I've been playing the flute since I was in the 5th
grade, and I've been growing even more concerned with my ability in playing.
After a band festival for the California Judges Association, my band went in for
a sight reading session and was given a III (good). Though the lack of technical
ability in my band concerns me, what concerns me even more is that I was unable
to play the song that my director chose for us to read. It was a piece called
'Valor' and was comprised of third jumps and ascending and descending
16th-note scales, and yet, I was still unable to play the song out after reading
it through. (I tried sightreading some upper level music today and was unable.)
Could it possibly be my sight reading that's a problem or my lack of technical
progression? I've played 'Toccata and Fugue' in B minor, though never really
had the runs polished with the time cramp (we were only given two 12-hour
rehearsals with the near-400 musician ensemble with the music given two weeks
prior to the rehearsals, and I was busy studying and cramming for finals and
stressing about the end of the semester to spare the time to [i]look[/i] at the
music). I just find it really disturbing that after playing the flute for over
four years, I haven't really progressed much. From a quote, playing the notes
without musicality isn't music. I can't seem to play the notes, but I can
easily apply the musicality. It takes me so long to polish a song around my
level, and a song below mine, though I should easily be able to sight read it, I
always seem to skip notes and make silly mistakes that I shouldn't be making.
Maybe I've focused on tone production too long? Tone is great.. but the
technique that is the foundation of music doesn't seem to be there. Am I doing
something wrong? Have I wasted five years only to make little improvements with
my playing? Thank you for your concern. - distressed intermediate flutist
Hindering Progress?
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
Hindering Progress?
No I don't think you have wasted 5 years. It
sounds like you have done pretty well for the amount of time you have been
playing. Do you have a private teacher or are you working on your own ? It could
be that you just need to spend some more time on site reading. Maybe if you were
to divide your practice time and add more site reading to it? Have you talked to
your band director to see if he/she can give you some tips ? Don't give
up...just hang in there, the most important thing is that you now realize what
you need to work on. Good Luck and hopefully some of the more experienced
players will have some better ideas for you
Kim [quote] I just find it really
disturbing that after playing the flute for over four years, I haven't really
progressed much. From a quote, playing the notes without musicality isn't
music. I can't seem to play the notes, but I can easily apply the musicality.
It takes me so long to polish a song around my level, and a song below mine,
though I should easily be able to sight read it, I always seem to skip notes and
make silly mistakes that I shouldn't be making. Maybe I've focused on tone
production too long? Tone is great.. but the technique that is the foundation of
music doesn't seem to be there. Am I doing something wrong? Have I wasted five
years only to make little improvements with my playing? Thank you for your
concern. - distressed intermediate flutist ---------------- [/quote]
sounds like you have done pretty well for the amount of time you have been
playing. Do you have a private teacher or are you working on your own ? It could
be that you just need to spend some more time on site reading. Maybe if you were
to divide your practice time and add more site reading to it? Have you talked to
your band director to see if he/she can give you some tips ? Don't give
up...just hang in there, the most important thing is that you now realize what
you need to work on. Good Luck and hopefully some of the more experienced
players will have some better ideas for you
Kim [quote] I just find it really disturbing that after playing the flute for over four years, I haven't really
progressed much. From a quote, playing the notes without musicality isn't
music. I can't seem to play the notes, but I can easily apply the musicality.
It takes me so long to polish a song around my level, and a song below mine,
though I should easily be able to sight read it, I always seem to skip notes and
make silly mistakes that I shouldn't be making. Maybe I've focused on tone
production too long? Tone is great.. but the technique that is the foundation of
music doesn't seem to be there. Am I doing something wrong? Have I wasted five
years only to make little improvements with my playing? Thank you for your
concern. - distressed intermediate flutist ---------------- [/quote]
[color=red] Music is the art of thinking with sounds.[/color]
Hindering Progress?
I understand the way you feel. I've felt down
right awful about my flute playing sometimes, enough to consider quiting.. Every
player deals with this, even the best (especially the best.) Part of what's
going on is that your hearing is becoming more sensitive, so you aren't
satisfied with playing that might be ok to others or to you a year ago. As for
how to work past this, I think sight reading is an important aspect to improve.
