Audition (urgent) help?

[goreumet]

Hi!

I'm currently registered in the AZ Band and Orchestra regional program.

However, blatantly I have no idea what I'm doing.

We are required to play 3 etudes (by which can be viewed as a PDF file below):
http://static.squarespace.com/static/50 ... 339054317/

I'm not much for sight reading, I preform better by ear.
Which is why I need help. I haven't been able to request help from my director (nor section leader, because here's a kicker: I'm the only flute, as I play in my schools orchestra program), due to other inconveniences coming up.

If any would be able to provide help, it would of course be appreciated. If anyone would be willing to go as far as to Skype and provide help there as well (that would be AWESOME, really) I am open to it.

(Forgive me for not posting this is the correct forum as well, new member here.)

[pied_piper]

Since you have the music in advance, you really won't be sight reading the etudes. So, what you need to do is to practice each one. Start as slowly as you need to and play each note accurately (correct pitch and rhythm).

Tell us if there is something specific that you don't understand in the music and perhaps we can help you.

[goreumet]

Since you have the music in advance, you really won't be sight reading the etudes. So, what you need to do is to practice each one. Start as slowly as you need to and play each note accurately (correct pitch and rhythm).

Tell us if there is something specific that you don't understand in the music and perhaps we can help you.

Thank you for replying, first of all.

Yes- it's not sight reading since I have the music in advance, allow me to rephrase:

I do understand I need to practice each one, of course. However it's the rhythm that gets me. Providing sheet music in my case isn't something I'd be able to play it very well, as I stated before I preform better by ear.

The only trouble I have is with these three etudes, perhaps...my fault as well as I was not all that properly instructed in my past so, reading music is slightly difficult for me.

[pied_piper]

OK, then lets talk about the basics of etude #1. It's in 3/8 and each eighth note gets one beat. Now, because each sixteenth note is half the length of an eighth note, each sixteenth note gets half a beat.

So let's analyze the first measure. It has 6 sixteenth notes. Count it as 1-&-2-&-3-&. That represents the first 6 notes. The squiggles over the notes are called shakes and are played like a short trill. Here's how the counting looks when it's overlayed above the notes for the first 3 measures:

example1jpg.jpg (28.41 KiB) Viewed 10777 times

In measures 8 & 9, here is how to count the triplets. The sixteenth note triplets are played in one beat and the dotted eighth notes get 1 1/2 beats like this:

eaxmple2.jpg (28.96 KiB) Viewed 10777 times

Does that help to understand the rhythm?

[az1983]

So glad you posted! I'm on the board of directors for the Arizona Flute Society, and I started a yearly masterclass for the regional etudes. If you can make it to Mesa Community College this Saturday, there will be a few professional flute players there, including myself giving lessons on the material. Check out the link below and let me know if you have any questions!

http://www.arizonaflutesociety.org/#!masterclass/cxy8

[goreumet]

OK, then lets talk about the basics of etude #1. It's in 3/8 and each eighth note gets one beat. Now, because each sixteenth note is half the length of an eighth note, each sixteenth note gets half a beat.

So let's analyze the first measure. It has 6 sixteenth notes. Count it as 1-&-2-&-3-&. That represents the first 6 notes. The squiggles over the notes are called shakes and are played like a short trill. Here's how the counting looks when it's overlayed above the notes for the first 3 measures:

example1jpg.jpg

In measures 8 & 9, here is how to count the triplets. The sixteenth note triplets are played in one beat and the dotted eighth notes get 1 1/2 beats like this:

eaxmple2.jpg

Does that help to understand the rhythm?

Yes, actually, and thank you yet again.
However, I'm still having trouble with the second etude. I'm pretty sure I can get down the third part.

Just how fast would that go?

[pied_piper]

Etude #2 indicates the tempo should be quarter note = 56 beats per minute. That's just very slightly slower than one beat per second. If you have a metronome, set it to 56 and that's your tempo. If not try this link to an online metronome: http://www.metronomeonline.com/

[goreumet]

Etude #2 indicates the tempo should be quarter note = 56 beats per minute. That's just very slightly slower than one beat per second. If you have a metronome, set it to 56 and that's your tempo. If not try this link to an online metronome: http://www.metronomeonline.com/

Okay, so I've spent a week with these etudes.
I've made progress with the second etude, easily.

N-now...uh....etudes 1 & 3

However, in both etudes, I still have a bit of trouble with the rhythm..^^;

[pied_piper]

Well, 1 & 3 are really no more difficult than #2. I suspect your difficulty is that you don't understand the time signatures. In 3/8, the eight note gets one beat and in 2/2, the half note gets one beat. If you understand the relationship between the note durations of whole, half, quarter, eighth and sixteenth notes, then it is simply a matter of dividing each beat to give the various notes the proper duration.