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The flute is a great instrument, but it can be a little difficult making your first sound and holding it correctly. Hopefully I've had a chance to show each of you how to make a good sound on your flute head joint by now. Make sure to practice this every day and watch the videos below if you need any help. Send me a message on Google Classroom or an email if you're having trouble!
- Making your first sound
It's very important to practice making great sounds on the head joint before you start playing the full instrument. If you can't make a good sound on the head joint, you won't make a good sound on the flute! Watch the video to review how to make a good sound and practice in front of a mirror!
A few reminders:
Relax your face and say "emmmm"
Slightly firm up the muscles in the corners of your mouth
Push the air through the middle of your lips
Center the hole with the middle of your lips, place the edge of the hole against the lowest part of your bottom lip (feel for it)
Aim your air stream slightly downward if you're not getting a sound
2. Putting your flute together
2. Putting your flute together
Your flute comes in three parts: the head joint, the body and the foot joint. Watch this video to review how to carefully assemble your flute.
A few reminders:
Hold the flute gently and use a twisting motion back and forth to put the pieces together
Line up the hole in your head joint with the keys on the body
Line up the rod on the foot joint with the keys on the body
3. How to hold your flute
3. How to hold your flute
Watch the video and look at the chart to review your hand position and finger placement on your home keys.
A few reminders:
Your left hand faces you, your right hand turns away from you
Memorize the home key positions (look at the chart)
Bring the flute to you and keep it almost parallel to the ground, just slightly down.
4. Caring for your flute
4. Caring for your flute
It's important to care for your flute by cleaning out moisture after you finish playing it. Your flute should have come with a cleaning rod and may have come with a cleaning cloth. If you don't have a cloth, you can use part of an old cotton shirt. Watch the video to see how to properly clean your flute after playing it.
WARNING: Do not ram the cleaning rod down into your head joint. There is a cork at the end that can be knocked out of place if you're not being gentle.
Work on these things every day this week. Try to spend around 15 minutes a day making good sounds, putting your flute together, holding with correct finger placement and cleaning. We'll start to play the full instrument next week!
Work on these things every day this week. Try to spend around 15 minutes a day making good sounds, putting your flute together, holding with correct finger placement and cleaning. We'll start to play the full instrument next week!
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