Fluteland.com Flute Message Board

Callidor - I do think that you might benefit from a better instrument. As I tell the parents of my students - Learning to play on a flute that doesn't work well is a bit like learning to drive in a car with no brakes. Here is a quote from Jen Cluff's website on this subject: A) Yamaha closed hole st...

Hey, I have just taken my grade 8 flute exam and now its the summer holidays, I was considering having a go on the trumpet but will this totally ruin my embachure? IMHO, as a former middle school band director - yes. When I was teaching brasses, I had to be careful not to overdo it because I sounde...

If you are not comfortable holding your flute, and C# to D is a good way to check this, you might press harder than necessary. This may not be your situation at all, but I will suggest in case it is helpful: perhaps the way you put your flute together is affecting how hard you think you need to pre...

Hi sinebar, It needs to be snug, but too tight is a possibility and can affect the playing result. The left hand can become too tense and hinder facility. It is also possible to create a tender spot on the left hand by pressing too much. The lip can also be compromised with too much pressure and bec...

Yes - that is the same Delaney. Both my undergrad teacher and I were students of his. Charlie arranged and composed quite a few things. He had a real gift for it, IMHO. At his memorial concert last fall, the faculty wind quintet at FSU played a ww quintet that he wrote. It was a great performance of...

I got a reply from my former teacher: He says: "I have had this beard since about 1976 and I can say this... I think it helps during things like operas because it forms a little pad. It may help keep the flute from slipping, but it does scratch up the lip plate a bit. Charlie [Delaney] used to put c...

I guess the reason I said I found it interesting, is that Galway advocates such a tight hold - perhaps because his beard creates slippage that females (without beards <grin>) don't experience as much. I don't think that I hold the flute as tightly against my lower lip as Galway might advise - perhap...

You may have noticed, however, that a number of well known male flutists have beards. James Galway and Ransom Wilson come to mind... Perhaps they prefer the loose feeling, too. This is a really interesting comment. My undergrad flute teacher wears a beard. But here is something interesting too - Ga...

Im a 17 year old guy with minimal experience. (been playing maybe around 2 months now) fortunately, I have been getting spare time to practice while at camp, and i'm definately improving. (i'm on a day off as i type this.) i havent noticed the issue at all recently, and i feel like my range and cla...

A donut inserted in the lower G hole (making that tone hole smaller) will give you a similar benefit as the split E key without any of the disadvantages of the extra mechanism. Many repairmen are experienced in doing this procedure. I had it done on an Altus and really liked the result.

Best, Ann

well perhaps slippery and sticky were bad words...just that sometimes it feels easier for my lip to slide across the lip plate and find that right position..whereas other times it seems a little less defined...i don't know..its really difficult to describe what i mean ^^; Callidor - I mostly post i...

I think that we might agree that high F# is not the same with the two fingerings used most frequently - either RH6 or RH5. Perhaps my differing perception of the note with RH6 (in comparison with others here) has more to do with pitch level/timbre differences. The difference between the RH6 fingerin...

This is a good point, we ARE all constantly learning. We all started somewhere. Another important point: we shouldn't be too quick to assume that transfer students with issues are a direct result of poor teaching. Sometimes teaching/learning styles just don't work out and the concepts do not transf...

MonikaFL wrote: "Tom, for great flute pieces with amazing piano parts, my favorites are: - Schumann's Introduction and Variations On A Theme From "Die Schone Mullerin" ...

This piece is by Schubert.

fluteguy18 said: How so? Is it the weight? Normally, when playing F# [any octave] you have the "g" key depressed which negates the function of the split e mech. I have one, and it doesnt bother my f# at all. Hi Fluteguy18 - I know what you are saying exactly. I won't claim to have the physics knowl...