Teaching Tip of the Month!
May 2012: Enrichment
As many of you know, I write the 'Let's Talk Picc" column for Flute Talk Magazine. I hope many of you are enjoying the magazine. There is a wealth of information for you regarding every aspect of flute playing, from a performance angle and pedagogical articles as well. Subscriptions are available in hard copy delivered to your mailbox, or if you prefer, electronically. The website is: www.flutetalkmagazine.com
It's a great way to stay energized with great information at your fingertips. Be sure to enjoy the piccolo column.
April 2012: A Great Fingering!
Every now and then you might be stumped for a fingering, which was the case in a recent piece that we premiered in Pacific Symphony. We were asked to trill C#-D, in the fourth octave (the five ledger line C#). I could not find a fingering anywhere, so I set about to figure it out. So, here it is! Your flute must have a C# trill key to make this trill work, and I'm thankful that this option is becoming a real favorite and almost a standard key these days. I've never seen this fingering written down anywhere...so......
You will be moving the C# trill key as the trilled key: Finger C# as LH: 2 and 4, RH 1 but use your second finger here: you need to move your index finger over to trill that C# key. Voila! A decent half step trill!
March 2012: Hand Position
Make sure that the flute is balanced properly in your hands. The main points for support are the right hand thumb and the first finger knuckle joint of the left hand. Keep in mind that there is some counterbalance coming from the flute resting on the lip/chin area as well. Orient yourself in a room facing one wall: The left hand palm should face the wall to your right, keeping the elbow joint rather low. The right hand thumb can be placed under the F key, or slightly lower, but oriented underneath the index finger. Make sure that there is no break in the wrist joint, so that the right arm has a smooth line all the way to the elbow. These little adjustments in hand position may encourage smoother finger technique. Fingers move from the knuckle down: the hands don't move. Use a mirror to check your hand position frequently.
February 2012:Vibrato
Vibrato is an expressive device no flutist should be without, but one which is personal and variable. I think one of the best ways to understand your vibrato is to tape record your practice and listen carefully to the speed as well as the width of the vibration. Vibrato needs to have a musical context and correct execution: make sure that the throat is relaxed (the vocal folds need to be separated). Vary the vibrato according to musical expression but not necessarily within the same phrase. It may help to work on vibrato with a metronome to assure that it is even in the beginning stages of development. Listen to other great musicians to hear correct vibrato and various widths and speeds.
January 2012: Breathing
It always comes down to the basics: mastery of breathing is a cornerstone of flute artistry. When we breathe it's important to stay open enough to allow the air to enter the lungs completely. Think of adding width to the back and filling up all the way around the body, or think of diagonal action in your back. Try not to tense up the shoulders or raise them when inhaling.The sternum can lift a bit when you take your deepest breaths. Keep your throat open and free on the inhale as well, and keep the belly soft so that it can expand a bit as well. These tips should help you get enough air into the body to use for even the longest phrases.
December 2011: Working with the Metronome
Make sure that you are on top of the click of the metronome, rather than following the click. It is possible to feel like you are with the beat when in fact, you are responding to it, which makes you a little late. Take care to listen for absolute accuracy in between the beats as well: I hear students who are playing 16th notes with a metronome who still have flaws in between the 2nd and 3rd 16th note, for example. Listen for absolute accuracy and even fingers: slow down and gradually bring the passage up to speed. Work with the visual cue on the metronome as well (just the flashing light instead of the sound cue) for variety.
November 2011: Articulation
When working on developing speed in double and triple tonguing, keep in mind that the tongue needs to be as relaxed as possible..and since the tongue is one of the stronger muscles in our body, it takes extra awareness to keep the tongue light and precise. Remember that the main articulation syllable for single tonguing, TU, comes from the French, and not our English word Too, which puts the tongue in a very different position. The syllables DE GE work best for double tonguing quickly. Experiment and work on articulating the same pitches before working on running double tonguing, or different pitches for each tongue stroke, of course always with the metronome.
October 2011: Technique and Musicality
Remember that each passage you practice, whether it be scales, a passage from repertory, anything that you play has to have musical meaning and context! Many times we become hung up on the 'correctness' of a passage instead of working through it to fire the soul and communicate the composer's musical intentions. Keep searching for the meaning behind the technical passage to bring your practice more to life.
September 2011: Practice Passionately!
When you are practicing, make sure to devote your attention to ALL details and not just go thru the motions. Many mistakes can be avoided all together by really tuning in: Active listening (what is actually being produced in sound) is as important as Mental listening (projecting the ideas you want thru the music). But what never works is allowing distracting internal dialogue to occur when working..avoid this at all costs! Stay in the moment and stay connected and you will get twice as much done in half the time.
Happy Practice!
July 2011: Check your Alignment!
Always double check your alignment! When we put our flutes together, we are in a bit of a hurry at times....You should have a nail polish mark on your headjoint and body tenon to assure that your headjoint is aligned to your personal setting (somewhere close to the center of the embouchure blow hole aligned with the center of the c key on the body of the flute). Also, make sure the the foot joint is aligned with the center of the body keys lining up with the main rod of the foot joint. I have noticed that if my sound feels a bit off some days, I have missed this alignment by a tiny amount...proving that the smallest details add up to quite a bit.
So, take a moment to make sure you are aligned correctly at the headjoint and at the foot joint.
