How to Play Flute in Elementary School
Rent or buy a flute form the music store and the music book that your band director asked you to buy., Assemble the flute., Practice on a bottle to learn how to blow into a flute., Try to produce a sound from your flute., Practice playing in front...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Rent or buy a flute form the music store and the music book that your band director asked you to buy.
Some of the schools might provide you with a flute, but if you feel uncomfortable using that, you can always buy one for yourself. -
Step 2: Assemble the flute.
Insert the open end of the head joint into the wider end of the body (usually closest to the printed brand name of the instrument).
Align the embouchure hole with the first key on the body.
Don't push the head joint in all the way, keep it out a little bit; it will be more in tune.
Take the foot joint from the case and connect it to the other end of the body.
Align the main rod of the foot joint with the last key of the body.
Adjust the alignment if needed. , Glass or plastic works equally well.
Blow across the opening to produce a sound.
Make sure the opening is not too big.
An easy way to learn the flute embouchure is by making an mmm sound, and then a p sound while pursing your lips.
However, when playing the flute, you should be making more of a "too" sound--not literally saying "too," but blowing with your mouth set as if you were saying, "too." You should also be blowing slightly downward in order to make a note.
Blow the flute as if you were cooling a warm soup.
The less liquid in the bottle the lower the pitch and the more liquid the higher the pitch.
This blowing technique is the proper way to ease notes from a flute. , Try with the head joint only, at first.
Place the lip plate just below your lower lip, purse your lips, take a deep breath, and blow as if you were saying "too".
It will not happen straight away so be patient.
Try moving your embouchure hole around.
Practice in front of a mirror and look at the shape of your lips.
Your embouchure should be about the size of a drinking straw and shaped like a circle or teardrop.
Here's a neat way to work on producing sound:
Press your lips together.
Roll the lips inward, so that there is no pink showing.
Kiss your flute--place the embouchure hole completely against your pressed lips, so that you can feel the full circle around your mouth.
Roll the flute away from your lips approximately 90 degrees, so that the embouchure hole is now level with the ceiling.
Pretend to spit out a watermelon seed!(Try not to spit into the bottle or flute if you are using it) This may assist you in finding a good embouchure shape.
If you achieve a sound using this method, try adding a stream of air after your initial "spit".Make sure you don't roll the flute in or it will sound out of tune. , This way you will be able to recognize the correct embouchure, and what your mouth looks like when you successfully produce a sound. , Hold the flute with the your mouth on the lip plate and the remainder of the instrument pointing to the right.
Your left hand should be nearest the mouthpiece and should be facing towards you from the other side of the flute.
Your left thumb should rest on a key.
Your right hand should be further down on the flute to the right and should be facing away from you.
There is no key for your right thumb.
Balance your flute with your right thumb and left index knuckle and not with both thumbs. , Sit or stand up straight and hold the flute a little below parallel.
Your arms should feel relaxed, but they may ache after extended playing.
Crossing your legs will often affect your tone if you allow you posture to collapse as well.
So keep your feet planted a little apart and flat on the ground.
Make sure you keep your chest and head in an upright position to keep your lungs open. , On one side you might right the note ex.
D and the flute fingerings.
On the other write the 5 lines and place the note where it should be.
For example, D would be on the 4th line. , For lines remember Every(e), Good(g), Boy(b), Does(d), Fine(F); these are the note names of the lines in ascending order.
The spaces spell out F-A-C-E, in ascending order, which is easy to remember because "space" rhymes with "face."
, If you can't remember note names for now you can write the letters above notes. (Your book may do this for you to begin with.) But eventually you will need to recognize notes without letters above them. ,, If you never practice, you will never get better. , (Flutes can grow mold.) First you will have to take your flute apart.
Attach a cloth (not your polishing cloth--part of an old t-shirt will do) to your tuning rod--the long metal, wooden, or plastic needle that came with your flute.
Push the tuning rod though each part of the flute: head joint, body, and foot joint.
You can also buy a swab for this purpose.Cleaning the joints also makes it easier to assemble the flute. , Twist off the head joint, body, and foot joint gently and put them in the case.
Latch the case closed and put it in a safe place, preferably where it will stay at a steady room temperature. -
Step 3: Practice on a bottle to learn how to blow into a flute.
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Step 4: Try to produce a sound from your flute.
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Step 5: Practice playing in front of the mirror.
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Step 6: Learn how to hold the flute.
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Step 7: Have proper posture while playing.
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Step 8: Make flash cards with all the notes you need to play.