I think the best way to practice sight reading is by reading lots of etudes. Get
a book of etudes or short pieces well within your playing level and read through
one a week. I say read, but really you must be very exacting. When you first
play an etude, look over it quickly to note the features (as I'm sure you
already do.) What is important to take it a slower tempo so you get every note
and rhythym accurately. It's really important to read the notes accurately and
play notes only when you feel sure of them. When you make mistakes, keep going
and focus on the next notes. Then, go back and work the hardest sections of the
etude. This part is more than just sight reading, it is just as intensive as
working up a piece for performance--you should play it a lot of times, not just
wash over it. Julius Baker made his students memorize two etudes a week or
something like that, with the point being to spend the time to really know the
etude. This "quality time" with etudes is really just like working on pieces
except etudes are short so you should be able to get a new one each week,
providing a constant flow of sight reading. As for technical exercises, I think
scale exercices are important. I reccomend practicing scales at a somewhat slow
tempo over the full range of the instrument. The goal is to make a smooth
transition from each note to the next without any "glichies" between the notes.
Don't be concerned with fast speeds or completing lots of scales a day. If you
can smooth out a conection between two notes that is an important improvement!
This post is fairly long and rambling, but I can promise you that you haven't
wasted five years working on flute! You obviously care a lot about flute and you
are thinking about the right sorts of things--I'm sure you'll keep improving.
-Bradford
right awful about my flute playing sometimes, enough to consider quiting.. Every
player deals with this, even the best (especially the best.) Part of what's
going on is that your hearing is becoming more sensitive, so you aren't
satisfied with playing that might be ok to others or to you a year ago. As for
how to work past this, I think sight reading is an important aspect to improve.
I think the best way to practice sight reading is by reading lots of etudes. Get
a book of etudes or short pieces well within your playing level and read through
one a week. I say read, but really you must be very exacting. When you first
play an etude, look over it quickly to note the features (as I'm sure you
already do.) What is important to take it a slower tempo so you get every note
and rhythym accurately. It's really important to read the notes accurately and
play notes only when you feel sure of them. When you make mistakes, keep going
and focus on the next notes. Then, go back and work the hardest sections of the
etude. This part is more than just sight reading, it is just as intensive as
working up a piece for performance--you should play it a lot of times, not just
wash over it. Julius Baker made his students memorize two etudes a week or
something like that, with the point being to spend the time to really know the
etude. This "quality time" with etudes is really just like working on pieces
except etudes are short so you should be able to get a new one each week,
providing a constant flow of sight reading. As for technical exercises, I think
scale exercices are important. I reccomend practicing scales at a somewhat slow
tempo over the full range of the instrument. The goal is to make a smooth
transition from each note to the next without any "glichies" between the notes.
Don't be concerned with fast speeds or completing lots of scales a day. If you
can smooth out a conection between two notes that is an important improvement!
This post is fairly long and rambling, but I can promise you that you haven't
wasted five years working on flute! You obviously care a lot about flute and you
are thinking about the right sorts of things--I'm sure you'll keep improving.
-Bradford
Hindering Progress?
I wanted to share something else with you too.
Someone on another message board offered to share their notes from the recent
internet Master Class that Sir James presented. I asked for a copy and was
reading them this morning. One piece of advice was: Learn to play your scales
fast. Sightreading will drastically improve. Recognize the scales in all music.
I thought of you when I read this..so I was hoping it might give you some
inspiration. Kim
Someone on another message board offered to share their notes from the recent
internet Master Class that Sir James presented. I asked for a copy and was
reading them this morning. One piece of advice was: Learn to play your scales
fast. Sightreading will drastically improve. Recognize the scales in all music.
I thought of you when I read this..so I was hoping it might give you some
inspiration. Kim
[color=red] Music is the art of thinking with sounds.[/color]
-
FluteDiddy
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2003 4:32 pm
Hindering Progress?
Yes Sir James said to play them at 112 as I recall.
Are you self taught or if not what is your teacher saying? I wouldn't worry
that much about the sight reading. But it does sound like you need to have some
lessons to help you with the technical. Learning is rarely straight from nothing
to greatness, it almost always slows way down for awhile and then you shoot
forward again. Maybe you are just in that lag period. On the otherhand the
discription of your problem is something you probably should have gone through
in your second year or third maybe or in about 7th grade. I would discuss it
with a teacher or find a teacher if you dont have one and even if you cant take
lessons for a long time, maybe you could arange for a series of 3-6 lessons to
get you headed in the right direction again. Self taught or a teacher that
isn't getting it done for you can lead you down a blind alley that you need
someone else to lead you out of. You sound very depressed about it and before
you give up on all you have accomplished get some help.
