| Ten
Tips for Flute Players
Throughout
my experiences teaching masterclasses to flutists of all ages and
levels - from nine years old to high school, college, graduate school,
and adult, I keep returning to fundamental points about flute playing.
These points form the basis of my Ten Hot Tips. Some tips deal with
technical, nuts-and-bolts aspects of playing, while others pertain
to musical expression and interpretation. I'd like to share with
you some of the advice I give most often to my students. I hope
you enjoy using these tips when you play.
Music
is a skill, like sports, math and learning a foreign language, so
consistency in your practicing is the key to improvement. It is
better to practice for one hour every day than to save up several
hours of playing for one day. The principle is the same whether
you're a beginner who practices for one half-hour a day, or a more
experienced player who practices 2-5 hours a day.
Tip
#1 - Breath support
The most basic piece of advice I give to a flutist is about breath
support. Breath support comes from breathing deeply from the diaphragm
and maintaining a pressurised stream of air. Have someone punch
you (not too hard!) in the stomach while you are playing. If your
stomach muscles are soft, you're probably not supporting the sound.
Take a deep breath and feel your abdominal area expanding first,
then your upper chest. Combine this feeling with fast air speed
and your sound will grow stronger, rounder, and project better.
Tip
#2 - Posture
Good posture is just as crucial as breath support in creating a
strong, round sound. Imagine yourself as a singer standing tall
with chest expanded, poised to fill a hall with sound. Because for
flutists as well as for singers air is the most important part of
playing, you want your lungs to be able to expand to their full
capacity. That means don't hunch over or slouch, but stand naturally
when you play.
Tip
#3 - Hand position
I look at a flutist's hand position to spot problems and try to
prevent the tension-induced injuries that some musicians develop.
In order to reach a natural and relaxed hand and arm position, play
your flute in front of a mirror and observe your arms and hands.
If your wrists are bent, you might experience pain in your wrists
and hands. Remedy this by putting down your flute and looking at
your hands in their relaxed position at your sides. Notice how your
wrists are straight when they hang at your sides. Pick up your flute
one arm at a time, retaining the naturally straight position of
your wrists.
Tip #4 - Shrugging shoulders
Play standing again in front of a mirror, this time looking at your
shoulders. Do you raise your shoulders when you breathe and play?
If you do, this creates tension, reduces lung capacity, and is a
sign that you are not breathing from your diaphragm. While continuing
to play in front of a mirror, make sure to breathe deeply from your
diaphragm while keeping your shoulders in their natural position.
Tip #5 - Open throat
Playing with an open throat will produce an open, larger sound.
Conversely, a closed throat will produce a pinched and small sound.
While yawning, feel your throat expanding, allowing air to pass
more freely in and out of your mouth. Keep this yawning feeling
while you play and listen for the improvement in your sound.
Tip #6 - Slow practice
If you can play a passage evenly at a slow tempo, then you can play
it fast. Slow practice of fast passages enables us to surmount technical
challenges, just as practicing lyrical music slowly pushes our breath
control to the max. Set your metronome at a slow tempo and play
through a difficult passage, repeating it one notch faster until
you reach your goal tempo.
Tip
#7 - Metronome and tuner
I don't leave home without these companions! Solid rhythm and pitch
are the basic components of making music, necessary to all the playing
you'll do by yourself, in chamber ensembles, and in an orchestra.
See Tip #6 for a method of practicing with the metronome. Play slow
passages with your tuner, always listening carefully to hear which
notes are out of tune - that is, sharp or flat. Always bring your
metronome and tuner to ensemble rehearsals in case you need to check
tempos or intonation.
Tip
#8 - First and last notes of phrases
The first and last notes of phrases must be beautiful and in keeping
with the character of the music. First notes set the tone for the
phrase, so you don't want to start a calm phrase with a hard attack
or an emphatic phrase with a weak attack. As you play, listen carefully
to the way you end your phrases, and avoid cutting a note too short
before a breath, or ending a lyrical phrase abruptly. You will be
better able to capture the particular expression of a given piece,
resulting in a more polished musical interpretation.
Tip #9 - Listen
Expose yourself to new repertoire and performers by listening to
a wide variety of music for different instruments and combinations.
The more you listen, the more musical ideas you will have to call
upon in your own playing. For example, flutists can learn a lot
from listening to the way singers breathe and phrase.
Tip
#10 - Express the music
Every piece you play has a unique character and mood, and whether
it is programme music - music that tells a story - or not, your
job as performer is to bring out the character of the piece. The
freedom to express is aided by memorisation of the music. Use your
imagination to guide your musical expression. And most of all, enjoy
what you are doing. Bringing music to others is the most thrilling
experience for a musician. |
