I have just started to play the flute and I'm trying to get a handle on playing in higher octives. I can't seem to get it right. If anyone has any tips for this [and if you have any other tips that consider flute playing for a beginner] then I would greatly appreciate it if you'd share. Thanks.

try not to change mouth shape too much. a little trick is to think 'high' or 'low when playing those types of notes. sounds silly but works, especialy on the highest octave

adding to ^

blow ever so slightly harder but keep it controlled (when i say slightly; i mean so you can hardly tell yourself) eventually it'll become natural and you wont even know you're doing it ^_^

As for tips for a beginner..... keep working at scales and work on breathing; i used to play in a lesson with a girl who took a breath every bar and it drove the tutor crazy so try picking a note you feel comfortable playing and see how long you can hold it, do this a few times each day and every day stretch yourself tht little bit harder! (not too hard tho)

hope this helped ^_^

Thanks for the advice. I'm still working at it. :p I still can't do the higher octives yet, but I'm getting better at blowing into the flute and holding notes.

*Isn't giving up* :)

Getting the higher octave properly will take a while. Some tips:

1) Don't smile or tense your mouth! That's the absolute worst thing that you can do.
2) If you have a relative small mouth, puff your cheeks with air.
3) Try to gently and relaxdly (sp?) frown while you're playing.
4) Practice playing harmonics.

Ok, I am sticking with Clarinet and Piano for now. Flute seems way, way, way, way, way to complecated.

Off-topic sorry, good luck with the flute octaves.

dont change your mouth shape to much
blow harder but not shaky
maybe you much wana make the shape of your mouth smaller

Get a coffee stirrer and wrap your lips around it. Kepps that shape for a long while. It will hurt a lot but it helps. Blow harder and try your positioning of the flute. Breathe above the ambessle(sp?). Your mouth should be relatively sharper and think strict. Like high notes are sharp, clean, and strict.

to blow higher octives make you hole smaller and kind of stick your lips out..thats how i learned it.

Thanks for all the tips, guys [and girls]. :)

If anyone knows of a helpful website that has a flute fingering chart and/or tips for playing the flute it would be appreciated. I've looked everywhere for fingering charts and all the ones I've seen have just confused me. Thanks.

Well....I just have the Essential Elements 2000 Book 1

Tomorrow I'm probably going to go and buy a beginner's book for the flute [most likely essential elements]. I was just hoping that maybe I could get a good start today. :p

as what others probably said, keep your mouth space small. as my music conductor might say, squeeze air through the smallest straw in the world!

I've been playing the flute for five years myself, and I still have problems with going into higher octaves at times. ( it's probably because I practice my pieces down an octave, but still. ^^; ) But, I always find that when that happens I'm slouching and my shoulder and right elbow are dropped. Also, (no matter how many times it's said) you should always keep your feet flat on the floor.
^__^

Practicing your scales also helps. :D

Don't practice an octave lower. XD It will help.