Instructions on How to Use the Pneumo Pro to Teach the Basics of Great Tone 11/12/2009 by Kathy Bloc i The

use of the Pneumo Pro !in" #irector $reatly sim%lifies the teachin$ of tone %ro"uction& The stu"ent be$ins blowin$ into the Pneumo Pro instea" of the flute' an" the teacher can imme"iately see whether the "irection of the air column will %ro"uce a soun" on the hea" (oint& The Pneumo Pro is "esi$ne" to simulate the flute hea" (oint' but with the embouchure hole o%en so that the air can %ass throu$h the hole an" s%in the fans below& )s stu"ents learn to isolate certain fans they learn to re%licate the air "irection an" focus nee"e" to %ro"uce a clear an" resonant tone on the flute& The Pneumo Pro shoul" be hel" li e one woul" hol" a flute hea" (oint' with the stu"ent*s hea" hel" erect as the Pneumo Pro is brou$ht to the li%s& +are shoul" be ta en to ensure that stu"ents "o not be$in the habit of leanin$ the hea" forwar" to meet the Pneumo Pro& The flat surface on the fan hol"er shoul" remain %arallel to the floor& If stu"ents are wor in$ with %artners' the %erson not usin$ the Pneumo Pro shoul" be instructe" to hel% the other stu"ent to maintain a correct %osition& ,tu"ents can chec themsel-es for correct %osition by %lacin$ a %enny of the to% roun" flat surface of the fan hol"er& If the Pneumo %ro is %ositione" correctly the %enny will not fall' an" a correct %osition is confirme"& This careful attention to %osition will ensure that the tar$ete" fan will s%in because the air is bein$ "irecte" %ro%erly' an" not because the stu"ent has chan$e" the an$le of the Pneumo Pro& Be$innin$ stu"ents often chan$e the an$le of the air stream im%ro%erly by rollin$ the flute towar"s them in or"er to ma e tone %ro"uction easier& The resultin$ soun" howe-er is small an" thin' an" ra%i"ly becomes a habit' which is "ifficult to correct& !hen stu"ents first blow throu$h the embouchure hole of the Pneumo %ro they usually set the u%%er two or three fans s%innin$& If this were re%licate" on the flute hea" (oint the result woul" be either no soun" or a breathy tone .uality& The tonal $oal from the be$innin$ shoul" not be (ust %ro"ucin$ a soun"' but %ro"ucin$ a full' focuse"' an" resonant tone& To learn to %ro"uce their first low note' stu"ents shoul" be instructe" to %ut as much of the lower li% as %ossible on the Pneumo Pro while co-erin$ no more than a fourth of the embouchure hole& ,tu"ents shoul" aim their air column sli$htly abo-e the u%%er teeth an" then use the u%%er li% to "irect the air "own to the lowest wheel/ at a 900"e$ree an$le& The air stream shoul" create a lon$ an" flat o%enin$ in the li%s& 1nce the stu"ent can consistently isolate the lowest fan with the low note embouchure' chec the s%ee" at which the fan is s%innin$ an" the len$th of time in which it s%ins& In or"er to simulate a full an" resonant low note' the lowest fan must s%in .uic ly so that it $enerates a s%innin$ soun" as lon$ as %ossible& !hen stu"ents can isolate the lowest fan with a lon$ whirlin$ soun" at least fi-e times in a row' they are rea"y to re%licate the air column on the flute hea" (oint& 1f course' they shoul" always be chec in$ the embouchure in front of the mirror& It is %ossible to s%in the lowest fan by incorrectly %ushin$ the u%%er li% forwar"& ,tu"ents must use the correct embouchure an" s%in the lowest fan& This is why usin$ a mirror is so critical& If feasible' the instructor shoul" %lace an" hol" the hea" (oint for the stu"ent the initial time he/she blows into the hea" (oint& !hen the si2e of the $rou% ma es this im%ractical' the use of mirrors will hel% stu"ents fin" the center of the embouchure hole accurately& ,tu"ents shoul" be encoura$e" to create a full an" resonant 3)3 with the en" of the hea" (oint co-ere"' an" then %ro"uce a %itch a ma(or se-enth hi$her by unco-erin$ the en" of the hea" (oint& Before attem%tin$ a series of re%eate" notes li e those foun" on Hea" 4oint 56& 1' ha-e the stu"ents %ractice the e6ercise on the Pneumo Pro& The air column will ten" to be too hi$h at the be$innin$ of each note an" will continue to rise as the stu"ent %ro$resses throu$h each line& The

