can anyone give me some tips on learning to play staccto in the first octave as everytime I try it, it sounds like i'm playing top octave?
HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Am having to think quite hard about this one, as it seems to be somethink I do automatically. Um, try to keep to blowing soft, if that makes sense, stacatto doesnt mean sfortzando (probably spelt wrong I know!) just short. Try practising scales stacatto, I think its something that gets better with practise!

Sorry I can't be more help, perhaps you should post this on the general forum where more teachers'll read it, cause they can probably give you better advice!

Try and aim the air directly into the hole.
For practise, try playing notes that are easy to get a clear sound (i.e E-B ). When you play them, try and relax your mouth (as if you were yawning) and don't use your tongue at all. Take a deep breath (so that your stomach grows) and let the air out in short, sharp bursts. Don't use your tongue- just try and get the sound you want with the air you breathe out. When you are pleased with the sound you have, start tonguing very lightly (use tip of your tongue) at the same time as you breath out in short sharp bursts (like before). With practise, you will be able to get faster, as your stomach will automatically push the air out in sharp bursts.

Hope this helps (it took me a while, but it worked for me)

For really clear tounging, and a bright stacatto sound, move your tongue to between your lips, and as you blow out, pull the toungue back. Kinda hard to explain but that's the best way I can put it. Also use your diaphram to force the air through quickly. In my opinion, the low octave on the flute is by far and away the hardest, so don't give up!