Flute Playing Videos: AIR SUPPORT with Krzysztof Kaczka (4/10)

Our fourth video in this Flute Technique series focusses on an exercise to improve your breathing and air support. This is the fourth of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.

4. Flute Playing – Air Support Exercise #1

Following on from our previous videos regarding staccato, warming up and general tone exercises we’re now looking at a specific exercise to use as part of your daily warm up routine. This exercise seems very simple but is a great way to find out ‘where’ all the notes sit on your instrument.It also discusses how you have physical control over their production.

As Krzysztof points out, it is often seen that players make exaggerated movements when learning to try and ‘force’ out the higher notes in particular. If you watch him carefully in this exercise you’ll see his head and lips really don’t move. Instead the ‘movement’ of the note is coming from how the air is delivered into the instrument. Also from the breath support offered by the diaphragm. You can practice this exercise both up and down in terms of pitch. Try it chromatically from Concert A in all directions on the flute.

Why is this useful? Learning where each note is positioned with you physically will help you with pitching, intonation and clarity of tone production.

We’ll be back soon with the fifth video so stay tuned to our Flute Newsletters for the latest release. Many thanks to Pearl Flutes for supporting this video series.