Flute Secrets

Contents

The Instrument

Flute Purchase Strategies

The Choice; Choosing a Headjoint;

Lip plate; The Riser;The Blowing Edge, Choosing a Flute; Materials; Reliability; Open Holes; Extra keys; Inline/offset; Flute scales; Checking the Pitch; Further Checks; Tube Thickness; Tube Diameter; MechanismComfort;

Stretching Fingers; Thumb Keys.

Repair Strategies

Adjustments to your Flute; Repair Flo-Chart.

Flute Education Strategy

Choosing a School; Choosing a teacher; The Famous Player; Preparing for the Audition; Reverse the Roles; Mock Auditions.

Practising Strategies

General Practice.

Practice: Making it a preference; Practice Schedules; Practice What You Can't Play; Use a pencil; Learning New Works; Training your Ear (piano); Discipline; Remember your Weaknesses; Record Yourself; Practice Standing; Time of Day; Regularity; Using a Mirror; Your Best Friend: The Metronome; Improvisation and Memory; Interpretation.

Tone

Technical. Rhythm; Scales & Arpeggios; Use The Correct Fingering; Melodic; Tune up Even When Alone; Regular Practice of Melodies; Adding Lyrics for Better Understanding; Tone Shopping.; Tone Exercises; Playing in Tune.

Listening to Harmonics: piano; Sympathetic Vibration; Equal Temperament; Tune up! Flutes Improve with Good Usage; Regular Practice of Melodies; Adding Lyrics for Better Understanding.

Technique and Melody. Practicing Etudes; Vibrato;

Articulation: Single Tonguing; Double and Triple Tonguing; Mixed Articulation; Flutter Tonguing;

Flexibility. Agility and Flexibility; Practising the Third and Fourth Octaves.

Style. Baroquery; 19th Century Bravura; Light Music and Jazz; Contemporary Music; Multiphonics; Circular Breathing.

Customising Strategies for your Flute

Altering the Trill Keys; Lip Plate Insecurity; The Rockstro Position; Fixing the C Sharp; Adjusting Middle D; Altering the Pitch of Any Note ; The Flat High D; 3rd Octave Tuning; Head Joint Insecurity; Main Body Insecurity; Open holes ; Foot Joint Insecurity; Foot Keys Problems; Piccolo . Repair.

Sensible Strategies

Carrying Flutes and Security; Travelling by Air; Several in one carry-on case.

Orchestral Audition and Competition Strategy

Orchestral: Preparation on the Flute; On the Piccolo; Pace your practice to avoid sore lips; Using Alternate Fingerings; The Accompanist; The Piano Part; Tuning Carefully; Playing in Tune; Marking Breathing Spots; Choreography; Excessive or Inappropriate Vibrato.

Competitions

Style: get familiar with 18th, 19th and contemporary sounds; Stage Manner; Stage clothing; Water.

Flute Repairs

Tool kit for minor repairs; Oiling a wooden piccolo or flute; Tube of Acyclovir; Damage to Keys.

Professional Strategy:

Setting up a Website; Finance: Pay your Bills; Returning Borrowed Music; Listen to Other Players; Attend Concerts; Go Backstage Afterwards; Be Dependable; Punctuality: Always on Time; Dependability; Encores; Choosing a Publicity Photo; Stage Fright. Books: Confidence Boosting; Strategies for the Performer; Bowing; Positioning with Piano; Thanking People; Video your Playing; Save your Lips! Using photocopies; The Law; Discovering New Repertoire: YouTube; Flute Lists; Experiencing Pain: Tendonitis; Tennis Elbow; Pinky Pain; Sore Lips or Mouth; Sore Spots on Hands; Using Anti-Perspirant; The Use of Drugs; Writing Recommendations.

Teaching Strategies

Setting up as a Teacher; Fees; Methods; Teaching Older Students; Teaching the Very Young; Setting up A Studio; Practice Plans for students; Teacher's Own Practice Plan.