lesson no 1-basic fingerings in flute

Blow whole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8


Flute Lessons on Carnatic Music: cl = close the hole.
h.cl = half close the hole.

Lesson No.1 o = open the hole.


You are aware that Carnatic Music is founded on the following 7 swaras (Notes Sabdaswaras)They are:
S R G M P D N
Flutes may have 6 OR 8 holes. You may be playing in any flute. But the basic lessons remain the same.
The Notes in Carnatic Music are as follows:.

FLUTE O O O O O O O O O
Mouth Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

To start the fingering first close all the holes. Open simultaneously H.No 4&3 to get the fingering of Sa.


Sa o cl cl o o cl cl cl o
Re1 o cl hcl o o cl cl cl o
Re2 o cl o o o cl cl cl o
Ga1 o h.cl o o o cl cl cl o
Ga2 o o o o o cl cl cl o

Ma1 o o cl cl cl cl cl cl o
Ma2 o cl cl cl cl cl hcl o o

Pa o cl cl cl cl cl o o o

Da2 o cl cl cl cl o o cl o
Da1 o cl cl cl cl hcl o cl o

Ne1 o cl cl cl o o o cl o
Ne2 o cl cl hcl o o o cl o

Sa*(high) o cl cl o o o o cl o



Fingering Chart :

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
SA
RE1
RE2
GA1
GA2
MA1
MA2
PA
DA2
DA1
NE1
NE2
SA(*)





Before trying to get the blow,you try to practice the fingering of each note atleast 50 times.
After finishing the above exercise, you may try blowing in the following way.

1.place the mouth hole of the flute below the centre point of your lips.
2Hold the flute horizontally like-------------------------------.
3.gently give the blow downwards into the mouth hole.
4.your blow must be very gentle and you should not exert much to get the sound.
5.take a pause for 10 minutes and repeat the above process.
6.you may not get the blow immediately.it took 7 days for me to get the sound.you may develop sensation of head ache,but it is only temporary.
8. in case you do not get the blow even after 7 days, do not get dispirited. You concentrate on fingering exercise as fingering is equally very important.
9. the blow tends to come bit late but once it has come, you are certain to develop faster.
All the very best.

You can also improve your blow as follows.

1. Open all the holes . 2. Place the mouth hole on the lower lip

2. Slowly try to give air down inside the hole.

3. Repeat the above process by first closing hole No.1.Next,

4. Close hole Nos 1 &2, and try blowing.

5. Then close 1, 2 & 3 and repeat the above steps.

6. Like this,you can try by closing one hole after another until you close
all the Seven holes. Afterwards, open one hole after another and blow.

All the very best.
K.T.DASARATHY. ktdasarat99@vsnl.net ktdasarat99