Developing good intonation skills is one of the most important tasks of every musician. It can also be one of the most frustrating! I managed to make it through a master’s degree in performance while having a mediocre sense of intonation. While I excelled at technique and managed to give acceptable performances, my not-so-great intonation definitely held me back.
It wasn’t until after I finished that degree that I found a way of practicing that finally enabled me to hear pitch better, recognize when I was out of tune, and make the proper adjustments. Since then I have made it my mission to make sure that no one else has to go through this same experience!
I’ve devised a series of exercises that can be used by all musicians to develop their ability to hear and judge pitch. Then especially for flutists I have specific suggestions for using that ability to play better in tune and improve tone quality.
Sound simple? It is! But it isn’t easy. It takes consistent, careful, concentrated work. The payoff is so worth it, though; being able to play consistently and confidently with good intonation. It not only sounds better, it feels better!
So go to the next page and let’s get started!