The immediate and long-term effects of practicing extended flute techniques

on the overall performance qualities in standard flute repertoire.

In this chapter I will list the physical benefits of practicing 14 specific extended techniques on
flute – used in contemporary performance practice – and how including these techniques in
your daily warm-up will contribute to your overall performance qualities in standard
repertoire.

1. Extreme flute playing

1.1. Dynamics: ppppppp >< fffffff

A lot of flute students struggle with the extremities in dynamics. Pianissimos often sound too
loud and too flat, with a lot of escaping air and saliva. Fortissimos on the other hand sound
too high, too soft and with too much residue air.
A reason for this is that the muscles of the lips, the diaphragm, the abdominal muscles, the
oblique abdominal muscles and the lower back muscles are not active/strong enough. They
don’t provide enough support and resistance to compensate the natural flaws of the
instrument. In other words: we need to train those muscles on a daily basis.

In contemporary music, composers

constantly seek the physical limits
of both the instrument and the
performer. So, performers have to
be able to play as soft as possible
and as loud as possible in all kinds
of different ranges and settings.

In order to do so, we need to train

our diaphragm very intensively.
Playing ppppppp in a very high
register means that the diaphragm
is pulled up as high as possible
Lower back muscles
(yes, it hurts!).

Not just for a brief second, but in a very stable way and for a longer period of time. This
means that we need the support of all of our abdominal muscles and lower back muscles
(Latissimus Dorsi, Lumbar Aponeurosis and Gluteus Maximus) in order to control and
stabilize the diaphragm.

Not only the diaphragm is important, also the lip muscles need to be trained to be very
flexible and precise. Playing ppppp requires a very small embouchure (very small gap

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between the lips), combined with a very open oral cavity (think ‘⟨ɜ⟩’1). Relax the sides of the
embouchure and guide the airstream into the flute with the middle part of the embouchure.
While doing so, imagine there is a bug sitting on the tip of your nose, this in order to
lengthen the distance between the nose and the upper lip.

Playing fffffff requires a controlled, large embouchure with a downward airstream. The
abdominal muscles are important for the support and control of the airstream. Being able to
use your lower back muscles provides extra support and fundamental control to actually
focus as much as possible on creating enough space for the note to sound in a rich and
projecting way.

Also here it is important to open up your oral cavity (think ‘⟨ɜ⟩’), which automatically leads to
more relaxed sides of the embouchure and a focused airstream in the middle of the
embouchure.

What might help here, is to open up the body as much as possible. Open up your chest by
directing your sternum upwards, place your weight on your rear leg (like the Baroque flute-
position) and lift your head upwards. This will give you the necessary resistance to practice
these extreme fortissimos.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Training these extreme dynamics will make life easier with the more conventional pp
and ff. Whenever we experience a technical issue, expanding the limits of the problem
helps solving the problem. If you are struggling with your pp’s, it is about time to
attack those ppppppp’s!
- Contributing to a strong and stable diaphragm and developing the abdominal and
lower back muscles, to provide more support while playing in general.
- Flexibility of the embouchure to control and fix intonation problems. The more you
learn how to play with the center of your embouchure (instead of locking the sides of
your embouchure), the more flexibility you will develop.
- Control over different articulations in these registers: as well staccato as long notes
become easier because of the advanced muscle control.

1.2. Vibrato

Playing with or without vibrato; with different speeds and amplitudes... Vibrato has always
been the center of a critical discussion topic within historical performance practice (HIPP).
What type of vibrato is actually ‘in style’ for a certain repertoire?

Over the past years I noticed that choosing a type of vibrato often has more to do with
technical limitations, than with an actual conscious stylistic choice.

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Check the pronunciation of the IPA online

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I would like to refer to an anecdote, that a first-hand source told me, about a German
orchestra, a few years ago:

For their recordings of the Beethoven symphonies, the conductor asked the musicians at
some point to play non-vibrato, since they were performing on historical instruments.
Apparently, the woodwind section in particular struggled with this demand, since they were
not really capable of playing without vibrato. Their education was so focused on standard
orchestral repertoire, with the development of sound, based on the amplitude of the
vibrato: a certain speed and amplitude of the vibrato results in a larger and projecting
sound. While very effective in developing an open and brilliant sound, less effective in
developing a flexibility, adaptable towards multiple styles and time periods.

Contemporary composers like to explore different types of (extreme) vibrato. They

experiment with the speed, amplitude or placement (diaphragm, throat or lips) of the
vibrato and make a clear statement whether the vibrato even has to be heard or not.
Practicing all the different types of vibrato will give you more options to choose from.

Playing without vibrato triggers a lot of other problems though: you need to have a better
support of the diaphragm and abdominal muscles in order to keep the tension in (long)
phrases; the color changes need to be performed with the embouchure, without the help of
a masking vibrato and dynamical changes are harder to execute in terms of intonation,
because there is no vibrato for compensation.

But once you control all these different types of vibrato (and non-vibrato!), you will have a
greater freedom to perform on stage. You will be able to make profound stylistic
performance choices, rather than being limited to one or two options.

What to practice?

Non-vibrato:
Make sure you don’t use any vibrato, not even those unconscious ‘diaphragm shivers’.
Observe what a stable diaphragm means for your intonation, sound, phrasing and adapt
accordingly, without giving up de the perseverance of playing without vibrato.

