How to Use Flute Mouth Techniques

Create music on the flute using proper mouth techniques, known as embouchure. Sound quality and the pitch of notes depend on the position of the mouth and the speed of the airflow through the mouth to the mouthpiece. Slight variances cause a note to become sharp or flat, and even cause octave changes in notes without changing fingerings on a flute.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Begin with just the head of the flute where the mouthpiece is located, without assembling the instrument. This will allow you to concentrate on tone quality.

2. Raise the head of the flute to your mouth with the flute head straight out to the right of your face, parallel to the floor.

3. Position your hands on the longer end of the head of the flute with your left hand closer to your face and the palm facing backward. Move the right hand further away with the palm facing forward.

4. Place your lower lip on the metal mouthpiece, approximately 1/8 of an inch from the hole in the mouthpiece.

5. Blow gently across the top of the hole on the flute head as if blowing out the candles on a birthday cake. Adjust your mouth position by rolling the head of the flute slightly toward or away from you mouth to change your air stream and pitch.

6. Practice changing the pitch by covering the far end of the flute head with the palm of your hand to produce a lower pitch. Remove your palm to create a higher pitch.

Resources

• Use Larry Krantz.com for mouth illustrations for the flute.