FLUTE
Embouchure
The first step to playing in tune on the flute is to play with a great embouchure.
1) Position your head at the bottom of a small nod as if saying "okay." 2) Place the embouchure hole on the head joint in the dimple of your chin with the embouchure hole facing up. Your bottom lip should only cover a quarter to a third of the embouchure hole. 3) Whisper the word "pooh, " which will cause a slight pout in the bottom lip and pull the corners of your mouth forward. Keep the corners of your mouth firm, and avoid "smiling" with your lips. Aim your air stream at the back wall of the embouchure hole so that half of the air goes into the hole and half goes across the hole. 4) Another way to form the embouchure is to say and hold the word "WHEE." This will flatten the lower lip slightly. While holding the "WHEE" syllable, say "TOO." This will bring the lip corners forward and down. |
Head Joint Check
Inside the head joint of the flute, there is a large cork. The cork must be adjusted correctly for the flute to play in tune. This is fairly easy to do yourself!
To check whether it is placed correctly, take out the cleaning rod that came with the instrument. On the handle, there is a lined notch carved out. It is precisely placed there for measuring the distance from the head joint cork to the opening of the embouchure hole. Insert the handle inside the head joint until it comes to a stop against the cork. If the the cork is placed correctly, the notch should line up in the center of the embouchure hole.
If it the notch is too close to the crown (round metal part at the top of the head joint), unscrew the the crown, and press the crown gently back into the flute. If it is too close to the tenon of the flute (where the rest of the flute attaches), push on the rod until it moves the notch into the middle of the hole, and then screw the crown back onto the head joint.
To check whether it is placed correctly, take out the cleaning rod that came with the instrument. On the handle, there is a lined notch carved out. It is precisely placed there for measuring the distance from the head joint cork to the opening of the embouchure hole. Insert the handle inside the head joint until it comes to a stop against the cork. If the the cork is placed correctly, the notch should line up in the center of the embouchure hole.
If it the notch is too close to the crown (round metal part at the top of the head joint), unscrew the the crown, and press the crown gently back into the flute. If it is too close to the tenon of the flute (where the rest of the flute attaches), push on the rod until it moves the notch into the middle of the hole, and then screw the crown back onto the head joint.
Tuning Procedure
Temperature affects intonation dramatically so it is important warm up your flute before tuning it. When the instrument is about room temperature (72 degrees Fahrenheit), it is time to tune the flute.
1) Play the following exercises at a mezzo forte dynamic. Playing any louder or quieter may distort the pitch. 2) Once you have sustained the final note in each exercise, look at a tuner. The final B-flat on both exercise should be about 8 cents sharp. 3) If it is 9 cents sharp or higher, the head joint needs to be pulled out slightly. If it is less than 7 cents sharp or lower, it needs to be pushed in slightly. An easy way to remember which way the head joint goes is through the acronym SOFI (see graphic.) |
Stable Tuning Note
Factors Affecting Pitch
To see the specific pitch tendencies and solutions for the flute, click here: