The Middle Register
So far, all of the notes you have learned have had different names. However, in music there are many higher and lower versions of all these notes. On the flute, these higher and lower versions are in different registers.
A register is a range of notes which have similar tone qualities. All the notes you have learned are in the low register. The following diagram shows a new D note which is in the middle register. This note is one octave above D in the low register. An octave is the distance between any note and it’s next higher or lower repeat.
Practice alternating between D in the middle register and the C just below it, as shown in the following song. This may be difficult at first, as you will have to use six fingers for D, then change to two fingers for C. Practice this movement slowly at first. There are no breath marks for this example, you can breathe anywhere a rest occurs.
This song uses both the new D note and the low register D. If you have trouble changing between C and D in this song, practice the previous exercise a bit more until you are confident with the change.
