Light headedness

[schnibs]

Hey people,

just a quick question, ive been playing on and off for about 2 months or so (more off than on if im totally honest, but im changing that as i type), and ive noticed that i get really light headed when playing. Is there any way to remedy this? I have quite an airy tone which i suppose will get better with practice but could it be that too much air is escaping making me blow harder subconciously?

any advice is appreciated

[bpimentel]

Hi schnibs,

I think you pretty well answered your own question. Lightheadedness is a common complaint with beginning flutists (I used to get it when I started saxophone, too), and it goes away as your embouchure gets focused better to use the air more efficiently.

It will probably go away with a few weeks of steady practice and advice from a good flute teacher! Without a teacher and practicing--who knows? :wink:

Good luck,
Bret

[Gordon (NZ)]

Yes, very common with beginners, but it usually passes within a few weeks for kids.

Probably an overdose of oxygen from too much air going in and out of the lungs. This flow decreases with more efficiency in the way you use the air. Presumably, without a good teacher, SOME beginners NEVER gain efficiency.

It can also start again when a beginner starts on the third octave. Perhaps the extra air pressure required drives more oxygen into the blood.

I think that maybe the brain gradually gets used to accommodating the higher oxygen levels that it has not been used to.

A good state of general aerobic fitness probably helps.

[schnibs]

cheers guys

:D

[shmuelyosef]

One of the best practice schemes I was given for flute long ago was this:

Learn to sing the note as you are playing (use the thought of the syllable "oo"). This limits your airstream and forces you to focus the air on the lip plate. You should be able to play the full range of the flute (you may end up singing an octave up or down), at least to double high E or F. This is also a cool effect if you get good at it, particularly when playing into a microphone. You will find that if you can do this with a clean tone, you will be able to get rich tone and incredible volume from your flute.

[Tully]

Flute is actually my main instrument. When I started playing, I felt very lightheaded, but after about a week, it started to go away, and after no more than two weeks, it was gone altogether. I would assume that, as Gordon said, your brain adjusts to the influx of oxygen, but also, you use less air as your embouchure improves, which generally happens pretty quickly if you have a decent teacher.

[Gordon (NZ)]

Yes, use the air more economically, by blowing with MORE air pressure, but through a smaller embouchure hole.

(You NEED the higher pressure to maintain good speed in the airstream through a smaller orifice. That is just basic mechanics of fluids - 'Bernoulli' equation.)

One way to achieve this without being analytical is just to play as long as possible (watch the clock) while playing anything - preferably higher notes. Keep trying to play for longer by blowing the air HARDER, while still aiming for a good tone. This will automatically force you into reducing your embouchure aperture. BTW, Don't pout! ...or pull your lips tight around your teeth..... Reduce the size of the embouchure hole by pressing the lips closer TOGETHER.