get a teacher? If not you probably want to buy at least one beginner's book for flute, as it will help quite a bit. You can learn plenty on the flute yourself that way. I personally do not know of any sites for beginning flute, but remember that Google is your friend.

Hope I helped!

(This is why I play so many instruments, prepares me for if I end up teaching music or band :D)

Oh, and Jared, you shouldn't ever say a brass instrument is lower or higher than another instrument, because technically a tuba can go higher than a piano. It just takes one skilled musician. A very skilled musician.


Don't worry, I'm just trying to get,"All up your grill" as Thomas would put it. But it's still true.

[Nihilus]

Keep practicing. I played the trombone and you have to practice to become good. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

[theOperaGhost]

Oh, and Jared, you shouldn't ever say a brass instrument is lower or higher than another instrument, because technically a tuba can go higher than a piano. It just takes one skilled musician. A very skilled musician.


Don't worry, I'm just trying to get,"All up your grill" as Thomas would put it. But it's still true.

Haha! Actually, according to what I found on the internet, the tuba can only go as high as an F above the staff in bass clef. With the amount and size of tubing, and such. Plus, that tuba player would have to have the tightest lips in the world. Just saying....

Here (http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/the_orchestra/instruments/tubas/range/) is where I found that information, but you can search it too. If you find evidence to the contrary, send it to me, cause I want to see it.

I'm just trying to get, "all up in your grill" too.

[Mzor203]

http://www.chisham.com/tips/bbs/dec2003/messages/158973.html

Dunno, had it told to me by a tuba player.

I think that link showed the practical range for a tuba, not the actual highest possible note.

[theOperaGhost]

Hmm...interesting. I'm not really disagreeing with you, but I won't believe it until I see it(or hear it). I'm just looking at it like an organ or a piano. On an organ, the smaller the pipe is, the higher the note it, the bigger the pipe, the lower. I suppose the big pipes would have overtones, but I would assume there would be a limit to how high the pitch of the pipe could be. That's just how I'm looking at it, but you could be correct as well. But like I said, a person that could do that would have to have pretty much the tightest lips in the world.

[Mzor203]

Yep, as I said, the highest note a tuba player could usually realistically play is the F, but it's possible to go higher.

[Ryandel]

You'll enjoy learning the flute. It's hard at first, learning all the new fingerings and learning how to switch from not to note. Also the embouchure position is a bit tricky to get. But as you progress it becomes really easy. It's practically the opposite of when you learn to play a clarinet.