How to Improve Intonation on the Flute

Improving Tone Takes Dedication, a Good Ear and Feel for the Notes.

Nov 16, 2009 Carmen Sofia Grant

Good tone starts with continuous and steady airflow to the instrument. Breathing practices and using a tuner will improve intonation and create a round and rich sound.

Getting started with the flute is easy. Playing the flute well takes time. The goal is to make the initial feathery sound of most novice flute players, transpose into a balanced and rich sound. Filling in the gaps in airflow will eliminate sputters in a note and create perfectly round sound.

Breathing Exercises with Paper

Strengthening the lungs is the first step to improving tone. Start with breathing exercises without the flute. First, tear off a tiny piece of paper and hold it against a wall. Blow on the paper and aim to keep it up as long as possible.

The longer this is done, the stronger the lungs will get and the more control the flutist will have over air flow. Remember to practice with fast and slow breathing, which will represent playing very high and very low notes. These will be the most difficult. If the air flow is not continuous, then the paper will fall.

Breathing Exercises with the Flute

After taking a little breathing break from the paper exercise, pick up the flute and start one note at a time. Start with a middle C and work down the chromatic scale, then back up the scale. Use a tuner to make sure the notes are in tune and tone is good.

Tone in High and Low Notes

High notes require a faster, very controlled air flow. If the air isn't fast enough, the note will register as a lower note. A high C without fast enough air, will register as a high G. Lower notes need the opposite. Very slow controlled air. If the air is too slow, the note won't come out. If it is too fast, the note will register higher. The hardest low note to get out is the low B flat, but with practice both the low B flat and the high C will come out perfectly.

Improving Airflow to the Flute

Knowing how a note is supposed to feel is crucial to playing well. Make sure to tune the flute before starting, since an out-of-tune note will sound and feel different than one that is in tune. Remember to keep air flow constant, and feel what that good note feels like. An in-tune note with good tone feels like a steady and full vibration in the hands. Flutists can eventually feel when a flute is not in tune, or tone is broken, because the vibrations feel like they are sputtering, or stalling.

Feeling Airflow through the Lips

It is also important to remember what the good notes feel like in the lips. High notes will feel very tight in against the lips and the air will be very controlled and very fast. Lower notes require more relaxed lips with a larger part in the lips. The low B flat is almost like the feeling of fogging up a window, but with the lips partly closed.

Practicing air flow and intonation will help when playing all types of songs. It makes the flute sound richer, more rounded, and wonderfully pleasant. Once good tone is recognized start practicing etudes to ease the transition between high and low notes and improve note recognition and finger speed.

The copyright of the article How to Improve Intonation on the Flute in Musical Instruments is owned by Carmen Sofia Grant. Permission to republish How to Improve Intonation on the Flute in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Practice Breathing Exercises Often

Once Breathing