tone color

There are several elements that comprise a diverse palette of tone colors.  Experiment with balanced coordination of pharyngeal and laryngeal space, vowel choices, embouchure shape, tongue placement, sound placement, air speed and direction, and appoggio.  Various vowel shapes can be used to develop a broad range of tone colors. The French [y] (as in the French word “tu”), creates a clear, sweet and singing quality, especially in the higher registers. Likewise the German [oe] (as in the German word “öffnen”) provides the right amount of space to facilitate an easy, round sound in the lower range.  Experiment with different vowels while playing the flute, and especially appreciate the sound of the French [õ] (as in the French word “ton”). When playing a pianissimo passage in the lower octave, this vowel offers a hauntingly hollow sound. The pure [a] vowel (as in “father”) allows us to play with a large, open sound appropriate to some of those excerpts or concertos that require significant projection over the orchestra. I find that “o” (as in “over”), when formed by a combination of a high soft palate (as if behind the eyes) and a low larynx, results in a beautifully warm sound that is particularly effective in the low register.