5 Tips For Becoming A Better Flute Player
Author: Pedro Eustache, Guest Contributor
As musicians, we all aspire to achieve superior technical command of our instruments. The finest musicians are life long students of their craft, constantly learning, developing and enhancing every aspect of their playing. For some, they are able to reach that plateau on their instrument, but for others like multi-directional flute soloist, Pedro Eustache, that virtuosity can be achieved while effortlessly changing between instruments with ease and authority. With more than 40 years of professional experience as a reed player, researcher, composer, lecturer and instrument maker, Pedro Eustache shares 5 tips for becoming a better flute player.
DON'T THINK OF YOURSELF AS A FLUTE PLAYER - I strongly suggest to think of yourself as a musician who plays the flute. That’s a huge paradigm shift perspective that will deeply and positively affect your whole undertaking on learning to play the instrument. In other words, playing the flute well should not be the objective. MAKING THE BEST MUSIC SHOULD! That is why we need to develop great command on the instrument, so we are free from technical limitations and thus focus on the music. Playing in time, in tune, with fluid technique, articulations, dynamics, etc. is just half of it. We need to put all that at the service of music!
TECHNIQUE (A Few Flute Fundamentals) Holding the Flute: James Galway 3-Point flute holding principle - Pushing forward with the RH Thumb: the RH Thumb faces forward (not under the flute), holding the instrument, but sideways, pushing towards the front, on the side of the “F” key. Pushing backwards with the side of the LH Index finger The lower lip anchors both of the above mentioned contrary forces (like in a lever system), thus making the flute perfectly balanced as a consequence. This way the fingers are free to move while the instrument is rock-solid steady.
TONE PRODUCTION (I) - Check out and do Mtro. J. Galway’s YOUTUBE video on Embouchure @ https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NcXRzZZv1mE “Frowning” like lips (corners of the lips pointing down) is the best tone option, period! The benefits greatly surpass the "smiling" (corners of the lips pointing up) method. BTW, the reason is scientific… acoustics allow for much richer harmonic spectra (tone components) to be produced when we use the "frowning" embouchure, versus the beautiful and clean one of the “smiling" embouchure, which is nevertheless otherwise limited and mostly mono-chromatic tone quality. The “frowning” embouchure significantly allows more tone colors than the “smiling” one!
TONE PRODUCTION (II) - Establish a tone production "default setup”. I learned this exercise from the brilliant Venezuelan flautist, Mtro. Marcos Granados. I personalized it by applying it to the Exc. #1 of the “Art de la Sonoritèe” of M. Moyse. To be played with the following elements: Absolute minimum use of lips, completely loose checks (even allowing inflating them a bit when blowing, almost “beginner"-like) Blow completely FREE, with an open throat [like yawning with our lips closed] Comfortable MF dynamic No Vibrato No tongue attack - just a frank/direct “HU” from the diaphragm Super slurred
DEVELOPING COLORS - There are five essential tone production/embouchure elements I work with for developing greatly contrasting colors. (BTW, there are more than five elements) Lower lip-to-Lip plate pressure (LL2LP for short) I see it as the flute equivalent to a bowed string instrument's "bow pressure”. This is defined by varying the "towards-us/away-from us" pressure from the holding left hand's Index finger side. "Cold" Vs "Warm" blowing air. Defined by the blowing air speed: "cold" is fast speed (e.g. blowing birthday cake candles out)... "warm" air is slow speed (e.g. fogging a mirror). Lip opening shape: Oval Vs. "Slit" (straight line-like shape)... Defined by closing or opening our lip opening. Frontal Vs. Backwards jaw position: defined by rocking our jaw forwards<>backwards Normal Vs. Opened Throat: defined by contrasting a normal throat versus a "Yawning-with our mouth-closed" throat position (e.g. when we have a hot potato in our mouth). Do long, sustained individual notes (like from med. low "C" down to low "E" and back up), at 80m.m (slower or faster works as well… find your comfortable tempo). Then, in that pulse, and while keeping all other elements in a “medium” setting, accentuate one of the 5 elements mentioned above with regular 8th notes two extremes of said element. For example, if we choose #1 (LL2LP) then evenly alternate in 8th notes high from less pressure… You can do a full measure of mid “C” (L.H. Index), then same down to B, on to Bb, etc (down to G or lower)… then coming back up… So that we can isolate and work —optimizing— that specific element apart from the other four. Then do the same with another element, until we have explored all five. Once you have spent a few days with them individually, start combining two at a time. You will be blown away with how effectively these generate different sonorities, while making it extremely and objectively clear how they change the tone. Later on we can decide when, which ones and where to use the —at will— through a piece of music. Then combine three, etc. By now you get the idea. Obviously when we do this initially, (the elements by themselves) we will have inherent intonation and dynamics associated limitations. After some time, do work them out and correct them to the best of your ability. You can explore combining elements that might seem paradoxical, meaning a “warm”/slow air speed tone —typically a “sweet” tone color, is mostly used in softer passages. Try practicing it with a louder dynamic (like MF or F if possible!) and/or the opposite, “cold”/fast air, —normally “brassier sounding, associated with louder passages, then try to play it with a softer dynamic.( Mp or even P). BTW, these last two can be extremely beneficial, as well adding a third element: # 3 the ‘Oval’ Vs “Flat” Lip opening, revealing great new colors!
EXTRA TIPS - Two tips, from one of my teachers, the late great Mtro. Aurèle Nicolet: "We should know how we actually sound, not as we think we sound!” We have to develop a high level of awareness so that we can locate our weak points and improve on them. "Yes, we should search and explore, but it is also import to FIND!” If you’re looking to develop as a flutist, these tips will help to support your fundamental music foundation. Be persistent, work hard and be patient, as some of these tips are more advanced. By adopting these strategies and others, you’re allowing yourself to adapt and grow as a musician. Enjoy!
About The Author
Pedro Eustache is the winds featured soloist with "Hans Zimmer Live", "Game of Thrones-Live Concert Experience" and "The World of Hans Zimmer" since 2017. He held the same position with New-Age super star Yanni from 1995-2006. He has also concertized/recorded/toured with Sir Paul McCartney, Sir. John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Dr. James Newton Jr., John Powell, Herb Alpert, Danny Elfman, among many others. He is the first-call world winds soloist in the Los Angeles recording studios scene, with over 150 film, TV & videogame soundtracks, like: “Indiana Jones (IV)”, "Pirates of the Caribbean" (3.4.5); “Coco”; “Jumanji 2”, "Small Foot"; among many others. www.pedroflute.com