Before our flute choir concerts, I like to do a calming exercise with the group so they can play with more relaxed bodies and clearer mental focus. It is a simple breathing exercise that has had good results so far. I have them breathe in through their noses for a slow count of 4, thenContinue reading “Calming Pre-Concert Nerves”
Tag Archives: flute practice tips
Chasing the Tone
When I haven’t been practicing regularly, one of the things I tend to do is something I beg and plead students not to do. Simply put, I chase the notes with the airstream. I shoot the air up at high notes and dive down to scoop the low notes, drawing the shape of the melodyContinue reading “Chasing the Tone”
Flute Practice Epiphany 1
I think one of the benefits of getting older is that I have had the opportunity to hear many different ideas and perspectives on flute practice. Every once in awhile one of these ideas will spark an epiphany, a little bolt of intellectual lightning that lights up my brain. The solution to a problem suddenlyContinue reading “Flute Practice Epiphany 1”
Amazing Harmonic and Multiphonic Exercises
I’m doing it again, pointing you away from here to what someone else has done. Of course, when someone else has done something fantastic, there is no reason to keep it to yourself. I’ve followed Helen Bledsoe’s comments on Flute List with interest, but I had no idea that she had put together such fantasticContinue reading “Amazing Harmonic and Multiphonic Exercises”
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”
Tanked Audition
I am still recovering from a badly botched audition that I took for a local orchestra. I thought I was relatively well prepared, though I hadn’t practiced that much. I admit, I was relying on previous experience and practice to get me through, but I was still shocked at what happened. It was like aliensContinue reading “Tanked Audition”
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”
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?”