Fluteland.com Flute Message Board

16 years

I think what you're doing is WONDERFUL!!! It gives people like me, who in the back of my mind feel like I "missed my chance," support to continue!!! I briefly studied music in college.. then for other stupid reasons, i.e. MONEY, I had to stop. Now that I'm older and actually have money and could aff...

Definitely don't march with a wooden piccolo. Save that for concert band. However, I'm a real believer that you need to find a good quality piccolo for marching band too. For example, Yamaha makes some really nice plastic ones that have great tone and won't get ruined in the rain. Some solid silver ...

Another thing you can try is to instead of starting a particular passage on the first note and ending on the last note, try starting on the second note and playing straight through and then loop around to the first note again. Then start on the third note, etc. This will really exercise your mind, s...

The split E makes your high E come out effortlessly, and more in tune. Not exactly sure how it works. It's usually an extra expense, but if it comes with your flute, wonderful! There's also the high-E facilitator, which is like this little "donut" that is put inside the tone hole that helps the high...

I agree--the Yamahas are good if you're just starting. There are a LOT of crappy piccolos out there, and you definitely don't want to be playing one of those when you're first starting out. You want something that is good quality to start you out on the right foot. (Besides, so many non-flutists hat...

The way I would do it is to start with a note in the middle register that you can get your "best tone" out of. Hold the note several times, then slur down chromatically to the next note without changing your embouchure. Then start with that note, make sure you have a good, clean tone, then go down o...

Ouch, hurts my throat!!

Oh well, I will keep trying.

Thank you so much for the info!!

Hi all, I was wondering if anyone has any tips on flutter-tonguing, for a girl who can't roll her "R"s!! I've never been able to do that tongue roll thing.. I would be terrible at learning Spanish.. but anyway, does anyone have any tips?? I know there's some way people do it without rolling the tong...

No, plugs are generally what you use to cover the holes while you're learning with your open-hole flute. Nothing wrong with using them.. as I said, the plugs shouldn't make any difference in your sound. What they will do is help you when you're just learning.. I think someone else said take one out ...

There really shouldn't be much of any difference in sound with the "covers" in. Are they actually covers, or are they plugs that go right in the holes?

Of course there's the Chaminade Concertino which is wonderful.. although a little overplayed.. but it's still fun to learn and play.. and a crowd pleaser.

In my opinion, tapping is not a good thing! What usually ends up happening is everyone starts tapping, no one is together, and you get even more confused. Not to mention the annoying sound of the tapping mixed with the music. Oy. There should only be one beat, and that is the conductor... or your in...

I love to listen to Gary Schocker's vibrato. It's never the same.. and I mean that in a good way. He's excellent at varying his vibrato to fit the mood, length, color, etc. of the music.

Congrats! Enjoy your new flute!!