‘Normal’ vibrato:
Observe your habitual vibrato. What is the amplitude? Is it (ir)regular? Try to vary these
parameters (amplitude, speed, regularity).

Molto vibrato:
Expand the amplitude of the vibrato and experiment with speed and (ir)regularity. A good
exercise is to activate the diaphragm very irregularly, so the vibrato sounds like muscle
spasms. This will wake up your diaphragm!

Smorzato:
Lip vibrato. Make the vibrato by opening and closing your mouth, thinking ‘wawawawawa’.
Like a fish opening and closing its mouth.

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Effects of practicing this technique:

- Purposefully playing with or without vibrato requires a conscious and controlled use
of the diaphragm. This will help you to play long, focused phrases that are ‘alive’
(with direction in the musical phrases). This also means that you should change the
color of your sound (without compromising the intonation!) by controlling the
amount and speed of your air, and by modifying the embouchure. Vibrato should not
be used as a masking parameter!
- Playing without vibrato gives a clearer insight on the actual musical phrasing of
historical music. Vibrato is a helpful tool that will automatically give a certain
direction in a phrase, but without vibrato, the performer has to be really conscious
about his/her own musical analysis.
- By varying the speed and amplitude of the vibrato, the diaphragm develops a certain
flexibility, needed to play staccato for example.
- Being aware of how vibrato works and what the different options are, will create an
extra consciousness of colors in sound. Focusing on the bottom of the amplitude will
highlight the undertones of the sound, while a fast and small amplitude in the vibrato
will represent a brighter sound.
- Practicing smorzato will help you to develop a larger flexibility and independency of
the lips/embouchure. Many students play with very tensed sides of the embouchure,
with the flute severely pushed against the chin. This results in a lack of flexibility in
intonation, register/interval jumps and dynamics. Not to mention the physical
problems of playing too convulsively.
Moving the lips in such a loose way will help to eliminate that tension. This enlarges
the concept that lips don’t create sound. We make sound by using our lips, but sound
is being created by blowing air against the edge of the mouth hole. The lips are
guiding that air stream, but that doesn’t mean they have to be so inflexible and tense.
This technique helps developing an overall relaxation of the embouchure and body in
general.

1.3. Harmonics

Although harmonics are not commonly written in standard music, it helps to master them.
Harmonics change the color and intonation of a note, what can be very useful in a chamber
music or orchestral setting.
Also for solo music and for pieces with piano it is interesting to know harmonic alternatives,
because they can be a solution for those very soft and very long high notes with a
decrescendo at the end.

A good example is the orchestral excerpt ‘L’Arlésienne Suite No.2’ by George Bizet.
The first phrase ends on a G6 in pp. An alternative could be the fingering of a C4, without the
thumb (LH), in order to avoid intonation problems.

Harmonics give a better understanding of the harmonic pattern and the difference between
tempered instruments and non-tempered instruments. Flutists can experience the principals
of non-tempered playing and the use of partials by practicing their own harmonic scales.

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After that experience, playing with strings will make more sense and it will be a lot easier to
adjust the intonation while playing chamber music.

What to practice?

Take the fingerings of the low B, C, D, E, F and G. Purposefully determine which harmonic
you want to reach and keep repeating it until you play the correct partial time after time,
without any glitches. If you can’t hear the pitch, use your tuning device.
After a while, you will know where to physically ‘place’ the harmonic, in order to reach the
predetermined partial.
Now play with this concept and make your own songs on harmonics.

Tip: imagine all the harmonics are visually placed on a vertical scale and that you need to
reach those positions with your diaphragm. This will stimulate your muscle memory.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Harmonic notes cannot be produced with the effort of the diaphragm alone; they also
require a lot of flexibility from the embouchure. This is again an exercise to loosen up
that very tight embouchure.
- Consciousness of the physics of your instrument: knowing the pattern of the harmonic
scale on your instrument helps to make quick decisions in choosing a harmonic on a
specific fingering, based on color and intonation. For example: a C6 can be obtained
with the fingering of a C4, but also with a fingering of a F4. The one on the C4 will
sound a little darker and more closed (and also slightly lower), while the one on the
F4 has a fragility and brightness in the sound.
- Harmonics change the color of the note. Without really practicing and memorizing
them, it is difficult to understand and recognize these colors. Knowing that so many
colors exist on our instrument creates a greater freedom in interpreting music. This is
a very useful tool while playing chamber music or orchestral music. There are
moments where we need to blend in the sound of the ensemble. Often the flute still
pops out because of the overtones in the sound. This can be fixed by considering
alternative fingerings.

1.4. Polyrhythm

Contemporary music also confronts us with profound issues regarding the musical structure,
like polyrhythms. A polyrhythm is a combination of two or more rhythms, played
simultaneously, while moving at the same linear tempo.
This requires a more developed inner tempo feeling and a more profound understanding of
rhythm, pulse and tempo.
Polyrhythms are not only for pianists or percussionist. As a flutist, it is also important to
understand the principles of advanced rhythm.

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Brian Ferneyhough, one of the more important composers for complex(ity) flute music, uses
these principles all the time. In order to play his music, you need to develop a strong and
independent inner tempo feeling.

What to practice?

- Practice simple polyrhythms like 3:2, 3:4, 4:3, 2:3 by tapping the beats (the last number)
with your hand against your chest, and saying the amount of notes (the first number) out
loud.

More exercises and explanation/deciphering of profound rhythm can be found in my book

‘Tomorrow’s music in practice today’, where there is a whole chapter dedicated to this
matter.

