How to learn flute vibrato

[@RonaldoWoke-No-MoreBand-y5m]

The late GREAT flautist and educator Gary Sigurdson taught the “snake-hiss exercise“ for practicing flute vibrato years ago, and it was coincidentally the same technique I had discovered by accident on my own. As a jazz player and Doubler on Flute I was lucky to stumble upon this great simple exercise, and have since taught it to many young students who have been able to start playing with great natural vibrato usually within minutes. Still a mystery how all the various stomach-contortion methodology ever got started in the first place, but it sure seems to be hanging around lol! Actual Flute vibrato is never produced by pulsing stomach muscles, shouting, or anything else other than simply learning to gently pulsate the throat muscles which will result in the rhythmic oscillations of volume and pitch we know as “vibrato.“

[@gaeljorr]

Thank you so much for breaking this down to its simplest form. I loved your video, I'm super grateful. Thank you for the fun puppy dog jokes too! A+++ video!!!

[@Senpai_Moe]

Thank you, your video is so funny, and informative!

[@Flutrix994]

I love the signature tune. It's keep looping in my mind 🙂🙂

[@carolinafluteman6598]

Playing along just to see how it feels, and I'm getting the hang of it already!

[@dear_totheheart]

Thank you so much, I loved this, you explained it much more easily for me :) Thanks Tatiyana for all your videos (and great attitude and fun personality :D )

[@TheFlutePractice]

Thank you :) I am glad it helps!

[@gypsyman535]

Thank you so much. I am just learning to play my Arabian flute in the key of A it's a bamboo flute. Although it's not the same metal one. I believe that the same rules apply. It uses the pentatonic scale.I will try this exercise tomorrow. Thanks a bunch I've been following you for about a week or 2 you're too cute by the way :) You're very funny and witty ...

[@2727Aviators]

have you ever played or tried any other instruments? my band director is having me play the tenor saxophone because i take a jazz class along with concert band. Any tips for adapting to new instruments while still keeping up with the flute?

[@TheFlutePractice]

HI :) This is a really tricky thing to do. I unfortunately don't play any other wind instrument (just viola, which doesn't help) but from teaching people who play other instruments especially sax and clarinet, the problem is often changing from the tighter embouchure of the saxophone and clarinet to a much looser embouchure on the flute. How long have you been changing between instruments? A huge part of the problem is knowing the differences and then just giving it time to learn to adapt. I even found this with switching between piccolo and flute. The embouchure needs to learn to become almost instantly flexible so it can make the quick switches. I would really recommend doing things like note-bending etc. which helps you get a flexible embouchure and just patiently allow your embouchure to feel the difference between the instruments. The good news is that you have the potential to develop a much more supple and flexible embouchure in the long run which is great. I will chat to some colleagues and perhaps make a collaborative video about this!

[@2727Aviators]

I have been playing the flute for almost 6 years and play the piccolo as need for the past year. The tenor sax is completely new to me, I just picked it up for the first time last week. Luckily its not as hard for me to learn because the fingerings are nearly the same, its the same clef, and I have a basic understanding of music theory. My big problem is getting a good sound/ tone on the instrument. After a good 20-30 minute warm up I'm good to go and can play through my music with few problems. I will definitely try the note-bending exercises, thanks for your help!

[@acyutanandadas1326]

My teacher told me 'Play sax, double on flute' I never did

[@senku1119]

am i doing it wrong if my stomach hurta when i suck it in😭

[@christibustos8132]

Could possibly make a video on how to not get a airy tone ?

[@TheFlutePractice]

Yes! Great idea :) Have you watched any of my videos on tone and embouchure?

[@willistaylor4077]

Memo: Try these exercises not after breakfast... 🤣

[@bylouvain]

thank u for this :) it really helped

[@nextusp]

I DID IT YEY!!

[@ofiterpunte]

4:30 Guilty as charged.

[@DwightManning]

See also: Woodwind Vibrato from the Eighteenth Century to the Present. Performance Practice Review, 8(1), 67-72. tinyurl.com/yapad7p7 AND El Vibrato de Viento-Madera desde el Siglo XVIII hasta Hoy. Quodlibet Revista de Especialización Musical (Madrid), 18, 37-42. tinyurl.com/y96vdmc4

[@ronrobbins2737]

Thanks for more Vibrato Humor! Clearly it's the throat that produces vibrato (your own throat is obviously slightly pulsing at the faster speeds), so why oh why do you (like other teachers) confuse the issue with that comical stomach contortion? Instead just do the "snake-hiss" excercise to begin with, which of course requires good diaphragm support, not stomach-pulsing. Look closely at your own throat as your video shows that's where actual usable vibrato comes from. Vibrato doesn't sort of magically rise up from the stomach as speed increases, but you're a great player and teacher despite this one comic-relief!

[@aliciawells3098]

I think it's because you need the support from your diaphragm. If you only rely (or focus too much) on using your throat/mouth, then the vibrato sounds like a goat. Although your throat is actually involved when producing vibrato, it is not the only thing involved. (I am not a teacher by the way. This is just what I have found.)

[@gypsyman535]

The breath control comes from the posture and diaphragm of the stomach. Like a 2 part harmony working together with the throat. So you are partly correct.

[@ronrobbins2737]

Gypsy Man not recommended of course, but try playing your flute completely slouched over, or lying on your back. If you have air in your lungs you’ll still be able to play with vibrato. Keep me posted!

[@gypsyman535]

@@ronrobbins2737 I really appreciate the advice and welcome all of the free advice I can get.I will try that,I will keep you posted. I have no musical background but learning the flute has become very therapeutic to me,well you have a wonderful day and God bless you. I will keep in touch :)

[@ronrobbins2737]

Gypsy Man yes it’s true, you can get all kinds of fantastic free advice on KZbin on flute playing. Ian Mullen (Trevor James Flute artist), For example, has a great tone developing tutorial involving vocalizing while playing. But for some reason VIBRATO is the one subject that seems to turn even wonderful players/teachers’ minds to mush when they try to explain it!

[@hney_bear7854]

bro i swear tysm. my flute teacher tells me that to do vibrato, you just have to do it. doesn’t help me at all :/