At last week’s flute choir rehearsal, we were discussing how often we might have to tune during the concert because of people having to change to different instruments for different pieces. There were several suggestions made about how to peed the flutes warm so they wouldn’t be so flat when they are picked up forContinue reading “Preparing for Intonation Contingencies”
Category Archives: Practicing the Flute
Practical Intonation Practice Manifesto
Practical Intonation Practice Manifesto 1. Everything is a tone exercise. Always use the best tone production possible! Good intonation and good tone go hand in hand. 2. Don’t rush. Give yourself plenty of time to hear the sounds you are producing so you can determine if any changes need to be made. Pay attention toContinue reading “Practical Intonation Practice Manifesto”
Phoning it in: Practice apps for Smart Phones
It’s amazing what smart phones can do! They not only relay phone calls and email, text messages and Facebook updates, they can also make practicing better and easier. I’ve had a metronome app for awhile (an Android app, nothing against iPhone, just my carrier doesn’t support them) and have enjoyed it immensely. I had beenContinue reading “Phoning it in: Practice apps for Smart Phones”
Inspiring greatness
I was sitting in orchestra rehearsal last week, looking around at all the different people, and thinking about what makes a great musician ‘great.’ Everyone in the orchestra tries hard to play well, to get the notes and entrances right, to satisfy the wishes and directions of the conductor, but probably no one in theContinue reading “Inspiring greatness”
Flute Student Check Up
With school starting up soon and the prospect of new flute students coming in the door, now is the time to devise a little check up on some flute basics to ensure that students are in a good position to get going on a new school year. These suggestions are especially useful if you areContinue reading “Flute Student Check Up”
Practicing Piccolo
Argh! I have to play piccolo on the next concert and it has been so long since I’ve put any time in on the lovely little petite member of the flute family. When I was very young, I thought playing picc was the greatest thing on earth! When I first was asked what instrument IContinue reading “Practicing Piccolo”
Intonation is Relative
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 gotContinue reading “Intonation is Relative”
Looking for a Pitch Tendency Chart?
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 IContinue reading “Looking for a Pitch Tendency Chart?”
A Flutist’s Education is Never Finished
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 forContinue reading “A Flutist’s Education is Never Finished”
Sir James’ Scale Challenge
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 theContinue reading “Sir James’ Scale Challenge”