Intonation issues are the bane of our existence. No matter what innovations that flute makers come up with to make the flute better in tune, we still have problems. One of those problems is that the scale a flute is based on is not perfect. Plus, the different metals and cuts of the headjoint can affect intonation as well.
Intonation is a lifelong battle. I don’t think any of us ever conquer it, and that’s because we play with an instrument that is not perfect. There are no perfect instruments, just like there are no perfect players, and so we are in a constant fight with intonation. We all need to work on it.
Our embouchure plays a large role in affecting our intonation both for good and bad. How we form the embouchure and then position that embouchure on the lip plate can create problems for intonation.
While we can tune each note, there are some other techniques that we can use to give us a general in-tune tone.
Here are a few things that are blatantly egregious errors in trying to play in tune. They are not going to solve all your problems. But working on these techniques will help you get on the right track for playing in tune.
Tuning
Whenever you are in a group and you play a tuning note, whether you’re playing a B flat in band or playing an A in an orchestra, we tune to that note. Do you know what? That does not mean every note is in tune. It does not mean that the entire instrument is now tuned, and therefore you don’t need to worry about intonation anymore. When we tune that one note, all that does is get the instrument in a general vicinity of being in tune. It is not the answer to all your play-perfectly-in-tune needs because all our registers are different. Our embouchure needs to change for every register. If we keep our embouchure in just one position, we will have intonation problems along with tonal issues.
Overblowing
Overblowing is one of the biggest problem areas I see with students. If you play sharp most of the time, probably you’re overblowing. How do you fix that? Well, more support. Support is almost always the answer. It is often the case that having more support, better support, using your support in a more precise and concise manner is often the answer. If you don’t have enough support, you have too much air. The more air you play with, the sharper you get. By holding in the air with support you prevent overblowing. Having more support and holding that air is going to give you a better tone quality and help you to play in tune.
Angle of Air
Another area to consider is the angle of which you’re blowing across this strike edge. Too many times when someone is sharp, they think the answer is to roll in, because it is a way to fix it. If you are sharp or flat, you can bring the pitch down or up by moving your head up or down or you can roll in or out. However, that often effects tone quality.
The better way to combat intonation issues rather then moving your head is to move your jaw. To bring the pitch down you will want to lower the air stream. To bring the pitch up you will want to raise the air stream. Rather than moving your head, you move your jaw. The jaw can move in or out which lowers and raises the air stream. It’s all about how you angle the air stream by moving the jaw.
Lip Plate is tight against lip
Playing with the lip plate too tight against the lip is another reason for intonation problems. This particular problem is very common and almost always causes you to be flat. When it’s plastered or jammed against the lip you can see a red stress mark on your left first finger. If you think that you are doing this, then try loosening up with a tuner in front of you and see if your pitch goes up. It is a sure-fire way to check.
These are just a few easy fixes that you can do to help intonation problems. They’re not specific to every single note that you play. That would be a long but very helpful process to work on. However, fixing just a few of these common issues will go a long way toward helping you play in tune!
Have fun!
DoctorFlute
Why Do I Play Out of Tune? FluteTips 138
