Octaves and Accidentals

[Halle]

So...I've been playing my C-key dizi for about a month or two. I can play a C-major scale, little bits of children's songs (Three Blind Mice, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Row Row Row Your Boat, Frere Jacques), a little bit of one song from an old soundtrack (we're talking the first three or four notes with that one), and the first part of Misty Mountains Cold from The Hobbit (if you haven't already guessed, I love soundtracks).

However, I'm getting lost when it comes to going up an octave (or two) and playing accidentals (notes like B-flat or F-sharp). I can only do the one scale. I can read Western music and I'm learning how to read Jianpu, if that helps at all. I don't have a teacher, so I'm pretty much on my own (unless resources like this, other websites, and YouTube count for anything).

Thanks for the help!

Halle

PS: I'm also trying not to spend much money (if any) because I have to save for textbooks for my second year of university, so if you suggest anywhere I could go for lessons, PLEASE keep in mind that price is a HUGE factor. 

[davidmdahl]

Hello Halle,

When playing the flute, a player changes the shape of the hole in the lips slightly and aims at the edge of the flute's embouchure hole in a different place depending on the range of the note. There are a lot of factors that go into controlling the lips, and I don't have time to list them here right now. I am also afraid that my attempts at explanation will be confusing and lead you astray. It really would be worth your while to take a lesson or two from a flute teacher. They don't even need to know about Chinese music or the dizi. The blowing principles from one flute to the next, are very similar, if not the same. If you are in a university setting with a music dept, there should be at least other students who could give you a hand. If your time is worth anything at all, you will find it worth getting some help. Not only will you save a lot of time learning the basics, you will avoid bad habits, which can really sink you. For most of the Chinese instruments, you need a teacher who knows those instruments, but for dizi, a good and open-minded Western flute teacher can help.

Regarding accidentals, six-hole flutes like the dizi are 'diatonic', and good for just a few keys. A "C" dizi will play in the key of C, G, and the relative minors of those keys. Playing notes not in those keys will be challenging. Sometimes you can partially cover a hole to get an otherwise unavailable note, but they are hard to get at speed, and depend on the dizi. Most Chinese tunes for dizi will not require notes outside of the keys available to the dizi. Western tunes can be more chromatic, although if you stick with folk music, you should be okay. Traditional Irish might be a good bet. Otherwise, sometimes you have to make adjustments in the tune when the note is just not there.

Best wishes,

David

[Halle]

Thanks for the tips! I'll do a little more research and practice. I plan on going to China next year (Fall 2015) to study abroad, so with any luck, I'll be able to afford lessons there and balance my classes.