tem%o shoul" be about 70 m&m& %er .uarter note' with care ta en to ensure that the .uarter notes are $i-en their full -alue& !hen the stu"ents ha-e mastere" the first e6ercise on the Pneumo Pro' a$ain ha-e them re%licate the air "irection an" s%ee" on the hea" (oint& They shoul" %lay the e6ercises first with en" of the hea" (oint unco-ere"' an" then with the en" of the hea" (oint left co-ere"& The Hea" 4oint 56& no& 2 %ro-i"es fun %racticin$ low notes on the hea" (oint without the a""e" "ifficulties of correct han" %osition an" fin$erin$s' which are encountere" when %layin$ with the entire flute& This enables the stu"ents to continue to focus on embouchure an" air "irection' while still recei-in$ the musical satisfaction of %layin$ son$s& If stu"ents ha-e "ifficulty with lower notes' rechec air "irection an" s%ee" on the Pneumo Pro to hel% "ia$nose an" correct the %roblem& To %lay hi$h notes' the embouchure shoul" be forme" by %uttin$ the insi"e wet %art of the li%s firmly to$ether an" then blowin$ as if sayin$ 3%ee3& The air stream will %art the li%s sli$htly to create a small0elon$ate" o%enin$ in the li%s& 8irrors shoul" be use" to enable the stu"ents to chec that multi%le o%enin$s in the li%s are not bein$ forme" when the air stri es the li%s& 1nce this li% formation is mastere"' ha-e the stu"ents blow into the Pneumo Pro in the same manner& )s much of the lower li% as %ossible shoul" rest on the Pneumo Pro& The li%s shoul" be brou$ht forwar" so that they co-er about one thir" of the embouchure hole& The u%%er li% shoul" be use" to brin$ the air column "own to at least the secon" to the lowest fan& 9The lou"er a stu"ent %lays these hi$h notes the lower the air nee"s to be "irecte" in or"er to com%ensate for the shar%ness of the forte&: To simulate a full soun"' the air s%ee" shoul" be fast an" the fan shoul" %ro"uce a whirlin$ soun" for at least three secon"s& !hen stu"ents can consistently s%in either the secon" to the lowest fan or lowest fan while formin$ the hi$h embouchure' they are rea"y to "u%licate this on the flute hea" (oint with their han" co-erin$ the en" of the hea" (oint& The resultin$ note will be an 3530 a fifth hi$her than the low %itch %ro"uce" with the en" of the hea" (oint co-ere"& ;e6t ha-e the stu"ents %ro"uce a hi$h note with the en" of the flute unco-ere"& This will %ro"uce a %itch an octa-e hi$her than the corres%on"in$ low note ma"e with the en" of the hea" (oint o%en& This hi$h 3)3 re.uires a -ery small li% o%enin$& 5m%hasi2e the im%ortance of creatin$ a full an" beautiful soun" ri$ht from the be$innin$& The ne6t ste% is to a%%ly this hi$h note embouchure to Hea" 4oint e6& no& <& =irst ha-e the stu"ents %ractice the e6ercises on the Pneumo Pro& The instructor shoul" chec for followin$> 1: ) consistent hi$h note embouchure' with only one small elon$ate" o%enin$ resultin$ from the air stri in$ the li%s& 2: That the %osition of the Pneumo Pro remains %arallel to the floor& <: )s much of the lower li% as %ossible is restin$ on the Pneumo Pro& ?: 5ach note be$ins with the secon" to the lowest or the lowest fan& The ten"ency will be to start off the e6ercise correctly an" then $ra"ually lose control of the air "irection an" air s%ee" as the e6ercise %ro$resses& Ha-e the stu"ents %ractice the e6ercises on the Pneumo Pro until they can %lay it while maintainin$ a $oo" embouchure' air "irection' an" air s%ee" throu$hout the line& 5ach note shoul" be$in with the li%s close"& The air shoul" create the o%enin$ wwith a 3%ooh3 soun" for each note& 93%ee3 for hi$her notes&: !hen the stu"ents ha-e accom%lishe" this' they are rea"y to %lay the e6ercise on the flute hea" (oint/ first with the en" co-ere" an" then unco-ere"& The ne6t ste% is to teach stu"ents to chan$e between the low an" hi$h note embouchures with ease an" accuracy& This fle6ibility is usually ne$lecte" "urin$ the be$innin$ months of flute %layin$' often resultin$ in a ri$i" embouchure that ma es octa-e chan$es "ifficult& ,tu"ents who learn early embouchure fle6ibility benefit not only

