Change your notes

It is easy to learn how to change notes once you have learnt all of the things I told before (counter-intuitive? You thought that this was the most difficult part? Not exactly. You have already become quite honed with flute playing methods, once you have mastered the techniques I listed before. This is just the final topping on your pizza!).

Minutely observe your flute. You will find rectangular keys on the footjoint. You also have a couple of cylindrical devices (they’re called “rollers”). They don’t have holes under them unlike the keys. They are provided to operate the round keys covering the holes. You will notice a few on the top side of your footjoint, and one on the opposite side, alone. When you have assembled the flute completely, you are to operate these bells and whistles with your right hand’s little finger (your pinky). Yes right; all the keys and rollers of the footjoint, by one finger. It’s not as difficult as it sounds. Here must be your fingering positions at the start:

• Hold the headjoint with your left hand below the lip plate, with the palm in your direction.
• Put your right hand index finger on the first rectangular key on the footjoint.
• Place the right hand ring finger on first round key.
• Finally, place the right hand little finger on the second round key (in a C footjoint. For a B footjoint, there is a third round key, which shall be abandoned for the moment).
• Put your right hand’s thumb below the tube of your flute, to hold the footjoint firmly.
• Now place your lower lip on the lip plate in the embouchure, and begin to play notes!

You will note that closing the holes with keys increases the pitch of your flute by shortening it’s length. Opening them decreases the pitch. Now you are ready to consult fingering charts.

Get a book with a collection of fingering positions, because you want to have all the important resources at hand while playing the flute. And knowing what to do is most important. You can try the following book (this is what I personally use):

I personally use it for my regular flute reference needs.

Check out this chart to learn the basic finger positions to start off with, at the moment:

Also check out this chart to find out positions that are often mis-fingered while playing a flute. You don’t want funny sounds while playing it, do you?

Once you have had your day’s practice schedule fulfilled, you can begin cleaning and dismantling your flute using the following page (I need to be thorough, don’t I?).

Next: Clean your flute