- Simply snap the off beats with your fingers when you are listening to songs on the radio.
This is a very effective exercise in developing a more independent and stable tempo feeling.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Developing a better tempo stability. Not only in solo pieces, but also while playing
with other people. Once you are able to execute two contrasting rhythms at the same
time, you will experience less distraction while playing with other people.
This kind of exercises will help to create an independent tempo feeling.
- Playing while internally feeling the off beats, creates a different musical experience.
Music will not sound so rushed anymore, once the off beat is placed correctly.
- Difficult rhythmical structures are not so difficult anymore once you have executed
them together as a polyrhythm. Single rhythms then become natural.
- A more surprising benefit is the changed attitude towards appoggiaturas. You can
really ‘feel’ the placement of those grace notes internally, without changing the
tempo. Appoggiaturas and diminutions in Baroque music will not sound so awkwardly
out of tempo anymore.

2. Air sounds/ Aeolian sound

I experience a lot of resistance towards this technique, because flute players are afraid of
losing their focused and centered sound.
I admit that this way of producing sound will challenge the position of the embouchure at
first, especially by playing loud and aggressive air sounds.
But it also helps to loosen tension form the lips and cheeks. This is important in order to
control a more airy and soft sound (‘doux’), frequently used in French music.
An example I think of is ‘Les folies d’Espagne’ by Marin Marais, or music by French
impressionists. This music doesn’t require very extreme air sounds, like in contemporary
music, but it needs a softer color. This color is not that easy to produce on a flute.

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Without a proper control of the embouchure and oral cavity, the lips will start to tremble,
which will result in a wiggling sound and bad intonation instead of a controlled soft sound.

Air sounds and soft colors both require a fragile balance between tension and relaxation of
the lips, mouth and cheeks. They can be produced in different ways, all resulting in a
different color.
Blowing air while pronouncing a fierce ‘F’ will result in a very strong and aggressive air
sound. A gentler sound is possible by loosening the tightness of the embouchure and cheeks,
in other words, by pronouncing a loose ‘WU’. Another possibility is pronouncing an ‘S’ while
blowing air, or the gentle ‘G’, back in the throat.

While producing an air sound, the position of the oral cavity can also be changed
purposefully. Using the same position of the oral cavity, as if pronouncing a specific vowel,
changes the color of the sound. This is very noticeable with air sounds, but this technique
also creates significant differences with a normal sound. An ‘O’ or an ‘A’ will produce a larger
and broader sound while an ‘E’ sounds more nasal. The more flexibility in changing the
vowels, the more fluent color changes can be made in classical music.

Performing Baroque music also requires the same principal. The technique ‘blending’ is
often used on long notes. This is especially a term used in Germany, and therefore adopted
in many other European countries. Blending can be explained by ‘going in and out of focus
within the same note’. It is the same principle as making crescendo and decrescendo, but
here it is without changing the dynamic level.

What to practice?

- Experiment with different air sounds, pronouncing different consonants:

F, S, CH, gentle G, L, W

Important: while doing so, be determined in your action without increasing the amount of
air or dynamic level. A good metaphor is shaking hands: this can be done with a very strong
and solid hand, but still as a small gesture. You can also give a handshake with a very weak
hand, but that will not come across as powerful. Air sounds are powerful (meaning: with
support of the diaphragm), without necessarily being loud.

- While playing long notes, change the shape of your oral cavity and pronounce different
vowels (A,E,I,O,U). Notice how the vowels shape and change the color of your sound. The
‘wider’ vowels, A, O and U, will create a softer sound, appropriate for French music.

- While playing long notes, change between normal and air sound. This will boost the
flexibility of your embouchure!

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Effects of practicing this technique:

- The gentleness in the sound, gained by practicing this technique, will help to develop
the proper color needed for French music and Baroque music.
- An important aspect of contemporary music is to make gradual changes from air to
normal sound and to air again. This requires a great amount of control and flexibility
of the embouchure, air and cheeks.
- The softer color is especially used in the low and middle register, because the higher
notes ask for a more focused embouchure. Air sounds help to control color changes in
the lower register.
- The fragile balance between lip tension and lip relaxation is difficult to practice.
Playing air sounds and changing the intensity and amount of air will help to develop a
better resistance of the lips. This will prevent you from having trembling lips while
changing colors.

3. Pizzicati

A pizzicato on the flute is a short, sharp sound, produced by

the tongue or lips, without using air. There are 3 different
ways of performing this sound: with the tongue between the
lips (langue sortie), with the tongue against the palate and by
producing a fierce ‘p’ with the lips.

The most conventional technique is the first one, since it is a

derivative of the French technique ‘langue sortie’.
Marcel Moyse used this original technique as an exercise in
his technique book ‘De la sonorité: Art et Technique’, written
in 1934. The goal of this technique is to produce more
powerful low register notes, with an immediate attack.
Contemporary composers used that technique as a starting
point for the pizzicato sound, by eliminating the air stream.

Marcel Moyse - De la sonorité

The second option for a pizzicato is by curling the tongue against the palate, right behind the
little gully. Pushing the tongue fiercely downwards, while pronouncing a (hollow!) ‘T’
produces the preferred sound. Stable support of the diaphragm will lead to a louder and
more aggressive sound. It is important here to end the ‘T’ with the mouth position of an ‘⟨ɜ⟩’,
but without using any air!
This might take some time, since the muscles of the tongue need to be trained daily in order
to develop enough resistance for such a powerful movement.

