Hear the sound right as you blow. Your world will change with Flute Assist.
Harmony
The ASTFL flute attachment supports players in producing sound with the flute, while acting as an unobtrusive companion for the instrument. This product possesses an adorable shape reminiscent of a bird singing on a perch.
Well-Made
In creating the ASTFL, we paid attention to every detail, from the safe welds designed with oral use and polished for a smooth mouthfeel, to the chamfering and glossy finish that give the connections between the different parts of the product a seamless appearance.
Revolutionary
We gave our new product a cute, creature-like form, one that offers the revolutionary capability of allowing anyone to produce sound simply by attaching it to a flute and blowing. The ASTFL was designed around the idea of a presence that dwells between people and musical instruments, resonating with both.
Inspiring
Sound emerges the instant that you blow into the ASTFL, which is sure to motivate beginning players. Designed with an appearance that complements the beauty of the flute, as well as ease of use that inspires the player and encourages them to keep practicing.
Toshihide Suzuki
Designer
Yamaha Design Laboratory
Unobtrusive and endearing, in harmony with the instrument.
While the flute can make beautiful sounds, it is an instrument that also requires delicate technique. Many aspiring players are unable to get past the first difficult step of making sounds with the instrument, which prevents them from moving on to fingering practice. The ASTFL flute attachment was created to help players easily overcome this hurdle, so that they can move on to the enjoyment of playing music. The ASTFL is an aid that lets you make sound with the flute simply by attaching it to the lip plate (mouthpiece) and blowing. We developed this product so that players can gain a feel for airflow and focus on how to hold the instrument, giving them the chance to thoroughly practice their fingering.
One difficulty aspiring players face in making sound with the flute lies in not using the proper embouchure (the shape of their mouth). The ASTFL recreates the ideal embouchure for the player. By faithfully molding the plastic to the subtle contours of the users’ upper and lower lips, the ASTFL allows the player to do more than just make sound—it lets them produce a flute-like sound.
To create a design befitting this function, we sought to create an understated, beautiful form that harmonizes naturally with the flute. Faced with the question of how to elevate the organic, real-life presence of the players into a new form that could interface with a musical instrument, we arrived at our starting point. The image that emerged as we continued our search was that of a small bird resting gently on its perch. Incorporating this idea into the design, we arrived at a slim body with all unnecessary elements stripped away, and an attachment arm that wraps around the flute like a tail feather. With its round shape and minute protrusions on the inside, along with a design that leverages the springiness of the plastic from which it is made, the arm can be firmly affixed to a flute with ease.
We have also given attention to enhancing this product’s completeness as a tool. The product uses the same plastic as that used in pianicas (keyboard-shaped harmonicas), a material that has excellent safety characteristics. Within the compact form of the ASTFL, only a few centimeters in size, is a complex, delicate structure featuring wavy, lip-like shapes. These mimic the lips where they touch the mouthpiece, and are bonded using safe, precise ultrasonic welding rather than glue. We gave a great deal of consideration to every detail, including how the variously shaped parts of this product are chamfered together to connect in a natural way, and the polished sheen of the tip that touches your mouth, giving it a smooth, uncomplicated look.
Just making sound can be fun. The ASTFL awakens the sense of joy in playing—simple, yet all so important, and it is our hope that it will mark the start of our new efforts towards making it easier for people to take the next step in their musical endeavors.