Are you self taught or if not what is your teacher saying? I wouldn't worry
that much about the sight reading. But it does sound like you need to have some
lessons to help you with the technical. Learning is rarely straight from nothing
to greatness, it almost always slows way down for awhile and then you shoot
forward again. Maybe you are just in that lag period. On the otherhand the
discription of your problem is something you probably should have gone through
in your second year or third maybe or in about 7th grade. I would discuss it
with a teacher or find a teacher if you dont have one and even if you cant take
lessons for a long time, maybe you could arange for a series of 3-6 lessons to
get you headed in the right direction again. Self taught or a teacher that
isn't getting it done for you can lead you down a blind alley that you need
someone else to lead you out of. You sound very depressed about it and before
you give up on all you have accomplished get some help.
F-Diddy the Man with the Purple flute
-
sakuramimato
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2004 3:39 am
Hindering Progress?
[quote] ---------------- On 3/21/2004 5:24:02 PM
Yes Sir James said to play them at 112 as I recall. Are you self taught or if
not what is your teacher saying? I wouldn't worry that much about the sight
reading. But it does sound like you need to have some lessons to help you with
the technical. Learning is rarely straight from nothing to greatness, it almost
always slows way down for awhile and then you shoot forward again. Maybe you are
just in that lag period. On the otherhand the discription of your problem is
something you probably should have gone through in your second year or third
maybe or in about 7th grade. I would discuss it with a teacher or find a teacher
if you dont have one and even if you cant take lessons for a long time, maybe
you could arange for a series of 3-6 lessons to get you headed in the right
direction again. Self taught or a teacher that isn't getting it done for you
can lead you down a blind alley that you need someone else to lead you out of.
You sound very depressed about it and before you give up on all you have
accomplished get some help. ---------------- [/quote]Unfortunately, I don't
have the money or time to take private lessons, so aside from classroom
instruction with the school band the remainder of my lessons are on my own.
Although, I do believe you have a point with the lag period that I possibly am
going through. It seems that after all of the Honor Band events (early
February), I was able to progress with playing my flute more in a month or less
than I was able in half a year. After losing my solo and this whole sight
reading session, I have begun to criticize my musicianship. I've been trying to
make arrangements with the best band friend's (she sits 1st chair) sister so
that we can play together. I guess my friend being first chair was thanks to her
sister since her sister is still considered a "legend" at the cross-city school
band. Also, with her being in the LA Philharmonic, my friend's sister should be
able to set me in the right direction. Thank you all~ And FluteDiddy, I guess
I'm a little late with the lag period and on a low with technique due to my
three month-long hiatuses over the summer during junior high when I cared less
of music. ;_; It's a little shameful, and my lack of time now with all the
things that go on with high school and extracurriculars, etc, don't give me
much time to practice anymore. PS - The tempo for the scales at 112 on quarter
notes? Thanks again!
Yes Sir James said to play them at 112 as I recall. Are you self taught or if
not what is your teacher saying? I wouldn't worry that much about the sight
reading. But it does sound like you need to have some lessons to help you with
the technical. Learning is rarely straight from nothing to greatness, it almost
always slows way down for awhile and then you shoot forward again. Maybe you are
just in that lag period. On the otherhand the discription of your problem is
something you probably should have gone through in your second year or third
maybe or in about 7th grade. I would discuss it with a teacher or find a teacher
if you dont have one and even if you cant take lessons for a long time, maybe
you could arange for a series of 3-6 lessons to get you headed in the right
direction again. Self taught or a teacher that isn't getting it done for you
can lead you down a blind alley that you need someone else to lead you out of.
You sound very depressed about it and before you give up on all you have
accomplished get some help. ---------------- [/quote]Unfortunately, I don't
have the money or time to take private lessons, so aside from classroom
instruction with the school band the remainder of my lessons are on my own.