The third option is pronouncing a ‘P’ with the lips. For this technique you have to pull the lips
inwards and press them together first (think of your grandmother without teeth).

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Then the trick is to release them as fast as possible, with the immediate release of all the
energy you stored inside your mouth.
It is important here to end the ‘P’ with the mouth position of an ‘⟨ɜ⟩’, but without using any
air!

What to practice?

Practice all these types of pizzicati the same way you practice the original Moyse ‘langue
sortie’ exercise!

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Since the first technique is based on the same principle as the langue sortie -
technique, the resistance of the lips will improve in order to produce more steady and
focused low notes. From a personal experience I can say that my low register
improved by focusing on this type of pizzicato. Before knowing this pizzicato
technique, I never really understood the principle of the langue sortie.
I could not produce a sound, right after the tongue articulation. But after separating
the two actions, it made more sense to me to actually combine them. Focusing on
the pizzicato part first and not trying to force the low notes, can help to develop the
tone quality of the low register.
- The second option requires a huge effort and strength from the tongue. It is not easy
to find the correct intensity of the tongue muscles to produce this sound. But while
experimenting with different angles and intensities of the tongue, your tongue
actually gets more muscular. This is an enormous benefit for playing staccato,
because a ‘weak’ tongue slows down the tempo of the staccato and weakens the
focus of the sound within the attack.
- The third way of playing staccato is a technique that focuses on the lips. To produce
this sound, you need to put tension on the central lip muscles (orbicularis oris) while
relaxing the muscles around your mouth. Training these muscles provide the
possibility of a more centralized embouchure, with a more focused sound as a result.

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4. Jet whistle

A jet whistle is a sound produced by covering the lip plate with the mouth and by blowing a
strong and focused airstream through the embouchure hole, under a certain angle (which is
different for everyone). You will hear a high-pitched version of an Aeolian sound, only much
louder and combined with whistle sound partials. Remember the sound you made as a kid,
warming up your instrument by just blowing into the tube? This is it!
This sound is produced by the airstream breaking against the edge of the mouth hole of the
lip plate.

What to practice?

Use the fingerings of the low register and experiment with different angles of the mouth
position, in order to get this sound as a result. Do it daily, but not for too long, since
consuming that much air will make you light-headed.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- This technique will be one of the most effective exercises to develop the abdominal
and oblique abdominal muscles, the diaphragm and the lower back muscles. An
enormous amount of support and resistance is required to produce this sound.
- I experienced that many students are afraid or ashamed to give this enormous
amount of air and therefore don’t develop the required power, necessary for certain
techniques. Focusing on jet whistles will not only help you to overcome some

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 psychological boundaries regarding this very physical way of playing, but it will also
help you dosing a large amount of air in a controlled way.
- Developing the power/muscles/resistance, necessary to play fortissimo with an open
and projecting tone.

5. Tongue Ram

A tongue ram requires a similar execution as a jet whistle. Also for this technique it is
necessary to cover the lip plate completely with the mouth, but instead of only pushing a
huge amount of air out of the lungs, the tongue should be ‘shot’ (like a catapult) between
the teeth. As a result, you will hear a pitched, muffled ‘HT’ that sounds a seventh lower than
the original fingering.

What to practice?

The same Moyse exercise (see Pizzicati) can be used for practicing tongue rams. Take
enough time between the tongue rams, so you can carefully prepare the correct position of
the mouth, lips and tongue.

Tip: Even while covering the mouth hole, it still helps to shape your mouth as if you would
say the vowel ⟨ɜ⟩. This will help you to find the right embouchure opening. An embouchure
that is too large will prevent you from using a high airspeed (leaving you without sound), an
embouchure that is too narrow, will prevent you from producing a loud sound.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Similar effects, regarding airstream, power and muscular development, as those from
the jet whistle can be expected.
- The focus on the placing, speed and power of the tongue improves the strength of the
tongue muscles, which results in a better controlled staccato.

6. Whistle sounds

Whistle sounds are sounds produced by a very small, but very focused amount of air, in
combination with a very precise embouchure. A whistle sound can accidently be achieved
while trying to play pianissimo, but with an airspeed that is too high, and too little
diaphragm support.
As the name of the technique already suggests, it sounds like a ‘whistling sound’.
Roughly we can distinguish 3 major types of whistle sounds:

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6.1. Open embouchure

These whistles sounds require a very controlled airstream, while aiming that air towards the
edge of the mouth hole.
They can be executed in an unstable way (fluctuating between all the harmonic possibilities
of a specific fingering) or in a stable way (keeping one specific note very steady for an
amount of time). Especially the latter is difficult to sustain and demands a high level of
control.

This technique is based on the muscular memory of the central lip muscles (orbicularis oris).
To hold a whistle sound as long as possible, the best way to train it is by using a fingering of a
high register note and actually whistling into the tube of the flute, while keeping the flute in
the normal position. At first this will feel very uncomfortable and the lips will tremble, but it
is a very doable goal.
In order to play long and steady whistle sounds, it is necessary to train them daily for a
longer period of time.

What to practice?

At the end of your practice day, in front of Netflix or a movie, play some whistles sounds (on
fingerings of the high register) for about an hour. These sounds make no noise and will not
disturb anyone. If you do so while focusing on something else, you will be able to practice
them for an hour each day, without cramping up. Whistle sounds need muscle memory and
very precise resistance. Endurance is key for this technique!

