The popular flute you will find on the market or online today is the metal flute, but there are so many flute players that still enjoy playing the wooden flute. However, there are advantages and fun that comes with playing the wooden flute, but you need to know how to play the wooden flute before enjoying any of these benefits. How to play the wooden flute is what this post is here to address, and you must be searching for answers if you are still on this page.
Producing richer and better sounds is one advantage the wooden flute has over meta flutes, and the fact that wooden flutes are not surplus on the market like the metal flutes gives them a feeling of high value compared to other flutes. Playing with more power is one of the flaws that comes with playing the wooden flute, and wooden flutes are categorized into blow end or transverse flutes. There are people who find the transverse flute tricky when playing.
The transverse flute on the other hand is way easier to play than you can ever imagine, and getting yourself a well designed and durable bamboo flute is the first thing you must do if you want to learn how to play this flute. At the initial learning stage of playing the flute, you might find the technique of playing the flute very confusing and hard.
Blowing wrongly, giving your lips the wrong shape when blowing, and covering up all of the holes might be what you do. Losing air is the end result of playing the flute this way, but relaxing and taking good breath is the first thing you must learn if you want to learn how to play the wooden flute. After mastering how to relax and breathe when learning how to play the flute, you can move towards learning other basic techniques required for you to play.
It might sound surprising and interesting when we mentioned learning basic techniques on how to play the piano. You might have been thinking playing the flute comes with having the flute in your mouth and blowing, but it goes deeper than just having your flute in your mouth and blowing. A flute system follows the system and design of the Beohm flute system. This is one flute that the Europeans love as it was used during the classical era.
You should follow the following steps we want to show to you if you want to learn how to play the wooden flute.
How To Play Wooden Flute
Steps On How To Play Wooden Flute
Step 1
Holding the flute in the right position is the first step you have to master when learning how to play the flute, and the left hand should be the hand that stays close to the mouth. This doesn’t matter if you are left-handed or right-handed, and hold the flute in the position that it points to the right with its finger holes left open. The next thing you have to learning is positioning the mouth hole edge against the lower lip, while the flute is parallel to the ground.
However, there are flutes that are held in a horizontal position while they are being played. This is why it is important that the elbows are positioned out to the sides. You should avoid pinching the flute too close to the body, and hunching your shoulders would not help you when learning how to play the piano. Taking a relaxed and loosed form is the right thing to do, and practicing in front of a mirror helps you to assume and maintain the right position.
Step 2
Placing your lips in the right position is also important when learning how to play the piano, and leaving a small and flat opening between the lips enables players to maintain a steady thin air stream to the flute’s mouth hole. Closing the lips and breathing deep is what you must do, and pronouncing the word phuuuu will also help you while blowing the flute. Make sure you do not bring in your lower lip, so ensure it sticks out.
Step 3
Taking note of the left hand is something every beginner needs to be wary of, and ensure your left fingers are used in covering the primary holes. Every finger plays a role of covering each of the holes, and this is crucial as to not producing a very weak sound or tone. Your left hand palm should be positioned towards your face, and the pinky fingers should not be used in playing the flute yet. It is preferred as a substitute for another finger.
Step 4
The right hand position is something else that you need to be cautious about, and covering the first three holes on the flute using your left hand fingers is what you are going to do when you assume the correct right hand position. Positioning the right hand so the fingers extend outwards is the correct way to position the right hand, and ensure your right hand is positioned to point away from you.
Step 5
Assuming the right standing position is the next step you have to learn when practicing how to play the flute, and standing straight while holding the back a bit is the right standing position you should assume. Maintaining a good posture helps you breathe correctly while playing the flute, and learning how to breathe from the stomach is necessary. Proper breathing technique helps in producing the best sounds when playing the flute.
Maintaining the neck, spine, and shoulder in a straight position is the right standing position that helps in blowing the flute correctly.
Step 6
Using your finger pad to cover the hole is the next step we want to explain to you, and you should avoid covering the hole using your fingertip. Ensure each hole is properly covered if you want the sounds produced when playing to sound really great, and make sure you avoid leaking out air when playing. This is one of the easiest ways you can make excellent sounds when playing the flute.
Step 7
When blowing air down the mouth hole, opening your lips the right way is going to matter a lot. Producing a ringing and clear sound is what you should look out for when playing the flute, and ensure that air is directly towards the mouth hole’s edge. Just make sure the air you are blowing is enough to generate a clear and ringing sound. When you start learning how to play the flute, your sounds might be weak and shaky.
This shouldn’t stop you from continuing, but have it in mind that constant practice will make you get better at playing the wooden flute. Below are some additional tips we want to leave you with when learning how to play the flute.
Professional Tips
- Do not cover the next hole until you have obtained the sound quality you want from the last hole.
- It is necessary that you blow softly onto the mouth hole if you notice not maintaining a steady pitch
- Pinching your lips tighter will help in playing higher octaves, and this can be achieved without using your lips to make a whistling shape
- When learning how to play the flute, avoid being impatient with yourself. You should be okay with the fact that it might take some time for you to be very good at playing the wooden flute
Final Note – How To Play Wooden Flute
The wooden flutes that are being played to are similar to the wooden flutes that were played in the past, and they also share similar materials used in making them. Wooden flutes can be made using variety of materials, and you should also not forget that playing with the wooden flute sounds more solid compared to playing the metal flute. Take note of the steps we have mentioned in this post, and you will find learning how to play the flute fun and easy.