form the ability to %lay multi%le octa-es with ease' but also form the ability to %ro(ect a more resonant tone an" the ability to more rea"ily correct intonation %roblems& ,tu"ents shoul" be$in %ractice for embouchure fle6ibility on the Pneumo Pro' alternatin$ between the low an" hi$h note embouchures while blowin$ half notes within the constraints of a slow stea"y beat& !hen transferrin$ this %ractice to the flute hea" (oint' stu"ents shoul" %ractice until they can consistently %lay the "esire" %itch& Ha-e the stu"ents first wor with the en" of the hea" (oint co-ere"& 8ost stu"ents will fin" %layin$ this %erfect fifth easy to achie-e& The octa-e %ro"uce" by the hi$h an" low notes when the en" of the flute hea" (oint is left o%en will be much more challen$in$& This octa-e e6ercise will %ro-e e6tremely effecti-e in hel%in$ to "e-elo% embouchure fle6ibility& The Hea" 4oint 56& ? are "esi$ne" to %ro-i"e further %ractice in embouchure fle6ibility on the hea" (oint& ,tu"ents shoul" %ractice one line slowly on the Pneumo Pro to chec for air s%ee" an" air "irection "urin$ the embouchure chan$es& !hen the stu"ents can accurately chan$e embouchures within the confines of the written rhythmic -alues an" a stea"y beat' they are rea"y to %lay the e6ercise on the flute hea" (oint& These e6ercises shoul" also be use" as "aily warm0u%s "urin$ the stu"ent*s first year of flute %layin$ or for any stu"ent who has "ifficulty %layin$ in the thir" octa-e on the flute& Teachin$ Ton$uin$ Usin$ the Pneumo Pro 5-en thou$h stu"ents can %ro"uce a beautiful soun" while %layin$ a lon$ tone' when they be$in to learn ton$uin$' the tone .uality often "i$resses to a less focuse" soun"& !hen a %assa$e is %laye" with re%eate" articulations' the air column naturally mo-es hi$her' causin$ the tone to become airy an" unfocuse"& Ha-e the stu"ent %ractice ton$uin$ on the Pneumo Pro& The stu"ent shoul" simulate %layin$ a hel" note while s%innin$ the correct fan& Then the stu"ent shoul" a$ain blow as if sustainin$ a lon$ note' but interru%t the air stream with re%eate" ton$uin$& This style of ton$uin$ in which the ton$ue interru%ts a sustaine" tone will be referre" to as slur ton$uin$& The same fan that s%un on the hel" note without articulation shoul" s%in while the stu"ent ton$ues& Hel% for ,tu"ents with Braces ,tu"ents who ha-e new braces often feel frustrate" while %layin$ the flute& This "ifficulties they e6%erience stems from the braces %ushin$ the li%s sli$htly forwar"' causin$ %roblems in focusin$ the air "ownwar"& Usin$ the Pneumo Pro to a$ain focus the air in the correct "irection will .uic ly facilitate the a"(ustment nee"e" to refocus the air stream an" minimi2e the frustration of tem%orarily losin$ $oo" tone .uality& ,tu"ents rarely e6%erience "ifficulty a"(ustin$ to %layin$ after their braces are are remo-e"& 8ost often their tone .uality only im%ro-es with the absence of the braces& If a flute stu"ent will be $ettin$ braces' ha-e the %arents "iscuss with their chil"*s ortho"ontist which o%tions woul" interfere the least with flute %layin$& If the chil" nee"s to use a bite %late' a remo-able one woul" be more "esirable for the flute %layer in %lace of a %ermanent %late& The %ermanent bite %late can cause much "iscoura$ement when tryin$ to %ro"uce a $oo" soun" an" clean ton$uin$&