Top Playing Tips

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• Make sure your flute is put together correctly – the mouthpiece is lined up with the finger holes in the main body and the bottom joint is positioned comfortably for your right hand little finger.

• Gently push and twist the head joint onto the body joint to slot them together.  Don’t grip the keys as they can easily get damaged.  Repeat the same action with the foot joint.

• Make sure you sit up straight with both feet flat on the floor and point the flute to the right of your body at shoulder height.

• Your flute needs to be balanced in 3 places: 
         Your bottom lip and chin

             Lower joint of your left index finger

             Your right thumb

• Elbows should be nice and relaxed pointing down but not tight to your body.

 

 

Blowing and Playing (Embouchure – pronounced om-boo-shore)

• Place the lip plate on your bottom lip with the blow hole in the centre

• The bottom lip should cover about a third of the hole

• Smile slightly to stretch out the bottom lip and make a small hole in the centerof your lips

• Breath in and blow across the hole – NOT DOWN THE HOLE!

• Use a STEADY stream of air.  You don’t need a new breath for the start of every note.

• Make sure you start all your notes using your tongue

• Blow gently, but support the air with your diaphragm, all the time you are blowing

• Practise blowing long notes

 

 

And after playing.....

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Make sure you dry your flute thoroughly when you have finished playing, especially the head joint. And always pack it away in it’s case.