Bending Pitch Extended Flute Technique

There are a lot of pieces being composed today that use the extended technique of bending your pitch. Sometimes it’s bending down and other times you bend up. It’s very easy to bend down it’s more difficult to bend it up. Here’s some keys to think about when you’re bending.

Don’t Do This in Orchestra!

Let me caveat this little instruction with warning that you’d better not try this in your lessons, in band, or in orchestra! When I work with students on intonation, I want them to learn how to change their intonation with their embouchure and by raising and lowering their air stream.

Don’t Do This in Band!

Also when playing in band or orchestra don’t change your intonation by moving the head up or down or by rolling in or out. Yes, you can make a note flat or sharp with either of these techniques. But if your goal is to become a better, more accomplished flutist who is in control of the intonation of the notes you play, then you must learn the subtleties of producing notes at the right pitch by manipulating the shape of your embouchure and the direction of your air stream.

Throw the Rules Out the Window!

That said, when we perform extended techniques, we can throw all those rules right out the window. If you want to bend your pitch it’s much easier to move your head or roll your flute. We’re not trying to subtly adjust a note to get it on pitch. We’re trying to elongate a sound to achieve an effect. So, when you want to bend the pitch down – easy – bend your head and roll your flute. You have a lot of room to elongate that bending sound. However, when you want to bend the pitch in an upward direction and you start in your usual embouchure position, there’s very little space to go up.

Anticipate Bending UP

If you know that in an approaching measure, you will have an upward pitch bend then what you have to do is start lower with that pitch lower. Meaning begin the note with the embouchure tilted down and/or just plain roll in. Then you can both roll out and move your head up. It’s anticipating what’s coming that will help you bend up. It’s all about how much you raise that air stream to bring the pitch clearly up. Starting in your normal position you won’t have far to go so begin with a lowered embouchure! Have fun working on your extended techniques! All of them are a lot of fun and once you begin to learn some extended techniques, you’ll be able excited to tackle any piece with extended techniques.

Have Fun!
DoctorFlute

Watch me demonstrate this:

FluteTips 62 Bending Pitch Extended Flute Technique

Bending Pitch Extended Flute Technique - FluteTips 62