Which Octave Should You Learn First?
When learning to play the flute with a good tone, most flute teachers recommend you start with the notes B, A, and G in the middle register because it is easiest to get a good tone on these notes. When you can produce these middle notes easily and begin to develop a more flexible embouchure, you will be able to expand into the higher and lower registers of the flute.
How to Play the Higher Octave on Flute
Once you have mastered playing in the middle register on the flute, you are ready to progress to the higher register. To play any high notes on the flute, you first need to know the fingerings. Once you have the right keys pressed down, you can work on a flexible embouchure and work on achieving the correct air speed and direction.
Fingerings for High Register on Flute
This section shows the fingerings for the high register of the flute, from F on the top line of the staff to the F in the octave above, sitting on top of 3 ledger lines. The fingering charts should be read from left to right; the darkened bubbles mean that your finger should press down that key and cover the hole if there is one.
How To Play the Middle Register F on Flute
Read this chart from left to right, starting with your left-hand fingers and then your right-hand fingers. Press down the keys and cover the holes for the circles that are darkened in the fingering chart.
How To Play High F-sharp / G-flat on Flute
Read this chart from left to right, starting with your left-hand fingers and then your right-hand fingers. Press down the keys and cover the holes for the circles that are darkened in the fingering chart.
How To Play High G on Flute
This fingering chart should be read from left to right, putting each finger on the left hand down, then the fingers on the right hand. Push down the keys and cover any holes for the darkened circles in the chart.
How To Play High G-sharp / A-flat on Flute
Read this fingering chart starting from the left side and moving right. Use up all the left-hand fingers starting with your index finger, then all the right-hand fingers. Press down each darkened key and cover any holes your flute might have for each circle that is darkened in the fingering chart.
How To Play High A on Flute
This fingering chart should be read starting from the left, just like you would read a sentence. Start with your left-hand fingers and then move to your right-hand fingers. The darkened circles correspond to the keys and holes in your flute. Push down and cover each darkened key and hole.
How To Play High A-sharp / B-flat on Flute
Start by looking at this fingering chart, which you should read left to right just as you are reading this article, starting with your left hand, then your right. Push down the corresponding keys and cover any holes. For high A-sharp, this will be the index finger and thumb of your left hand, and the index finger on your right hand.
How To Play High B on Flute
Read this chart from left to right, press down the keys and cover the holes for the circles that are darkened. For high B, you will push down the keys under the index finger and thumb of your left hand, and no keys on your right hand.
How To Play High C on Flute
Read this fingering chart from left to right, moving down the flute away from your face – this means you will start with the left-hand fingers. For high C, you can see that only one key is darkened in the chart, which means you only need to push down the key under the index finger of your right hand.
How To Play High C-sharp / D-flat on Flute
Read this chart from left to right. The keys that should be pressed down are darkened in the chart. It’s a little difficult to see, but the only darkened key in this image is the pinky of the right hand, so this is the only key you will push down to play high C-sharp or high D-flat.
How To Play High D on Flute
Read this chart from left to right, starting with your left-hand fingers and then moving to the right. Press down the keys and cover the holes for the circles that correspond to the darkened bubbles in the fingering chart. For high D, this will be the middle and ring fingers and the thumb on your left hand.
How To Play High D-sharp / E-flat on Flute
Read this chart from left to right, pushing down the keys and covering any holes for the circles that are darkened. There are many dark circles on this chart. To play high D-sharp or high E-flat, you will have to use all four fingers and thumb on your left hand, and all four fingers (but no thumb) on your right hand.
How To Play High E / F-flat on Flute
This fingering chart shows how to play high E or high F-flat on the flute. Read it from left to right and push down the keys for the dark circles on the chart. This chart shows that you will need to push down the index and middle fingers and thumb on your left hand, and the index and middle fingers on your right hand.
How To Play High F on Flute
Finally, this fingering chart shows how to play high F on the flute. You will push down the keys and cover any holes for the circles on the chart that are darkened. Read this chart from left to right – it shows you will need to press down the keys under your index and ring fingers and thumb on the left hand, and only the index finger on your right hand.
You can practice these fingerings even without blowing air into your flute, just to get the muscle memory into your hands. However, just memorizing these fingerings isn’t enough. To play these notes with good flute tone, you must develop a flexible embouchure.
How to Develop a Flexible Embouchure on Flute:
To play the higher octaves on the flute, you will need to be able to adjust your embouchure to change the air speed and air direction going over the embouchure hole on the flute.
Harmonic Series
One way to develop a more flexible embouchure is to practice a harmonic series such as D, adjusting your embouchure to play the first octave D, second octave D, A above that, high D, etc. When you do this, try to push your embouchure forward a little bit to jump to the higher register, and pull it back a little bit to play the lower register. Practice moving between these notes.
It may also help to make your aperture (the space between your lips where the air is coming through) a little smaller and to blow air slightly faster, but you don’t want to overdo this as it can cause other problems later. Make sure you support your breath – fill your lungs, but don’t blow all the air out at once.
By controlling your embouchure and air speed, you will be soon able to develop a flexible embouchure that can move easily between the low and high registers.
Flute Tone Exercises
Octaves: Using half notes, change notes from the low register to the high register and back (for example, low C – high C – low C).
Long tones: Play very slowly, using whole or half notes. Support the breath but don’t overblow. Practice keeping your cheeks relaxed and change your embouchure using the shape of your lips. Sustaining these changing notes will help you develop a flexible embouchure.
Scales: Practice scales slowly, going up and down. As you change notes, notice how your embouchure and air direction are gradually changing as you move into the higher and lower registers of the flute.
Playing High Notes Quietly on Flute
When playing the higher register on the flute, many teachers will advise students to make their embouchure smaller, and blow air faster over the embouchure hole. The high notes will come out this way, but with a faster air speed, they will always be louder than the lower notes and you will lose some control over your flute tone as well as your dynamics.
To play high notes quietly on the flute, instead focus on the flexibility of your embouchure, using that idea of pushing forward for the higher notes and pulling back for the lower notes. Make sure your breath is supported, but don’t overblow. Try to use as little air as possible while adjusting your embouchure to maintain the note. This way you will be able to reach the high register while still playing notes quietly on your flute.
Playing the High Notes on Flute with Braces
So you’ve mastered the high register on the flute, but then you get braces, and all of a sudden you can hardly play at all! Braces affect everything in your mouth, and your embouchure is no exception.
Don’t worry! It may take a few tries to adjust your embouchure and the air direction, but you will be back to making a beautiful flute tone in no time.
Change Your Embouchure Formation
Don’t use your cheek muscles to try to pinch the sides of your embouchure in. Instead, try to extend your lips over the braces to re-form your embouchure. You may feel like you’re stretching a little further than usual. It may also be helpful to use dental wax to cover your braces if the lower braces are uncomfortable against your lower lip.
Check Your Air Direction
Air should be blown at about a 45-degree angle toward the edge of the embouchure hole. When you have new braces, the angle you’re used to can change and make this difficult. Try lowering the flute slightly on your chin, and try moving the flute around to achieve different air directions. With a little practice, you will find a new comfortable position to produce a good flute tone.
Keep Practicing
Playing the high notes on the flute with a good flute tone is something that takes practice. Whether you are practicing with a flute teacher, in a band, or on your own using these resources, using these ideas a little bit every day will help you to improve quickly.
