Have You Got the Right Mouthpiece Set-up?

Have you considered that you may not be getting the most our of your instrument? Have you outgrown your student mouthpiece? Signs to watch out for are overblowing, difficulty reaching the upper register (which can also mean you have outgrown your student instrument), and stuffiness of sound.

All of these symptoms will mean that your progress may be slower than expected, and can result in the development of bad habits such overblowing and physical tension.

The solution? We specialise in identifying the correct setup for wind and brass players, whether you've been playing for 6 months or 6 years. We can ensure that you get the very best response from your instrument. Don't be fooled by the "one size fits all" theory.

If you're not sure you're not getting the best out of your instrument, simply give us a call and book your free consultation now.

Student Violins Now Available

Budget Violins for beginners
Contact us for details

Address: Shop 3, 158 Parramatta Road, Camperdown NSW Sydney, Australia [Map] Tel: (02) 9557 4588 Fax: (02) 9557 4722 Email:

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Embouchure, Tone & Technique for Flute Players

Explanations, exercises and tips on how to improve your sound

TONE AND YOUR EMBOUCHURE

Air + Embouchure = Tone

The speed of the airstream increases as the size of
your lip opening decreases.

Exercise: How can I control the airspeed?

Blow against your hand with an open mouth.
Gradually begin closing your mouth until only a small
opening remains between your lips. Did you notice
that the speed of the air striking your hand
increased? So the more open your mouth is, the less
the airspeed.

Things to consider:

The direction of the air
- This must be at the right angle. .

Exercises: How can I control the air direction?

- Bend your bare arm at the elbow and hold it in
front of your face. Breathe in deeply, and with
your flute embouchure and keeping your head
still, blow up and down your arm. Notice how
your jaw moves slightly forward as you direct the
air up your arm.

- Standing, look straight ahead, and blow as you
would on your flute. Direct the air down to your
toes, then to a point on the floor in front of you,
now straight ahead and, finally, up at your nose
as if you were trying to blow a fly away.

If the air is directed too high the sound will be thin,
so change the angle of the airsteam – direct the air
downwards by pulling your jaw back a little and
projecting your top lip more.

The amount the hole is covered

- Try rolling the headjoint out so that you are
uncovering the embouchure hole more. You will
notice that the sound is louder.

- To play softer, but not flatter, the hole also needs
to be uncovered. Try pushing your jaw forward
and tilting your head back slightly. Try this
technique on note endings as well.

The shape of the hole in your lips

- stand in front of a mirror and experiment.

To find your best sound,
experiment with the airstream
direction by using your jaw:
– forward raises the airstream.
– backward lowers the airstream.

By Rosemary Haldane from her book Jewels of the Trade visit her website for more details about her books

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