Blog for Flutists and Composers
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Tips for composing singing and playing techniques
When writing for the flute and voice there are several things to take into consideration. The first may be: where to notate the voice line?For solo pieces: if you have an extended or complicated voice line it is customary and practical to use a separate staff below that of the flute line. On the other…
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Composers, Common Mistakes When Writing for Flute
Some common mistakes are: Low C# to D# trill on flute Harmonics in the first octave Low C and C# on piccolo Percussive effects in the second and third octave: key clicks, tongue or lip pizzicati, tongue ram. While these are not mistakes per se, they are not very effective outside the flute’s first octave.…
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All music is an articulation exercise (or could be made into one)
In response to the question “How should I practice articulation?”, I always answer “everything is an articulation exercise, or can be adapted into one”. Spending more money on expensive Leduc editions will not help your tongue. Reading theories about where the optimal point of articulation is (behind the teeth, on the palate, between the lips)…
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The Highest Peaks: Tips for the Third and Fourth Octaves on Flute
A lot of these tips can be applied to high-register piccolo playing as well. Twentieth Century pioneers in the realms of composition and performance have set the standard for us in terms of how high we are expected to play. For better or worse, we need to have fluency at least up to high D…
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Contemporary Music : Express!
Classical Contemporary Music which is abstract, atonal or just plain impenetrable may demand something beyond the traditional idea of instrumantal expression we are taught as flutists (the use of vibrato, tonal colors, dynamics and so on). Here are some random tips on how to tap into other sources for musical ideas. Studying works that are…
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Microtonality: some basic tips
Microtonality is the use of intervals smaller than a half-step such as quarter tones, sixth tones, eighth tones and so on. There are several standard ways in which microtones are used (which may be interconnected):• As part of a “just” intonation scheme (based on pure intervals instead of equal [keyboard] temperment). Used in a simple…
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Sounds of Silence
When a composer includes silence in a solo work, it cannot tossed off as a neutral medium for spacing out notes or phrases. One has to ask, is the silence an arrested motion, or is it a mere suspension of action? Determining the type of silence one wants to create is crucial. This is why…
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Interpretation of Contemporary Music: Finding the Composer’s Voice
Familiarity with a composer’s style and esthetics is essential in preparation of music from any period. How can we go about learning these essentials when faced with music of a composer who is new to us? First, research and familiarize yourself with the composer’s other works, and perhaps more interestingly, find his/her sources of inspiration.…