It's Easy To Make Music

How To Play The Flute And Piccolo - playing

Home Main Menu Singing & Playing Order & Order Info Support Search Voucher Codes



Share page  Visit Us On FB

think and, since beginners rarely need to use these keys we
are not including the special fingering diagrams that would be
needed to explain all the details about them.

The right second finger works the lever marked B. This lever
opens the D trill key at the top of the flute. In ordinary playing,
you use lever B only when making the very high Bb (Fig. 90).

The right third finger works the lever marked A. This lever
opens the D# trill key. This is used only when you play high
B, the next to the highest note (Fig. 90).

The right little finger's chief function is to press down the Eb
lever. It also, however, presses down levers 11 and 12 when
you need to play low C# and C.

Reading what we nave felt we should write about the finger-
ing of the flute may be more difficult for many readers than
picking up their flute, putting their fingers on the keys, and
making the notes one by one. The flute fingering is not difficult.
We have given explanations of the use of the several special
keys because it is really difficult to figure out how to use them
from the usual fingering diagrams.

Playing the Flute

The greatest difficulty that most beginners have with the
flute is in producing a good, clear tone. This comes with prac-
tice and, as with other wind instruments, one of the best exer-
cises to develop the lip strength needed for a good tone is to
play sustained notes for a few minutes every day.

There is no reason on earth why you should not start to play
tunes you like, including the melodies of popular dance tunes,
as soon as you learn how to make the notes and can get a
good tone. You only have to play one note at a time, and you
will find that most melodies do not call for a wide range of
notes or for very rapid playing.

Play as slowly as you like at first. Don't try to build Rome in
a day. The more you play, the easier it gets, and little by little
the blowing and the marking of the notes will become second
nature to you.
122

Previous Contents Next