When you practice octave slurs, you need to think about the tone you’re getting when you go up the octave.
Are you actually blowing harder, or are you using your airstream and raising the airstream in order to get that upper octave?
If you struggle to get the upper octave and you feel like you have to blow harder, there’s a couple tips that you need to remember.
Your vowel shape in your mouth needs
to go from ahh
to ooh.
What that does is it takes your air from being
down here, blowing ahh,
to up here blowing ooh.
It changes the airstream and moves it up. When it moves it up, all of a sudden, it’s being split differently. Less air is going into your flute and more air is coming and splitting and going out.
That helps you gain the octave without having to blow harder.
So, think about that when you are practicing your octave slurs, or practicing your long tones, or whatever other tonal exercises you’re doing.
Can you get your upper register just as simply and as beautifully as you can by not blowing harder, but by actually moving that airstream?
Practice this and let me know how it works for you.
Have Fun!
DoctorFlute
Watch me demonstrate this: FluteTips 13 Octave Slurs
Octave Slurs for Better High Notes on the Flute – FluteTips 125
Piccolo 3rd Octave Notes – FluteTips 70
