Serious Help

[Band_Geek]

Well not really

I really need some help when I have to crescendo when playing music. I can change my dynamics when playing one note but when Im playing different notes during a piece of music, I usually forget it or I just end up crescendoing one note instead of what the music says. Any help?

Im pretty good at tounging my notes but I just want to clarify this, does tounging on the back of your two front teeth or the roof of your mouth working?

For the past couple of weeks, Ive been working on vibrato. So far, I think Im doing pretty good. Im hearing that wavey sound vibrato is supposed to make. I am supposed to be playing vibrato using my throat and not my diaphram right?

The reason Im asking all these questions is because I have an assessment coming up in March, and last year we got a two. This year, my schools Honor Band is a lot better than last year so were hoping to get a one.

[makeajoyfulnoise]

If everyone in your band is working on sounding better individually, as it sounds like you are, then you should do better.
One way to work on the crescendo and decrescendo is to practice on a scale. If you start at the bottom of a scale and play to the top try to crescendo on the way up and then play from the top note down and decrescendo. Do this several times when you are warming up and it should start comming more natural when you are playing a piece that has you playing a crescendo while changing notes.
As far as tounging I use both the top of my mouth and the back of my teeth. If I need more of a staccato sound I toung on the roof of my mouth and if I need a more legato sound I use the back of my teeth. That is just what works best for me.
If you are hearing the wavey sound when you are playing vibrato then you are on the right track. Have an older flute student or teacher listen to you when you are playing and they should be able to help you with the vibrato and give you some tips on what to work on there.
When playing in a band the tounging and crescendo's are more important to get right than the vibrato. The vibrato is still a good thing to work on but is going to be less noticable that if you are not crescendoing or tounging.
Hope this helps.

[amhso]

yeah vibrato is good if it's wavey, it's supposed to make it sorta that way anyways. I'm working on mine too. I have a friend who's way better at the flute than I am (hehe but I play picc better than her) help me with vibrato and tonguing.

[kristysb]

ideally vibrato should be made through your diaphram. young/beginning flutists tend to use the throat, but you have more control with your diaphragm once you get up to par.

[flutepicc06]

Actually vibrato is produced through a combination of the throat/mouth and the diaphragm. Every flutist is different in the ratio of throat to diaphragm, so there is no definite way to describe it, but a good vibrato should involve both.