Piccolo players: any help on how to get a better sound?

Question

so i play the flute and i have tried playing the piccolo a couple of times and i got a sound out and it didn't sound terrible, but i want to try out for my marching band and i need help on improving my tone and controlling the sound and stuff. any ideas?

Answer 1

Hello Claire,

It is definately not as easy to get a good sound out of the piccolo as with the flute... but it can be done.   Yes... you must focus your airstream more precisely and make your embouchure smaller to accomodate that tiny enbouchure hole of the lip plate...  But that is part one.

You must also blow about twice as hard for the piccolo than the flute.   Though piccolo is the tiniest instrument in the band, it actually takes more air than the tuba, believe it or not.   You need alot of diaphragm support to play piccolo....  like trying to blow out 100 candles on a birthday cake with one breath.

I suggest you work on high note tone study.  This is the same as long tones but primarily for the top register of the instrument.    Use a metronome set to 60.  Start on the 1st C you can play and blow the note to the count of 4 beats.   Repeat it for another 4 beats.   Next play each following notes chromatically, all the way to the highest note you can play,   using the same number of beats for each one.   Don't hurry.  This is not a race.   Instead of blowing down and at an angle as you do with flute,  blow more across the piccolo - maybe even angle the air stream a little high.  Blow HARD but at the same time try to relax your lips.  Pooch your lips slightly forward like duck lips.  Do not tighten and pull back with your lips as this keeps the air stream too low to cut across the embouchure hole of the piccolo.   Blow FAST and HARD air.  If you can, practice this long tone exercise about 15 minutes per session and about two sessions a day for quicker results.   Soon you will understand just how much air is needed to get the notes out and playing good tones on the piccolo will become natural.   It does take time, patience and practice...  but it is not reallly a hard thing to do.

I would guess that practicing the exercises in the manner I suggested will give you results in about two weeks.

Good luck to you.  Hope you make piccolo in your marching band

Thanks for reading :)

Answer 2

Make sure that your piccolo is in good condition (pads are fresh, ect).

I play both the flute and piccolo, and the main difference is that you have to keep your air more controlled when you play piccolo. Try relaxing a little and easing your air flow.

Once you get your air under control you'll be fine.

Good luck!