Fluteland.com Flute Message Board

BrightFlute-- I also have Baker's book and I love it: it's just called "Daily Exercises for the Flute." I highly recommend it, although, like most exercise books, it does get rather tedious. I think that's rather unavoidable, though, if you seriously want to improve your technique and tone. Wouldn't...

I've also had lots of trouble playing the second octave E and F-sharp. A great exercise to improve your skills on these notes is found in Trevor Wye's practice book 1 (Tone), on pages 22-23. You should also try the exercises that use these notes as their starting points in "Attack and slurring of no...

Expanding lung capacity is done by doing two things: cardiovascular activity and practicing long tones. Do any form of cardio on a regular basis, ie running, jumping rope, step aerobics, etc... Also, practice long tones with a metronome through the WHOLE range of the flute every day. Set the metrono...

Of the brands you listed, I've had the most success with Yamaha, although if money were no object I'd buy a Brannen. I prefer silver head and body, and open holes, since that combo gives me the best tone quality. I've never had engravings but I don't object to them: apparently for some people they'r...

MeLizzard-- I realized that in my previous message I came off rather severely, and I apologize: it was not at all my intention to downplay your credibility as a teacher, or to imply that you're a liar. It's just that, while I agree that an audtion should be more than a tecnique contest, I really hat...

Audition committees don't like being lied to, and they'll be able to tell your level of technique no matter how difficult the piece in question is. They say they want one that displays both technique and musical ability, so give them what they want. Any of the French ~concours~ pieces from the Paris...

I use the gizmo when I practice long tones, because it does improve tone quality and decrease resistance on the note, allowing you to hold it longer. However, I'm not sure how much it's worth in performance, since I have yet to encounter passage work in which moving the pinky over to the gizmo is pr...

My teacher (who studied with Bonnie Boyd and Walfrid Kujala) says that you should use the Bb thumb key whenever possible, since it's the truest fingering: no holes covered that really shouldn't be. If you can't use that use the Bb side lever, and if you can't use either of those, then use the "long"...

Sujiku: I've never seen Galway play, but I know that both Rampal and Jeffrey Khaner play with an offset embouchure. One of my former teachers, a prominent freelancer in Chicago, also does. What you should be most worried about is the sound itself: as long as it's a good tone, it doesn't matter how y...

Music schools of Juilliard's caliber care about very little other than your ability; if you've studied for long enough, and you're totally prepared at your audition, the panel won't care what high school you've gone to. Besides, if you audition early (which you probably should), transferring schools...

That's really interesting that your daughter's teacher said to stay away from yamaha due to mechanical problems: I've had mine for three years of college (I'm a music major) and it has never let me down. Jeffrey Khaner and Julius Baker both play(ed) yamahas, and from what I've heard, they both loved...

Hi, Vitour. No matter where you are, you can practice good breathing techinique, which is one of the most important aspects of proper flute playing. Yoga instructors and teachers of the Alexander Technique call it belly breathing. It's breathing from your gut and breathing without allowing tension t...

I own the Yamaha 684 and I just love it. Since I'm a man, and thus have longer fingers than most women, I prefer the 684's inline G. In addition, I've always been rather sceptical of the split E mechanism. Maybe this is sanctimonious of me, but I believe there's really no better way to obtain a soli...

Jeffrey Khaner on sightreading, courtesy of iflute.com: Etudes are the best way of developing sightreading skills, but they must be done with great discipline. Select a minimum of an etude a week (preferably 3 or 4) and make sure to learn it completely (all the correct notes and dynamics, up to temp...

Hi, Caroline. I've played the Martinu sonata and I assure you that there is a great deal of room for ebb and flow in the first movement. In addition, your instincts are right about the ending: momentum, and thus speed, are supposed to build up. A really good recording of this is with Mathieu Dufour,...