Effects of practicing this technique:

- The effort required to control a whistle sound is so high, that sustaining a normal
pianissimo note will become much easier.
- The best way to stop the lip muscles from trembling while playing long pianissimo
notes, is by practicing these whistle sounds every day. This will improve the muscular
stability of your lips on a long term.
- Since you are focusing on fine-tuning the central muscles, an instant improvement of
pianissimo playing will occur.
- Playing long and brilliant pianissimo notes and whistle sounds is not possible without
finding the correct amount of space inside the mouth and throat. By enlarging the
space between the upper and lower teeth, the necessary space will occur for the note
to sound freely.

6.2. Closed embouchure

You can also play whistle sounds while covering the lip plate with the lips. In order to do so,
you have to place the center of your upper lip against the edge of the embouchure hole. The
lower lip should cover the bottom part of the lip plate.

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Once the upper lip is in position, you have to blow ‘hot air’ into the flute: this means air with
a slow speed. Since the mouth is completely open, and no embouchure can be formed, air
will be automatically slow and unfocused. The specific angle of the mouth towards the flute,
to get the actual whistle sound, is different from person to person. The best way to succeed
is by exploring and trying it out yourself, since nobody can actually show what he/she is
doing inside their mouth.

Another aspect of this exercise is the variation of the lip tension. While playing closed mouth
whistle sounds, different harmonics can occur. By changing the lip tension, blowing angle
and space inside the mouth, you can play the same harmonic scale as with normal harmonic
notes. This is a great way to physically ‘feel’ the construction of a harmonic scale, since a
physical motion is required to produce the different harmonic notes.

What to practice?

Take the fingerings of the low B,C,C,E,F,G. Try first to produce this whistle sound. Once you
find the correct angle (for you!) to produce the sound, try experimenting with different
upper lip tensions and make your own harmonic exercises.
Like with the normal harmonics, decide which partial you want to play and aim for it to
sound immediately.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- This technique is useful to develop the muscular stability, necessary for the first
whistle sound technique. By fixating the upper lip against the edge of the mouth hole,
the lip will experience a certain amount of pressure and tension. What makes it easier
than the first technique, is that the lip can be placed against a solid substance, in this
case the mouthpiece (the mouthpiece serves as a resistant body).
It is comparable with training arm muscles. Holding your arms parallel with the floor
for five minutes can be challenging and the muscles can start trembling.
Placing your arms in the same position against a wall, will still test the endurance of
your arm muscles, but in a more supported way. This is a good exercise to train the
upper lip muscles, without risking any muscular damage.

6.3. Whistle sounds combined with Flatterzunge (Flutter-tonguing)

The combination of these two techniques (I will explain Flatterzunge later) is very hard to
execute and will not be possible unless the technique of the whistle sound becomes natural.
While playing a steady (open embouchure) whistle sound, you also have to pronounce a
‘RRRRR’ in the back of your throat, by trembling the uvula.
Doing this undermines the continuity of the airstream, necessary to produce a whistle
sound. The balance between whistle sound and the flutter is very fragile. The slightest
change in airspeed, blowing angle or support can influence this technique.

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Tip: it is very useful to mentally divide the two techniques and to decide to which technique
you will dedicate your air. In this case, your air should (psychologically) go to the whistle
sound. The flutter should come naturally without actively dedicating air to it. (more about
that in the section about flutter tongue.)

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Playing this combination of sounds requires an extreme control and balance between
air, lips, diaphragm, abdominal muscles, mouth and throat. I find this an ultimate
exercise to strengthen the stability of all the above-mentioned body parts. This
exercise requires an advanced level of flute playing.

7. Flatterzunge (Flutter-tonguing)

Flatterzunge is a very common technique, already used at the end of the 19th century.
One of the first composers who wrote this technique was P. Tchaikovsky, in the 4th
movement of his ballet, The Nutcracker (1892).

The sound produced by this technique is a strong ‘FRRRRR’, whereby the tongue ‘flutters’ to
disturb the continuity of the airstream. For this option you have to be able to pronounce the
‘R’ with your tongue.
A second technique for the flatterzunge is rolling an ‘R’ at the back of the throat.
The flatterzunge can be played with an open embouchure or with a closed one.

What to practice?

- A good exercise is to use flutter tongue on your low notes. You will physically feel the
vibrations of the sound, helping you to open up your sound in the low register.

- Try to isolate the uvula trill, in order to combine it with a whistle sound (see section above).
It seems impossible to tremble the uvula without dedicating air to it, but it’s not! Listen to
the purring of a cat, and try to imitate that, without using air or your vocal cords. Only the
uvula.

Tip: It is a difficult technique. Something that helps activating that specific movement is
gargling with water. Alternate between using your voice to activate the uvula, and between
only using the uvula (like a cat). It takes a while, but once you understood the mechanism, it
becomes very easy.

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Effects of practicing this technique:

- The vibrations and resonance, created by pronouncing an ‘R’, will help to develop an
open and relaxed sound. Especially in the low register. Pronouncing an ‘R’ while
blowing air requires a certain amount of space inside the mouth and throat. This,
combined with the relaxation in the cheeks and embouchure, will help you to make
the sound more open and richer in the low register.

8. Vocalizations

All kinds of vocalizations can be used while playing the flute. It is a popular technique in
contemporary music since it gives an extra parameter to a monophonic instrument. Using
vocalizations is a great way to create harmonies and texture.

