Wind Instrument Practice

[ImagineRepublicCity]

So my etiquette when it comes to practising flute is appalling. I have an audition coming up on Monday (13th Oct.) and let's just say I've only touched my flute twice. It's not a very difficult piece, I can play it easily, but because it's not the most difficult in the audition booklet (the next/last one being 200bpm, mostly quavers) I know I have to get all the ornaments close to perfect to hope to get anywhere.

HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS (If you play flute, yay, if you play a wind instrument, also yay, it might apply)

Especially with 'C' on the staff, how do you change dynamics without going flat/sharp?

Especially during a fast movement, if unable to breathe, how do you stop yourself from running out of air?

(If anyone needs it, its Zorro's Theme composed by James Horner, arranged by John Moss)

Thank you in advance~

[Desuetude]

I played flute for 7 damn years and honestly, my practicing was always below par and I improved so much slower than I would have if I practiced little but often so if you are serious about playing it's worth putting in the work. You'll get where you want to be faster.

Changing dynamics is just focusing on the air coming out of the flute. You just need to get to grip with rolling your flute towards/away from your depending on how you're blowing to make sure that you're not sharp or flat. I'd get my flute and practice so that I can check what I'm telling you is correct but 1 it's 12:30am and 2 I don't know where the fuck my flute is so if any of this is wrong I'm really sorry.

I think that the louder you play the sharper it sounds and vice versa for softer.

Also remember that when the flute is cold it's going to be flatter (push in the headjoint) and when it's hot it will get sharper (pull out the headjoint) so you'll have to adapt to that as well.

If you're changing dynamics and find that you're sounding sharp blow with slower air and/or cover the blow hole more with your lower lip (slide your flute towards you) and for flat blow with faster air and aim upwards so your upper lip is pushed back a little and uncover the hole a bit. Dynamics are a pain because you literally have to change the whole way you play to make sure you get the right sound.

I've never been good with breathing, it's always something I needed to work on. Well you should know to take your breath from your abdomen, not your chest? That's a good start and it gives you more breath and makes it a little easier to hold. The only thing that's helped me with holding my breath is pursing my lips a little to make the blow of air more concentrated. You're not using as much air and you're still producing sound and that's alright for the higher notes but it's really hard for the lower ones.

So I hope that was somewhat helpful. It was probably a load of bull that you've heard before but that's what I've been taught and it's nice to be reminded sometimes.

[CosmicNoodle]

This is unrelated, but, meh.

I always saw the flute as a psuedo instrument, so over used it has almost lost it's status as an instrument, the staple of first year music class, everyone at some point in there life (in the uk at least) ends up with one in there hands at some point during pre school. It's almost the go to instrument, as if it where designed to spark the musical imagination of pupils, an instrument designed to be forgiving and nurturing to anyone who wishes to play it, and I actually quite like it for that reason.

/ramble.

[trustn01]

I play the bagpipes, and if I feel that I am running of air I either just keep on pushing if there is not much left to play or I stop and take a deep breath.

[ImagineRepublicCity]

This is unrelated, but, meh.

I always saw the flute as a psuedo instrument, so over used it has almost lost it's status as an instrument, the staple of first year music class, everyone at some point in there life (in the uk at least) ends up with one in there hands at some point during pre school. It's almost the go to instrument, as if it where designed to spark the musical imagination of pupils, an instrument designed to be forgiving and nurturing to anyone who wishes to play it, and I actually quite like it for that reason.

/ramble.

Are you sure you're not getting that confused with a recorder?

[JamesSuperBoy]

well sticking to topic

For sure practice makes perfect so keep it up, are there breathing exercises that might help.

[CosmicNoodle]

Are you sure you're not getting that confused with a recorder?

No, in my school they used flutes...would have made more sesne to use recorders, but no, they had flutes to hand, so it was flutes we used.

[ImagineRepublicCity]

well sticking to topic

For sure practice makes perfect so keep it up, are there breathing exercises that might help.

My audition is tomorrow (today because it's 1am)... -cries-

No, in my school they used flutes...would have made more sesne to use recorders, but no, they had flutes to hand, so it was flutes we used.

That is one of the silliest things I've heard. Flutes aren't that easy to pick up. In fact, you have to use as much air to blow as a Tuba, and imagine an 8 year old picking up Tuba and trying to play it.

Even though recorders 'aren't instruments,' you legit just pick it up and blow like it was a whistle.




I'm just going to go early to my audition and practice the heck out of it.

[CosmicNoodle]

That is one of the silliest things I've heard. Flutes aren't that easy to pick up. In fact, you have to use as much air to blow as a Tuba, and imagine an 8 year old picking up Tuba and trying to play it.

Even though recorders 'aren't instruments,' you legit just pick it up and blow like it was a whistle.




I'm just going to go early to my audition and practice the heck out of it.

My school wan't very well off, so they basically used what they had at hand, wich happened to be flutes, I agree it's stupid, but it's what we delt with, I thought it was the same in every school, but I just asked friends who went to different schools and apparantly they all used recorders, looks like it was just my school that used flutes.

[Capt.Braden]

Good luck at your audition. I didn't want to reply before, becausethe imput of a saxophonist is not really necessary in your situation. I did want to say good luck and don't mess up.

[ImagineRepublicCity]

Good luck at your audition. I didn't want to reply before, becausethe imput of a saxophonist is not really necessary in your situation. I did want to say good luck and don't mess up.

Ah yes. Thank you dearly~
I didn't do as well as I could've, especially in sight reading, but I can guarantee I'll be in the second band.

My school wan't very well off, so they basically used what they had at hand, wich happened to be flutes, I agree it's stupid, but it's what we delt with, I thought it was the same in every school, but I just asked friends who went to different schools and apparantly they all used recorders, looks like it was just my school that used flutes.

Either that or violins. All the other schools my friends were like played violin.

At my school they had flutes, clarinets, brass instruments and guitar/percussion.

[CosmicNoodle]

Either that or violins. All the other schools my friends were like played violin.

At my school they had flutes, clarinets, brass instruments and guitar/percussion.

We had flutes, 1 recorder, a crap tone of pianos, some keybored and a small asortment of other things such as gitars, and some basic precussion instruments.

Unfortunately, I'm dyspraxic, meaning I incapable of playing any of them... :/

[ImagineRepublicCity]

We had flutes, 1 recorder, a crap tone of pianos, some keybored and a small asortment of other things such as gitars, and some basic precussion instruments.

Unfortunately, I'm dyspraxic, meaning I incapable of playing any of them... :/

Damn...Yeah, piano is pretty damn full when it comes to people. Almost all people which do an instrument have taken piano at least once before or know how to play simple tunes. But woah...your school was an usual mix.

[CosmicNoodle]

Damn...Yeah, piano is pretty damn full when it comes to people. Almost all people which do an instrument have taken piano at least once before or know how to play simple tunes. But woah...your school was an usual mix.

It wasn't a very well funded school, so it's just whatever instruments they happened to have after the 60 years they've been there, so it's all sorts of odd stuff.

[Capt.Braden]

Ah yes. Thank you dearly~
I didn't do as well as I could've, especially in sight reading, but I can guarantee I'll be in the second band.

Good job and ugh. I hate sight reading. It is the bane of my musical career.

[ImagineRepublicCity]

It wasn't a very well funded school, so it's just whatever instruments they happened to have after the 60 years they've been there, so it's all sorts of odd stuff.

60 years huh. My schools 103 years old now. It's just unusual because I know a lot of schools here anyway don't take piano

Good job and ugh. I hate sight reading. It is the bane of my musical career.

Normally I'm somewhat good but all those B flats/naturals threw me off so bad...