The column of air enclosed by the tube of the flute is exactly
comparable with a stretched violin string. As the string is set into transverse vibrations by the bow and thus is made to sound, so the longitudinal vibrations of the air column of the flute are produced by the blowing. Further, as the clear quality of tone of the violin depends upon a proper manipulation of the bow, so also the pure flute tone depends upon the direction in which the air stream is blown against the edge of the mouth-hole. Depending upon whether the air stream I directed more or less below the horizontal as it is blown across the flute, there develops from the fundamental tone of the flute tube, with all the holes closed, the so-called aliquot or harmonic overtones; e.e., for the fundamental tone C3, the aliquot tones are C4, G4, C5 E5, G5, (B5flat), and C6. Each octave therefore requires a different direction of the air stream, and when the correct one is found, not merely will a fine quality of tone be brought out, but by increasing the force of the air blast, the tone may be brought to the greatest possible strength without any deterioration in quality or pitch. However, by overblowing, that is by violently forcing the air, any tone can be made to break over into the higher tones, even when only a portion of the air goes in the right direction. Not only through the air thus wasted, but also because of the poor embouchure, the tone loses in purity, and there is produced at the same time a buzzing and rushing noise.
Part II Flute Playing
XIII. The Development of Tone Upon the supposition that the student has had elementary musical instruction in regard to notes, time, keys, etc., such as may be found in any printed Flute Instructor (especially in that of Hugot and Wunderlich, Jos. Aibl, Munich) I will proceed to a consideration of the playing of the flute itself, and shall begin with what I believe to be the essential requisite, the tone formation. A good embouchure depends for the most part upon a normal formation of the lips and teeth. However, if one has a defective embouchure, and also lacks a proper appreciation of beautiful tone quality, that is if he does not have a proper tone sense, both of these faults can be considerably improved by exercising in the following manner. Since a gradual transition is best in all things, by passing from the easy to the more difficult, so one, in blowing a new flute, should not begin with the higher and lower tones which are more difficult to produce, but he should begin in the middle register, in which the tone C4 is best produced by a beginner. [This tone is produced when the first finger of the left hand only is placed on its key.] When one has found the proper embouchure by which this tone can be clearly sounded in a delicate piano, one should gradually, without raising the pitch, swell it to a forte, and then bring it back again to the faintest pianissimo.
A methodical approach to learning and playing the historical clarinet. History, practical experience, fingering charts, daily exercises and studies, repertoire and literature guide. 2nd edition