Music for All Summer Symposium presented by Yamaha

Flute Master Class

Mihoko Watanabe

www.musicforall.org

Tone Production
For Flutists
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I: Common Problems in Flute Playing

- Intonation
- Rhythm

- Dynamics
- Notes

- Tone
- Technique

- Musicality
-

- Articulation

II: Important Elements of Flute Playing

Intonation
Dynamics/Color
Articulation
Musicality/Technique

TONE
1) Balance
(Standing/Sitting)

2) Relaxation

3) Breathing

III: Check List

1) Instrument
The Flute must be in good working order.
Assemble - Never grasp the flute by the keys and apply pressure to the
mechanism.
The screws
Swab flute after each use
- Shrinkage or expansion of the pads -> leaks
- Never put the cleaning swab in side of the flute or in side of the case.
Locate a skilled repairman - take the flute to have clean, oil and adjust
yearly or every semester.

2013 Mihoko Watanabe

2) Listening
Everybody needs to have a good tone concept in your ear.
Listening to Flutists around the world
Go to live performances
Listening to recorded performances
Ask yourself to describe the tone quality that you like
Listen to yourself and experiment to make the sound
Remember how did you make the sound

3) Balance
Balance with your body (alignment) is the most important elements of making music
in life.
Head hold up with ears over shoulders
Shoulder blade (Wings!) down (Open chest area)
Spine do not over extend
Feet on the floor
Sitting position
- Never use chair as crutch
Hand position
- Three-point-balance: Chin, left index finger, and right thumb
- Curve all fingers
- Never squeeze the keys

4) Relaxation
Relaxation is the key to have good breathing.
Open your chest area
Your shoulder blades (WINGS!) are relaxed
Relax your abdominal area
Relax your pelvis area
Relax your fingers
o Relaxation exercise (sitting/standing)
Mountain Pose

Forward Bend

Bow Pose

2013 Mihoko Watanabe

Half-Moon Pose

5) Breathing
Successful air management (in and out) is the beginning of successful music making.
Open mouth by dropping the jaw slightly.
Inhale with saying HOW
A deep, full breath will cause expansion of lungs in the back.
Think about even outflow of air.
Feel the air pressure.
Develop steady air stream, air capacity, and the quick breath.
oBreathing Exercises
- With/without a piece of paper
- Thumb breathing
oUse of exercise ball
- 55cm, 65cm, and 75 cm diameter balls are available.
- Sit down on the ball with 90 degree angle of knee to the floor.
o Other Useful Yoga poses:
Childs Pose

Tree Pose

Downward Face Dog

Twist

Triangle

Pyramid

IV: Recommended Resources

For Tone Development and Technique
De La Sonorit by Marcel Moyse, published by Alphonse Leduc, 1934.
17 Grands Exercices Jounaliers de Mecanisme by Paul Taffanel and arranged by
Philippe Gaubert, published by Alphonse Leduc.
24 Petites Etudes Melodiques by Marcel Moyse, published by Alphonse Leduc,
1928.
Technical Flexibility for Flutists by Geoffrey Gilbert, published by Southern Muisc
Company, 1988.
Tone Development Through Interpretation for the Flute Marcel Moyse, published
by McGinnis & Marx Music Publishers, 1962.
A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Omnibus Edition Books 1-5 by Trevor
Wye, published by Novello.
2013 Mihoko Watanabe

- A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 1, Tone (with CD) by
Trevor Wye, published by Novello.
- A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 2, Technique by Trevor
Wye, published by Novello.
- A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 3 Articulation by Trevor
Wye, published by Novello.
- A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 4 Intonation & Vibrato
by Trevor Wye, published by Novello.
- A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 5 Breathing & Scales by
Trevor Wye, published by Novello.
- Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 6 Advanced Practice by
Trevor Wye, published from Novello.
CHECK-UP/20 Basic Studies for Flutists by Peter-Lucas Graf, published by Shott.
Sequence for Flute by Geoffrey Gilbert, published by Southern Music Company.
For Balancing and Breathing
Body Mapping for Flutists: What Every Flute Teacher Needs to Know About the
Body by Lea Pearson, published by Andover Press.
What Every Musician Needs to Know about the body: the application of Body
Mapping to Making Music by Barbara Conable, published by Andover Press.
ANY QUESTIONS:
Contact - Dr. Mihoko Watanabe
at E-mail watanabe@bsu.edu

2013 Mihoko Watanabe

Larry Krantz Flute Pages: Flute Embouchure Photos

http://www.larrykrantz.com/embpic.htm

Photos of Various Flute Embouchures

The following material has been taken directly from:
Artistic Flute Technique and Study
by Roger S. Stevens
Hollywood: Highland Music Company. (1967) pp.14-16
(currently out of print)

It is published here with the kind permission of Roger S. Stevens.

Many thanks to Pauline Mancuso for scanning the photos and for her generosity in helping to create this page.
Thanks also to Jim Lasota for putting me in touch with Roger Stevens.
"The flutists whose embouchures are illustrated are highly accomplished musicians with better than
professionally average tones. Most are professional or semi-professional career people, although one or two are
strictly students with fine tones.
The purpose of these illustrations is one of demonstrating the wide variation in embouchures capable of
producing a good flute tone."

A: Natural, symmetrical, making excellent use of the lower lip, and retaining optimum distance from the
embouchure hole.
B: Natural, symmetrical, making excellent use of the lower lip, and retaining optimum distance from the
embouchure hole.
C: Natural, symmetrical, inclined to be almost too far from the embouchure hole.
D: Natural, slightly pulled to the left side; lower lip in position for maximum use.
E: Natural, pulled slightly to the left; full upper lip retained high so that inner, more sensitive area of lip is used.
F: Natural, symmetrical, flexible lower lip capabilities; slight "tear drop" in upper lip pulled flat rather than to one
side.
G: Nearly symmetrical but with upper lip irregular in contour and therefore rolled slightly out to use inner surface
where irregularities are controllable. (Caution: upper lip must not move too close to embouchure hole.)

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J: Symmetrical, upper lip almost straight across, thin lower lip rolled out to provide good playing surfac

K: Extreme pull to the left to avoid heavy "tear drop"; air enters flute at an angle from the left. (Problem
L: Pulled to the right, heavy lips rolled out for sensitivity; no "tear drop".

M: Nearly symmetrical; large "tear drop" virtually eliminated by muscular pull in upper lip, lower lip in ex
position for use.

N: "Tear drop", both lips irregular, appature pulled to the left, lower lip inadvantageously located, dange
lip smothering embouchure hole.

O: Very large "tear drop" avoided with appature pulled to the right, lower lip rolled out for maximum sen
point of aperture.

P: "Tear drop" avoided by rolling upper lip up and out; relatively irregular lower lip, nevertheless in good
for optimum use.
Q: Extremely large and heavy "tear drop" avoided by pulling only upper lip to the right; lower lip nearly
symmetrical and in good, natural position for effective use.

R: Both lips unusually heavy and irregular; aperture located to the left with flute moved to the left to coi

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