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Step 9: Learn this mnemonic device for remembering note names with the lines and spaces in music bars.
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Step 10: Study your flashcards
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Step 11: while playing they notes that correspond with them Eventually you will associate a fingering on the flute with the note on the page.
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Step 12: Practice playing the songs you are assigned in the music book.
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Step 13: Continue making new flashcards for the notes you learn.
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Step 14: Practice every day (outside of band class) for at least fifteen minutes to develop your basic flute skills.
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Step 15: Clean the spit out of your flute after every time your practice.
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Step 16: Take your flute apart and put it away in the case.
Detailed Guide
Some of the schools might provide you with a flute, but if you feel uncomfortable using that, you can always buy one for yourself.
Insert the open end of the head joint into the wider end of the body (usually closest to the printed brand name of the instrument).
Align the embouchure hole with the first key on the body.
Don't push the head joint in all the way, keep it out a little bit; it will be more in tune.
Take the foot joint from the case and connect it to the other end of the body.
Align the main rod of the foot joint with the last key of the body.
Adjust the alignment if needed. , Glass or plastic works equally well.
Blow across the opening to produce a sound.
Make sure the opening is not too big.
An easy way to learn the flute embouchure is by making an mmm sound, and then a p sound while pursing your lips.
However, when playing the flute, you should be making more of a "too" sound--not literally saying "too," but blowing with your mouth set as if you were saying, "too." You should also be blowing slightly downward in order to make a note.
Blow the flute as if you were cooling a warm soup.
The less liquid in the bottle the lower the pitch and the more liquid the higher the pitch.
This blowing technique is the proper way to ease notes from a flute. , Try with the head joint only, at first.
Place the lip plate just below your lower lip, purse your lips, take a deep breath, and blow as if you were saying "too".
It will not happen straight away so be patient.
Try moving your embouchure hole around.
Practice in front of a mirror and look at the shape of your lips.
Your embouchure should be about the size of a drinking straw and shaped like a circle or teardrop.
Here's a neat way to work on producing sound:
Press your lips together.
Roll the lips inward, so that there is no pink showing.
Kiss your flute--place the embouchure hole completely against your pressed lips, so that you can feel the full circle around your mouth.
Roll the flute away from your lips approximately 90 degrees, so that the embouchure hole is now level with the ceiling.
Pretend to spit out a watermelon seed!(Try not to spit into the bottle or flute if you are using it) This may assist you in finding a good embouchure shape.
If you achieve a sound using this method, try adding a stream of air after your initial "spit".Make sure you don't roll the flute in or it will sound out of tune. , This way you will be able to recognize the correct embouchure, and what your mouth looks like when you successfully produce a sound. , Hold the flute with the your mouth on the lip plate and the remainder of the instrument pointing to the right.
Your left hand should be nearest the mouthpiece and should be facing towards you from the other side of the flute.
Your left thumb should rest on a key.
Your right hand should be further down on the flute to the right and should be facing away from you.
There is no key for your right thumb.
Balance your flute with your right thumb and left index knuckle and not with both thumbs. , Sit or stand up straight and hold the flute a little below parallel.
Your arms should feel relaxed, but they may ache after extended playing.
Crossing your legs will often affect your tone if you allow you posture to collapse as well.
So keep your feet planted a little apart and flat on the ground.
Make sure you keep your chest and head in an upright position to keep your lungs open. , On one side you might right the note ex.
D and the flute fingerings.
On the other write the 5 lines and place the note where it should be.
For example, D would be on the 4th line. , For lines remember Every(e), Good(g), Boy(b), Does(d), Fine(F); these are the note names of the lines in ascending order.
The spaces spell out F-A-C-E, in ascending order, which is easy to remember because "space" rhymes with "face."
, If you can't remember note names for now you can write the letters above notes. (Your book may do this for you to begin with.) But eventually you will need to recognize notes without letters above them. ,, If you never practice, you will never get better. , (Flutes can grow mold.) First you will have to take your flute apart.
Attach a cloth (not your polishing cloth--part of an old t-shirt will do) to your tuning rod--the long metal, wooden, or plastic needle that came with your flute.
Push the tuning rod though each part of the flute: head joint, body, and foot joint.
You can also buy a swab for this purpose.Cleaning the joints also makes it easier to assemble the flute. , Twist off the head joint, body, and foot joint gently and put them in the case.
Latch the case closed and put it in a safe place, preferably where it will stay at a steady room temperature.
About the Author
Matthew Graham
Creates helpful guides on home improvement to inspire and educate readers.
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