Although, I do believe you have a point with the lag period that I possibly am
going through. It seems that after all of the Honor Band events (early
February), I was able to progress with playing my flute more in a month or less
than I was able in half a year. After losing my solo and this whole sight
reading session, I have begun to criticize my musicianship. I've been trying to
make arrangements with the best band friend's (she sits 1st chair) sister so
that we can play together. I guess my friend being first chair was thanks to her
sister since her sister is still considered a "legend" at the cross-city school
band. Also, with her being in the LA Philharmonic, my friend's sister should be
able to set me in the right direction. Thank you all~ And FluteDiddy, I guess
I'm a little late with the lag period and on a low with technique due to my
three month-long hiatuses over the summer during junior high when I cared less
of music. ;_; It's a little shameful, and my lack of time now with all the
things that go on with high school and extracurriculars, etc, don't give me
much time to practice anymore. PS - The tempo for the scales at 112 on quarter
notes? Thanks again!
-
FluteDiddy
- Posts: 197
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2003 4:32 pm
Hindering Progress?
Anytime we take off from practice we pay the price,
its the burden we carry, would be nice to just come back exactly where we were
and just continue our improvement from there. Maybe we could invent a pill? I am
not one that believes you need a teacher to improve. It makes it easier. But
sometimes we paint our selves into a corner and need a hand out and a sacrafice
of 30 or 40 dollars and a couple hours will save us much more than that in the
long run. You seem to have found a very satisfactory solution by having a freind
that can serve as a teacher or advisor or at least a good ear. I am sure you
will be able to get back on the road to progress soon.
its the burden we carry, would be nice to just come back exactly where we were
and just continue our improvement from there. Maybe we could invent a pill? I am
not one that believes you need a teacher to improve. It makes it easier. But
sometimes we paint our selves into a corner and need a hand out and a sacrafice
of 30 or 40 dollars and a couple hours will save us much more than that in the
long run. You seem to have found a very satisfactory solution by having a freind
that can serve as a teacher or advisor or at least a good ear. I am sure you
will be able to get back on the road to progress soon.
F-Diddy the Man with the Purple flute
-
flautist blackie
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2004 9:30 pm
Hindering Progress?
I'm going through the same thing right now, but
I've only been playing about half as long as you. At my last private lesson, my
teacher told me I had fallen horribly out of tune, so I'm back to working with
fundamentals and tuning. Private lessons? Maybe you can get yours off a free
program like I did. Sometimes, when you join an extra-curricular band, they give
you free things like that. I guess you just have to look around your community
for opening bands. 112 in quarter notes?
I've only been playing about half as long as you. At my last private lesson, my
teacher told me I had fallen horribly out of tune, so I'm back to working with
fundamentals and tuning. Private lessons? Maybe you can get yours off a free
program like I did. Sometimes, when you join an extra-curricular band, they give
you free things like that. I guess you just have to look around your community
for opening bands. 112 in quarter notes?
"A flute
with no holes is not a flute, and a doughnut with no hole is a Danish" --Chevy
Chase The Socrates of the Republic ... rejects the flute; for ... the flute is
... exciting and emotional. Poetry proves this, for Bacchic frenzy and all
similar emotions are most suitably expressed by the flute." --Aristotle,
"Politics"
with no holes is not a flute, and a doughnut with no hole is a Danish" --Chevy
Chase The Socrates of the Republic ... rejects the flute; for ... the flute is
... exciting and emotional. Poetry proves this, for Bacchic frenzy and all
similar emotions are most suitably expressed by the flute." --Aristotle,
"Politics"
-
sakuramimato
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Sun Jan 18, 2004 3:39 am
Hindering Progress?
Thank you for all of the help you've given me. I
think I haven't expanded my repertoire enough, so I've been getting music that
I can possibly use whether beginner, intermediate, or advance, and it's helping
me learn the things that I should have learned maybe a couple of years back.
Hopefully, practicing everyday with whatever kinds of music I can get my hands
on will expand my repertoire and improve my technical abilities.
think I haven't expanded my repertoire enough, so I've been getting music that
I can possibly use whether beginner, intermediate, or advance, and it's helping
me learn the things that I should have learned maybe a couple of years back.
Hopefully, practicing everyday with whatever kinds of music I can get my hands
on will expand my repertoire and improve my technical abilities.