practicing the flute « Practicing Flutist

Intonation is Relative

March 23, 2012 at 8:33 pmCategory:Practicing the Flute

I am constantly surprised at how differently I approach intonation practice than so many other people. I was in a flute choir rehearsal last week and the director was working on a passage where the intonation was not working. She was working on just 3 notes that a section had to play, D3-F3-D3. They got the first two notes going pretty well, but they could not come back to the second D3 from the F3. I made a remark to myself that the problem was not the notes themselves, it was that the descending interval was not the same size as the ascending interval. The flutist next to me heard and said something like “Wow, you really analyzed that on a different level!”

I do not have such great ears that I was hearing what each player was doing. It only makes sense that if they can play D3-F3 with and be in tune with each other and don’t get back to the D3 together, they have done something differently. The second D3 is different from the first and the second interval is a different size than the first.

To me, this is part of learning to play in tune, not so much that the individual notes are at the ‘correct’ frequency, but that the intervals are the proper size. Start by not stretching the octaves, don’t go sharper as you ascend or flatter as you descend. All D’s are proportional to each other, make them sound that way. Same for all E’s, F’s, C#’s, etc. So simple, so difficult, and so necessary. If the director had told the section to play the second D3 the same as the first, it could have been a much simpler fix, rather than saying ‘you are sharp and you are flat’ etc. Intonation is relative. Start from note and tune every other note in relation to that one.

Looking for a Pitch Tendency Chart?

February 7, 2012 at 8:42 pmCategory:Practicing the Flute

I’ve noticed that one of the most popular pages on this blog is the page on creating a pitch tendency chart. I have a feeling that what people are really looking for is a chart that will tell them what the pitch tendencies of the flute are, so I thought I would explain why I haven’t provided such a thing, but instead tell you how to create one for yourself.

While there are some pitches on almost all flutes that can be counted on to be sharp or flat intonation-wise (c# in the staff, e and f# above the staff), individual players and different flutes will each have their own tendencies for all the other notes. A note that is flat or sharp for one person may not be for another. And if you play on different flutes for different purposes, especially if you play alto, bass, picc, etc., you will want to chart your tendencies on those flutes as well.

There are two purposes for charting your pitch tendencies. One is so that you will know what your own tendencies are so you can learn to adjust for them. The second is that just by doing the work of charting your tendencies, you become more aware of your tone production and improvement begins almost automatically. This is why I don’t provide a chart of generalized pitch tendencies, because they might not apply to you! So spend a little time, make a nice chart and start measuring your own personal pitch tendencies. You might be surprised at what you find!

A Flutist’s Education is Never Finished

October 10, 2011 at 8:21 pmCategory:Practicing the Flute

As I was practicing my daily dose of Moyse exercises (I’m on Day 13 now, more ABCD), I experienced a tremendous feeling of gratitude for the kind of flute education that I have received. While I feel that I have learned many things on my own, and that students (myself included) are largely responsible for what they learn, I felt very grateful for the lessons my teachers taught me and for the many things I have learned.

For some time now, I have been feeling pretty isolated, flute-wise and education-wise. I do not meet too many people who have had the advanced music education that I have. Most people make a lot more money than I do, or are at least employed in their field, but these are all results of choices we each make. Lately I’ve been meeting flutists who would love to have had the teaching that I received, that are craving knowledge that I have been taking for granted. Reading posts on the Flute List regarding Sir James’s Moyse scale challenge have also reinforced this. There are so many people who have not had a teacher that really taught them the basics of how to play the instrument. Those of us who have had an intensive, thorough flute education are very, very lucky.

But, we shouldn’t stop there! I’ve also been reading stories, articles, and posts about flutists that continue their learning every day. Their curiosity and enthusiasm and determination never wane and neither should yours and mine. There is always more that you can do to improve as a musician. You can read about music and musicians, study scores, compose and arrange pieces, listen to recordings, go to performances, etc, etc, not to mention practice!

As a flutist with a day job, I often bemoan the time that I cannot spend on music and the education that is not being exercised and utilized often enough. Today I was able to remember that I am very lucky. I hope I can carry that feeling around for a long while! Now, go practice your scales and see what you can be grateful for!

Sir James’ Scale Challenge

October 4, 2011 at 5:55 pmCategory:Practicing the Flute

Have you heard about Sir James Galway’s scale practicing challenge? It has been the buzz of his forum for weeks. He has challenged all flutists who are willing to put some serious work in to go through Moyse’s Daily Exercises method book with him. He has pledged to do the practice routine prescribed in the book every day, no matter where he is, and wants others to do the same. Neat, huh?! Can you imagine yourself practicing the same exercises that this legendary flutist is doing every day?

I have to admit that I got so enthusiastic that I jumped the gun and started right away. Turns out that the challenge didn’t get started ’til Sept. 26, but I figure that I might miss a day here and there so I’ll probably finish along with everyone else. These are some pretty rigorous exercises, and if I hadn’t worked through them before, I would probably be pretty intimidated to try it now. You start out with basic scales, then work through ever-widening intervals and iterations of broken chords. It is a terrific workout! I believe that working on the wide intervals is one of the keys to developing a flexible sound that is consistent in all registers.

Copy and paste this link into your browser, it will take you to a video of Sir James demonstrating why and how to practice these scales.

http://galwaynetwork.com/scale.htm

This could be some of the most important practicing you ever do!

It’s hot in here!

September 3, 2011 at 8:00 amCategory:Flute Life

My air conditioner is on the fritz, it is about ninety degrees in here, and now that it has rained, the humidity is close to one hundred percent. The air is so heavy that it feels like I am trying to breathe underwater. The lip plate slides all over my chin as I struggle to produce a steady airstream. Sweat trickles down my back. Perfect conditions for practicing!

I’ve gotten so soft! I’ve practiced and performed my way through many summers without the benefit of air conditioning. There used to be a tarnish outline on my lip plate where a postage stamp was affixed to help keep the head joint from sliding around. I developed strategies for practicing in rooms with fans. If the fan was too disruptive, I did without. I reconciled myself to the fact that anyone within a quarter mile could hear me practice through open windows, even took advantage of the situation to show off a little. Now all I can think of is how uncomfortable I am, how inconvenienced, how wimpy and whiny I am.

Of course it always took awhile to acclimate to extreme conditions. And of course I complained then, too, until I found a way to cope. Then it became a point of pride that I could function under such adversity.

In truth, I miss having the windows open in summer like I did growing up on a farm in the Midwest. I miss the fresh air, the feel of a nice breeze, the smell of rain. I miss the sound of insects and frogs at night, of birds in the morning. I feel distanced from the outside, like I’m not taking part in the progression of the seasons. Of course, I live in Florida now, “in town”, where the summers are blisteringly long and you can feel the sting of the sun’s rays on your skin like mini-laser beams if you dare go out unprotected at midday. The ‘snowbirds’, Northerners who come down here for the winters, flee before the summer can fully manifest. Farmer’s markets pack up, heat advisories become everyday events, and the daily thunderstorms roll on through. Could I survive without air conditioning? Sure. Will I let a little heat keep from practicing? Not any more than I let anything else. So I’ll experiment with the ceiling fan going, get a tall glass of ice water, maybe a towel to wipe my brow, open the windows wide, and maybe even show off a little.

Older Entries