Moyse Flute tone advice
Dear Flutists,
I thought I'd share some of the Marcel Moyse advice that is contained in a book written for beginning flutists. I believe the book is called "The Debutante Flutist", but I'm not sure as I have no cover or front page. (The publisher is probably Leduc.) Please give *me* the title if you recognize the pictures below. Thanks. :>)
Moyse's flute tone advice:
Marcel Moyse makes a very important point in describing the lip opening using drawings; that the inner (wetter membrane) surface of the lips vibrates sympathetically when the air column moves past it. If the lips are too tight, too squeezed, or the lip-plate of the flute is too high, the inner lip membrane is not free to help direct the airstream, and will not vibrate sympathetically. However, if the lip aperture is free and mobile, the flutist can incorperate the amount of inner lip membrane that is exposed to the outside of the lips. (to expose the inner lip membrane "explode" it a small amount outward by saying "PEU")
Hence these pictures:
Moyse goes on to explain the difference between the low register embouchure that gives the best tone, and the middle register embouchure. The pictures used for that show the inner membrane of the lips very much involved in producing the best quality of tone. (although I'd argue with the coverage of the blow hole advice that he gives.....)
This topic is also very well covered in Roger Mather's Volume 2 of "The Art of Playing the Flute" when Mather talks about lowering the pressure of the flute's chin-plate in order to allow freedom to the lips to vibrate as the air reed passes through them.
I think that the common mistake is for student flutists to squeeze the red lip tissue itself, often with the bottom lip being trapped by the metal chin plate, and the upper lip pulled too tightly across the teeth. Both these mistakes cause too much of the dry outer portion of the lips being used to direct the air stream, instead of the inner membrane of the lips, which actually is a much finer control.
We want to be sure we're using the muscles that surround the mouth (the 2 inch area that surrounds the lips in a 360 degree circle, but not the lips themselves) to form the lip shape. Using the muscles of the face that surround the lips allows the lips themselves to stay flexible, free and loose enough to form a longer "barrel" or tube for the air to flow down before it leaves the mouth. In lessons I ask the student to allow the inner membrane to be blown to the exterior as when saying a slightly explosive "PEU!" or "Poooooo". This gives them a longer lip tube to direct the air with to find the sweet spot of the best tone, and also eventually leads to effortless leaping between low and high notes.
Easier to show than to explain in words, but Moyse's pictures are very very good. :>)
Comments? Thanks.
Jen :>)
I thought I'd share some of the Marcel Moyse advice that is contained in a book written for beginning flutists. I believe the book is called "The Debutante Flutist", but I'm not sure as I have no cover or front page. (The publisher is probably Leduc.) Please give *me* the title if you recognize the pictures below. Thanks. :>)
Moyse's flute tone advice:
Marcel Moyse makes a very important point in describing the lip opening using drawings; that the inner (wetter membrane) surface of the lips vibrates sympathetically when the air column moves past it. If the lips are too tight, too squeezed, or the lip-plate of the flute is too high, the inner lip membrane is not free to help direct the airstream, and will not vibrate sympathetically. However, if the lip aperture is free and mobile, the flutist can incorperate the amount of inner lip membrane that is exposed to the outside of the lips. (to expose the inner lip membrane "explode" it a small amount outward by saying "PEU")
Hence these pictures:
Moyse goes on to explain the difference between the low register embouchure that gives the best tone, and the middle register embouchure. The pictures used for that show the inner membrane of the lips very much involved in producing the best quality of tone. (although I'd argue with the coverage of the blow hole advice that he gives.....)
This topic is also very well covered in Roger Mather's Volume 2 of "The Art of Playing the Flute" when Mather talks about lowering the pressure of the flute's chin-plate in order to allow freedom to the lips to vibrate as the air reed passes through them.
I think that the common mistake is for student flutists to squeeze the red lip tissue itself, often with the bottom lip being trapped by the metal chin plate, and the upper lip pulled too tightly across the teeth. Both these mistakes cause too much of the dry outer portion of the lips being used to direct the air stream, instead of the inner membrane of the lips, which actually is a much finer control.
We want to be sure we're using the muscles that surround the mouth (the 2 inch area that surrounds the lips in a 360 degree circle, but not the lips themselves) to form the lip shape. Using the muscles of the face that surround the lips allows the lips themselves to stay flexible, free and loose enough to form a longer "barrel" or tube for the air to flow down before it leaves the mouth. In lessons I ask the student to allow the inner membrane to be blown to the exterior as when saying a slightly explosive "PEU!" or "Poooooo". This gives them a longer lip tube to direct the air with to find the sweet spot of the best tone, and also eventually leads to effortless leaping between low and high notes.
Easier to show than to explain in words, but Moyse's pictures are very very good. :>)
Comments? Thanks.
Jen :>)
posted by jen at 11:08 AM
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Comments (4)
Very interesting, but very complicated.
1. My lips do not have a vibrative membrane yet. Do I need a plastic surgeon? ;-)
2. Upper lip should not touch front teeth - good advice, I am working on that. (The Mather book II is great, by the way!).
3. Many things which are described in detail here remind me of - what I think - my buzzing and chopstick exercises are leading towards. Maybe I develop a vibrating membrane - hahahaha - so I do not need a plastic surgeon?
Greetings, Lie.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb4qnvRmtzQ
Awesome advice, thanks for sharing!
Sheila
Brasil - Thanks for sharing.
Forwarded from another flutist:
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Your posting about Moyse's lips(vibrative membrane)
jogged my memory. I finally found the pictures you
show. It's from the first Suzuki Flute School book,
volume I. I think Takahashi and Moyse collaborated.
I hope this is helpful. All your videos and
listings are just great!
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Thankyou D. for this information! Jen