A common practice for singers to project sound is by pushing down their vocal cords. This
creates more space inside the oral cavity. The position of the vocal cords, throat, teeth,
palate, tongue and nose is called ‘the mask’. By enlarging the size of the mask, the produced
tone sounds more open, supported and projected.

This can also be used for playing the flute. The position of the vocal cords is something that
is easily overlooked by instrumentalists. By lowering them, we create more space inside our
mouth, which results in a richer and more projected sound.

While combining singing and playing, the diaphragm support we normally use to sustain the
airstream is now used to support two actions. Both actions can be controlled separately.

What to practice?

- A good exercise is to make crescendo on the singing part and diminuendo on the playing
part, or vice versa. The more independency can be gained between the two gestures, the
more control over one single action will be possible.

The different exercises of simultaneously singing and playing are the following:

- The sung note and the played note are the same.
- The sung note is lower than the played note.
- The sung note is higher than the played note.
- The voice sings a continuous drone while the played notes fluctuate.
- The voice fluctuates while the played note is a continuous drone.
- The singing part and the playing part have two independent melodies.
- The voice can be used for screaming, glissandi or pronouncing different vowels
and consonants. These options are possible with an open or a closed
embouchure.

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- Using vowels while singing into the flute (with closed embouchure) changes the color of
the produced sound. This can really open up or muffle the sound. The same technique can
be used to manipulate the color of the regular flute sound, by using a similar position of the
oral cavity while playing the flute.

- A more elaborated (and difficult) exercise is the following: use different pitches for the
sung notes and the played notes. This creates a consciousness of the physical placement of
each note. Every note played on the flute has its own position on the air column.
This is the reason we know where to place the diaphragm in order to play a certain note.
The same applies to singing.
Because the sung note is strongly influenced by the pitch/position of the played note, it is
important to focus on the sung note while practicing this exercise. The played note should
appear on its own, without thinking of it.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Since the use of the vocal cords is disturbing the continuity of the air stream, a more
focused support of the diaphragm is needed. This will result in a constant and stable
airstream, necessary for the daily flute playing.
- A lot of students put pressure on the throat while playing the flute. Especially while
aiming for a pianissimo sound in the high register or a full sound in the low register.
Playing low notes while singing will automatically open and relax the throat.
- The more the two gestures become independent, the more the normal flute sound
will appear naturally and without any effort.

9. Multiphonics

A multiphonic is a sound that contains several different notes in one sound. They are
produced by using special fingerings, allowing the flute to produce more than one note at
the time. These chords are rarely tonal and include many quarter- and microtones.
In order to play a multiphonic, the balance between air, embouchure and support has to be
precise and adjusted. The slightest change in one of those elements can lead to the failure of
that multiphonic.

Although many handbooks with fingerings of all kinds of multiphonics exist, it really depends
on your own instrument ànd physical body how and if these chords will sound.
An important aspect of playing multiphonics is searching for the correct fingerings yourself.
Since every multiphonic sounds differently on every flute, this is a great opportunity to
explore your own instrument.
‘What happens when I use a trill key? What happens if I change the fingering of the right
hand? Can I use basic fingerings as a starting point to develop my own multiphonics?’

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There are roughly three different categories of multiphonics:

9.1. Regular multiphonics

These multiphonics are produced by using special fingerings. They can be loud, soft, stable,
unstable, easy to produce, impossible to produce...
The chords can contain notes of one, two or even three different octaves.

Multiphonic fingerings that include the use of one or both trill keys will almost always sound
very soft and fragile.
Multiphonics produced while using the fingerings of the third octave will almost always be
loud and aggressive.

What to practice?

- Take the fingerings of the high register and play the undertone on that fingering, by not
giving enough pressure to produce the real note. Once you hear that undertone, push your
flute against your chin (with your left hand), give diaphragm support, give gradually more air
(little bits!) and continue this process until you hear multiple tones together.

- Take the fingering of a low F and experiment with using one and/or both trill keys. You will
need to open up your embouchure and lower the airspeed for these multiphonics.

Tip: Multiphonics contain multiple notes and therefore need more space to sound, than a
singular note. Open up your embouchure to give the necessary space. Multiphonics over 3
registers will require a larger embouchure than multiphonics in the same register.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Playing regular multiphonics forces you to focus on the stability and control of the
diaphragm, lips and airstream.
- Even very small embouchure changes can have a huge impact on the execution of the
multiphonic. This is the best technique to practice the stability, resistance, flexibility
and endurance of the embouchure.
- While it is already difficult enough to create the necessary oral space for one note to
sound, now at least two notes need to be produced. When the teeth are too close
together or when the throat is closed: No multiphonic will sound!

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9.2. Harmonic multiphonics

These multiphonics are produced by using the fingering

of a standard low note. By ‘overblowing’ that note, a
harmonic note will appear (see section about harmonics).
The combination of the fundamental note with a
harmonic note or a combination of two harmonic notes is
called a harmonic multiphonic.
The exact point where the pressure, airstream and
support meet in order to produce such sounds is very
precise.

The mask, created by the oral cavity, tongue, vocal cords

teeth and lips, is crucial in producing these sounds. The
airstream needs to be projected from the top of the
mouth in order to create enough room for the
multiphonic to sound. It is important to really blow into
the flute, so the airstream will not disturb the space of
the mask.

