Helen Bledsoe

Category: multiphonics

  • Multiphonics: Tips for Study

    Actually, this is a “notes-to-self” entry disguised as “Tips”. There are good sources for learning and practicing multiphonics such as Robert Dick’s “Tone Development through Extended Techniques” (although I know the term “extended techniques” has gone out of fashion, but the practice in the book is solid). I also have a detailed presentation where I…

  • Multiphonics for Saunders Bite

    I am very pleased that a number of young flutists are learning Rebecca Saunder’s Bite for solo bass flute. However, I am a bit ashamed that I did not have a good look at the multiphonic table in the earliest versions and insist on alternatives and corrections. Better late than never! Here goes: I’ll address…

  • Getting Started with Multiphonics

    I would like to share the following presentation: Getting Started with Harmonics and Multiphonics – with a deep dive into the harmonic structure of the flute sound. Why do I start this presentation with a discussion on harmonics? Because if you learn how to take out, put in, and isolate harmonics in your sound, harmonics…

  • Multiphonics, yes or no. A Flowchart

    Well, it’s more of a labyrinth than a flow chart, but here it is. This is specifically geared towards ensemble writing. Here’s a link to the file as a PDF: Multiphonic_flow(3)

  • Extended Techniques – a Do It Yourself Handout

    Here is a 14 page booklet I put together on how to do the basics of some extended techniques: Harmonics Multiphonics Singing and Playing Whistle Tones Percussive Effects Circular Breathing List of Studies for Further Practice Selected Repertoire for unaccompanied flute Here is the link. You may pass it on but please give credit where…

  • Small-Interval Multiphonics

    On the occasion of the publication of my article on Kazuo Fukushima’s Shun-San in Flute Talk May/June 2010 and Robert Dick’s upcoming masterclass in Bremen (July 6, 2010), I’d like to elucidate some ideas about multiphonics. Working on Shun-San got me thinking about small-interval multiphonics (those with an interval of an augmented second or less).…

  • Flute Multiphonics – Q&A for composers

    Q: Should I write in the fingerings for multiphonics?A: Yes. It saves time. It saves misunderstandings. Books go out of print, so please avoid naming multiphonics by number. I know writing or drawing in multiphonics can be a pain. If you have many of them and want to save time and ink, you could write…

  • Robert Dick, 22 March 2009

    Left to right: Charlotte, Johanna, Nozomi, Robert, Wan, Kanae Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending, albeit briefly, Robert’s masterclass in Wuppertal, Germany. It was great to see him! The last time I saw him, he was walking out on a concert I gave at the BAM in New York! Not because of me…