Ok, here is a new one, or an old one, or any one you want to choose...

I have been working with White Christmas and the it requires half holing the 6 hole.. I have been avoiding songs that requires half holing, and avoiding half holing all together...until now... I have been able to get the pitch of the half holing but cannot hold the note for any length of time with out getting a squell...

Any comments or suggestions....Please....I am beginning that is why the donkey across the street answers back each time I do it...

Graywolf

is there a song here?

Thanks Jeff...I dont know why it was doing that..I figured it was my fingering postion..Found if I just slid my finger down some it would work...So I think I am on to something...Before I was pulling my finger up and back creating a channel for the air, hence, the squell...

Oh, Kalli, Don't tempt me, I am sure I could come up with a song for you...maybe the "Donkey Dance"....

Graywolf

There are different techniques for half holing as well to think of. I have learned to use the technique used on whistles as opposed to what I've seen with the NAF. I do not move my finger down to close half the hole, I tilt my finger at an angle, lifting it slightly and for me this allows me to move through the half holing quicker and I do not get any variances in the airflow. I've watched people half hole by moving their finger position and I couldn't do it, so a friend showed me this other technique and I found it so much easier....

Here is a video showing this technique, although you might prefer the technique you are using...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XewJKYPVn4

Halfed holed, Tenzin

Uhhhhhyh, Yeah!!!! Now if he would just slow down a bit so I can see the half hole....

Not wanting to change the subject, but, what flute was that/those????Is he playing two flutes at once or is that one flute...???Very interesting...

Yeah, he's fast isn't he? He's doing heaps of half holing too... My last girlfreind plays the penny whistle and showed me the angled finger (I don't know what to call it) technique and it is easier for me, except I am still having some challenges with the higher notes, practice, practice, practice.

I tried to half holing by covering half the hole and all I get was inconsistent squawks and stuff, but then again, I've never been blessed to play with other NAF players so I know little, or no techniques on the NAF, I just blow into 'em and enjoy myself.....

Tenzin

Each flute will half hole slightly differently. You have to practice it on the flute you intend to play it on. Mary Youngblood goes so far as to stick notes on her flutes, with the song title it is supposed to be used for.

Hi Erich,
I don't know what kind of flutes he is playing but it sure looks like to me he is circular breathing.
Very talented.
Be Spirited,
John

Rick is right. My experience as well as half-holing is different for each flute. Just keep on trying...

I do the same thing.. its easier..

Ok, that isn't half-holing, it is "bending". Gets you a similar note.

Now bending I have no problem with..I have gotten that down to a T...I find that with the Gm, I can hold the half hole note easier than on the F#m...

I see what you aresaying on practice with the one I will be using...I am waiting on an E coming in...That is the one I want to do White Christmas on.. I think, if I practice with what I have I can break into the E easier..Maybe??? We will see..


Thanks for the suggestions....

half way to the half hole,

Graywolf

Most flutes can be half-holed on all of the holes above the bottom hole. But the bottom hole is a much bigger challenge and many can't be half-holed on the bottom hole or do so very poorly. 'Depends upon the flute. I suspect that the reason is that there are two notes between covering and uncovering the bottom hole and somehow that just makes it much harder. I've got some flutes that I can half hole the bottom hole, and many that it's just not worth the trouble. If after a lot of trying and using different techniques it's not working on your flute, it's probably the flute and not you.

Rick, what I'm talking about is not bending the note, it's a different technique for half holing. As Jeff said, it's just easier for some of us. I've watched Bruce Allen Ray half hole the other way by moving his hole finger down the flute to cover half the hole, but I have trouble with that technique, too inconsistent for me, that is why I lift my finger at an angle, opening half the hole to achieve the note. My friend Deb is an oustanding penny whistle player and she showed me how it's done on whistles and it does work well on the NAF.

Tenzin

Ok, Tenzin, that sounds like bansuri technique, actually. It amounts to rolling the finger off part of the hole, to change the note.

That's it Rick, I am not good at explaining things sometimes, I even confuse myself with my words...

I just wanted Erec to know of this other technique, it's easier for me, but I am still having trouble using it with some of the notes and it's harder on some of my flutes, the smaller the flute the harder it seems to be to half holed...but I am not well practiced and good at playing these things yet...

It's like bending the note, but you stop short of bending...

Tenzin

Yup. Smaller flutes are harder to do, partly due to the difficulty of precisely opening up the smaller hole.

I get best results with a sort of roll over the note, but then some flutes do it well and some just don't respond to me.

Hi Erich,
Assuming the 6th hloe is the top hole and your looking for say, an F# on a G flute some flutes will give it to you here: < OOXXOO but pushing too hard here can send it into second octave or even a stupid place:>)
Kuz

Some flutes are easier than others!
Good size holes help, but is no guarantee. It really depends on the flute.
When ever I'm going to play around with half holes I always pick up my Singing Tree Dm, it seems to like half holing.
I can do it, not always consistently though, and it defiantly needs to be practiced every day.
This little diddy I just posted on Cool breeze's thread has a little half holing about four bars in. ( the step down on the lower notes.
Second post down. http://forums.fluteportal.com/index.php?sh...ic=3549&hl=
And this song I posted long ago, is full of half holing high and low notes. XXX/XXD and XDX/OOO.
http://forums.fluteportal.com/index.php?showtopic=2960
Try doing it on each flute you own and you will probably find one that likes it.

Good morning Kuz, and all who have commented on this...Yesterday I was sitting and practicing with it and trying to pay "close" attention to what I was doing...Seems that it was a combo of sliding the finger down a bit and also lifting it, which was causing the squells, as you said Kuz...Gotta be veryyyyyyy careful with this or the mule across the street will start heehawing...hehehe..So my observation was to not lift the finger at all and just slightly move the finger down by using my knuckle in my hand as a pivot point..Seemed to have worked cause now I am having no problem.. Trick is to not get over zealous and "jerk" the finger but to just let it flow...

Plus, having ET's dosnt help either, but I am learning to control it...

By the way, "White Christmas" is a great tune to learn different techniques on...

Thanks Guys, and Gals...for the help..

Graywolf

Hm. I rotate my hand so that the top of the finger slides to uncover the hole. That may sound like that would be doing unnecessary work, but it actually gives you the most control. This is the technique that most recorder players recommend for using the double holes and it works for me on the NAF too.

Victor.

Erich, where on the flute are you starting out on?
It was raining today so I thought I would give White Christmas a go.
Here is what I came up with starting out on the XXX/OOO hole.
The immediate second note is the cross finger XXO/XOO but no half holing till the very last measure.
Click to view attachment

Zoned,

I start out at the low end,, xoxxxx, ooxxxx, xoxxxx,

The half holes dosnt come up till later... It's ok now...I got it down...

I have the full music in nakai tab now. That helps alot...I have it in hard copy, I'll scan it and post it tomarrow...

Graywolf

Here is the tab I have been using...

Click to view attachment

Thanks for the help everyone...

Graywolf