Tip: Think that a bug is sitting on your nose. This will enlarge the space between your nose
and upper lip. Also having the oral cavity in the shape of the sound ‘⟨ɜ⟩’ will help guiding the
airstream.

Important: you need to train the diaphragm to keep it very steady, since the slightest
movement will disturb the fragile balance.

What to practice?

- Play fundamental, low notes and try to find the first harmonic (octave). When you can
easily change between both of them, try to combine them together in one sound.

- Once you can combine a harmonic with a fundamental note, try to combine 2 harmonic
notes.

Tip: it is easier to start from the highest note and then open up the embouchure slightly, in
order to reach the lower note. Building this multiphonic from the bottom up will force you to
use more air and pressure, which doesn’t help with this specific type.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- These multiphonics require a more fragile and precise positioning of the embouchure
than pianissimo notes. Playing pianissimo will become easy(ier) afterwards and will
require less effort.
- The constant activity of the diaphragm will be very fatiguing at first.
However, the same effort is needed to play soft high notes on the flute and on the
piccolo.

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9.3. Microtonal multiphonics

Microtonal multiphonics are, as the name already suggests, multiphonics with a microtonal
distance between two notes. These sounds require some experimentation on the position of
the embouchure.
Some of them are played with the mouthpiece completely turned outwards; others will only
sound with the mouthpiece completely turned in.
In many cases the quality of the sound cannot be controlled, since a focused embouchure is
not possible while the flute is turned out so much.

What to practice?

These multiphonics should be practiced specifically. Here you find some examples2.
Experiment with the embouchure and mouthpiece position.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- The exploration of such extreme embouchure angles improves the flexibility and
resistance of the lips. This is necessary to fix more extreme intonation problems, such
as pianissimo or fortissimo notes or due to external weather conditions.

10. Circular breathing

The goal of circular breathing is a continuous sound without any interruption. First, you need
to inhale deeply. Start blowing out the air like you normally do. While the lungs are
emptying, store a volume of the air into your cheeks or under your tongue.
Then, while pushing this air out by squeezing the cheeks or pushing down the tongue, you
have to fill the lungs very quickly by inhaling through the nose.
If done correctly, by the time the air in the mouth is nearly exhausted, you can begin to
exhale from the lungs once more, ready to repeat the process all over again.

2
Examples from OR by Robert Dick.

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This exercise will help to develop a serious level of endurance. This is a very difficult process
and it can be fatiguing at first, but as a result the normal breathing process will improve.

This is a good technique to understand how little air is actually needed to produce sound.
Once circular breathing becomes a second nature, this can be an alternative for playing very
long phrases: e.g. ‘Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune’ by C. Debussy.

Tip: practice circular breathing by blowing through a straw into a glass of water. Use the
above-mentioned methodology and make sure you constantly produce bubbles in your glass
of water. No cheating!

What to practice?

Once you manage to control the straw-technique, apply the same methodology on the flute.
This is trickier, since the embouchure makes it completely different. If you have multiple
flutes, try it on all of them. Some flutes might be easier for you to practice circular breathing,
than others. I find it easiest on the piccolo.

Effects by practicing this technique:

- A better understanding of the breathing process: Since the airstream doesn’t always
come directly from the lungs, it becomes easier to economize the amount of air.
- Circular breathing requires a very stable diaphragm and good support from the
abdominal muscles. Irregular support will break the constant airflow.
- ‘Impossible’ long phrases can be played without any interruption.
- It is great way to shape an embouchure while relaxing the cheeks.

11. Bisbigliando, tremelo and A-B trills

These are 3 techniques that focus on the speed and independence of the fingers.

11.1. Bisbigliando

A bisbigliando is a timbre trill: this is a trill that changes the color of the note, but not the
actual pitch.
This technique is based on the ‘flattements’, an ornamentation used in French Baroque
music. This technique was used to break the monotony of long notes. The flutist rolled a
finger over the keyhole, in order to create a difference in timbre.
One of the composers that used this frequently was J.M. Hotteterre.

What to practice?

Experiment with trilling every free finger on every fingering. You will discover which fingers
change the pitch and which ones only change the timbre. Combine these trills on pianissimo
notes in the high register.

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Effects of practicing this technique:

- Alternative fingerings can help with more extreme intonation problems. It is good to
know which keys influence the timbre of the note and which keys influence the actual
pith of the note. An E6 in pianissimo is often too flat. Adding the B trill key will solve
that problem.

11.2. Tremelo

A tremolo is a trill between two notes, covering any interval larger than a second.
With large tremolos, where the notes are not in the same register, it is very difficult to have
an equal sound between the two notes. Often it helps to focus on the lowest note and to
keep that position during the tremolo. The high note will sound automatically; it is the
lowest note that is difficult to reach.

What to practice?

Trill large distance intervals, while focusing on the low note. By not controlling both notes,
you will increase the speed of the tremolo and learn how to trill large intervals with a steady
embouchure. While doing so, don’t think about your fingers, but let it happen naturally. Not
forcefully controlling the finger movements will lead to a general relaxation and will
augment the speed.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Practicing tremolos will develop the speed and coordination of the fingers.
- This technique will also improve the sound quality in very fast and virtuous passages.
When so many notes have to be played in a very fast tempo, there is no time to
change the position of the embouchure for each note. Focusing on the lowest part of
the passage and keeping that position of the embouchure will help in equalizing the
sound quality of the different registers, without compromising on velocity.

