The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #37498   Message #526427
Posted By: hesperis
12-Aug-01 - 10:09 PM
Thread Name: Kiawa Flute And Bamboo Penny whistles
Subject: RE: Kiawa Flute And Bamboo Penny whistles
I heard that with the end-blown flute, you need to aim the air so that it hits the far edge of the mouthpiece. Most of the air needs to go outside of the flute. Is the edge open like a panflute or more like a recorder mouthpiece? If there is a little v-shaped nick in the edge then you need to tilt the bottom of the flute further out in order to hit the right angle.

Place your bottom lip at the near edge, then pretend you are blowing into a glass bottle... slowly tilt the flute while keeping your mouth still, and the air flow in the angle. Eventually you will hit a place where it starts ringing. Then set that position into your body's memory.

Don't be too discouraged if you don't get it right away. A friend of mine from high school couldn't get a sound on the normal flute for two WEEKS while in class, and she later went on to be the preferred flute soloist for weddings in town.

The website looks great. I wish I had a good flute! My panflutes are awesome, but rather limited in terms of key. The only good set I have is in Am/C and it's not very many notes.