11.3. A-B trills

These trills involve the (rapid) alternation of the A

and B trill keys. This can be done on one note
(only using notes that require fingers of the left
hand) or on a chromatic scale of the left hand
(sliding the thumb from Bb to B).
This way of trilling requires a relatively high level
of independence between the two hands. A good
piece to practice this technique is ‘Canzona di
ringraziamento’ by Salvatore Sciarrino.

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Tip: The execution of this technique can only be done with a loose and relaxed right hand.
It even works better without the thumb of the right hand supporting the instrument, to have
complete freedom of the right hand. Obviously, the pink in the right hand should not be
used either.

What to practice?

Develop this technique yourself. Play a chromatic scale in the left hand (with the thumb
sliding from the Bb to the B natural key and back) and independently trill the A and B keys in
the right hand. Make sure both movements are completely independent from each other
and that they don’t regularly line up against each other.
At first, try to focus on one of the two hands. Later, when you are more familiar with the
technique, try to completely lose control in order to develop a maximum speed.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Playing a scale in the left hand and alternating the index finger and ring finger in the
right hand are two completely different hand movements. This combination improves
the independency of both hands.
- Learning not to focus on the fingers, but letting them go their own way, helps in
speeding up the tempo of the finger movements. Try doing this as well on arpeggios.
Your overall finger technique will improve vastly!

12. Quartertones and microtones

Quartertones and microtones can be achieved by using alternative fingerings or by

adjustments of the embouchure.

In general, a quartertone, a tone in between half steps, can be played by using half keys or
open keys (only pushing down the ring, without covering the hole). If you don’t have the
option to use a half key, then you should bend the sound by changing the embouchure
(playing too high or playing too low).

Microtones are tones in between quarter tones. These can also be obtained by adjusting the
coverage of the key hole or by bending the sound with the embouchure.

What to practice?

While practicing your scales, try adding all the quartertones as well! Not easy at first, but
very rewarding once you manage. Start very slow, to get used to these ‘half key fingerings’.
Vary the articulation and speed.

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Effects of practicing this technique:

- Discovering alternative fingerings and experimenting with the open holes and rings of
the keys improve the knowledge of the instrument.
- Recognizing and getting familiar with quartertones and microtones is a first step in
achieving an independent and correct intonation.

13. Glissando

A glissando on the flute can be obtained in two different ways: by turning the embouchure
in and out (lips/head), or by sliding the fingers over the open holes of the keys.
Making glissandi with the fingers requires a certain level of relaxation in the fingers and
hands, since this has to be a smooth movement. These movements, both in the left hand
and right hand, are independent from each other. If executed correctly, you will hear a
smooth organic glissando. When both hands are necessary to play the starting note, you will
first have to slide the right hand (from right to left) before moving the left hand.

What to practice?

- For the embouchure glissando: play a chromatic scale, in both directions. If you start on a
C4, turn in the flute to a maximum and bend the embouchure downwards to acquire a B, still
on the fingering of the C. Do the same thing on the fingering of a B and gliss down until you
obtain a Bb. Etcetera. You can check with a tuning device.
The opposite is also possible: start on the fingering of a B and lift the head, while moving
your chin/embouchure forwards/upwards and the pitch of a C is reached.

- The next step is to combine both the upward and the downward embouchure glissando,
resulting in playing a smooth chromatic scale.

- The finger glissando also needs some attention before you can execute it smoothly and
regularly. Start on a low D and carefully slide all the fingers from the middle of the key (hole)
towards the ring (edge) of the keys (towards you, not away from you!)

- Play the same quartertone scale as in the section above, but with combining it with the
finger glissandi. This makes it even more of a challenge!

Effects of practicing this technique:

- Making glissandi with the lips improves the flexibility of the embouchure. This will
help to play pianissimo and fortissimo notes in tune.
- Practicing the glissandi with the fingers will result in a certain flexibility, looseness
and independency of the fingers and hands.

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14. Key percussion

This percussive technique involves slapping the keys. Key percussion can be random, but
often a specific pitch is required. In order to do so, you will have to slap a key that will not
influence the pitch of that specific note, but that is loud enough to be heard.

Tip: When you need to lift fingers in order to meet the given pitch, instead of pushing them
down, the keyclick cannot be executed. If it is a single note, or at a very slow tempo, you can
search for free keys that don’t influence the pitch and push (slap) those down. In a very fast
tempo, the percussive effect has priority over the given pitch.

What to practice?

Combine your daily Moyse or Tafanel exercises with keyclicks. It is great to do it in the
morning, to warm up your fingers and hands.

Effects of practicing this technique:

- A further knowledge of alternative fingerings that can be used to adjust the

intonation of a note.
- To obtain a short and active percussion sound, the fingers need to be accurate and
strong. ‘Weak’ fingers are slow, so practicing the accuracy of the fingers will improve
the speed and virtuosity of the general flute playing.

BONUS!

When you get tired of your daily technique and warm-up sessions, try some beatbox! It is so
much fun and strengthens the embouchure muscles even more.

Here are some beatbox resources:

- A Fluteboxing Workbook (2011) by Andrea La Rose (published on Scribd)

- www.humanbeatbox.com
- There is a chapter on flute beatboxing in my book ‘Tomorrow’s music in practice today’
- ZoomTube by Ian Clarke
- Three Beats for Beatbox flute by Greg Patillo

Dr. Ine Vanoeveren

Contemporary Flutist
www.inevanoeveren.com

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