Advise for Flutists
These ideas are generally directed at flutists, however, non-flutists have often found many of the concepts helpful in their musical pursuits.
1. YOUR SOUND IS YOU
The sound you make on your instrument is as much you as the image you see in the mirror! The development of a beautiful sound takes careful listening to yourself, comparing that sound to other musical sounds that are particularly pleasing to you. As your desire to improve grows, remember that only through much experimentation (both imitating and matching sounds, and listening to playbacks of your practice sessions) will you achieve the standard of truly expressing your highest self.
2. LIPS MUST MOVE
The flute is an instrument that functions more like a bugle than is often taught. A strong, well-supported air stream is the foundation of playing any wind instrument, but lip flexibility and strength are equally important. To obtain smooth-controlled intervals and to play dynamic extremes the lips must make a great deal of movement. Avoid simply blowing harder or softer to make those changes in the sound.
3. VIBRATO MUST BE USED & IT HAS TO BE UNDER CONTROL
Using the vibrato is one of the most important facets of making music truly expressive and personal. BOTH speed and intensity (either deep or shallow vibrations) should be practiced with a metronome in a step towards developing technical control of the vibrato mechanism. Begin to incorporate the vibrato very early on into your musical journey. At first count the vibrations and soon after play with more freely (changing speeds and intensities - depending upon the style of the music). Listen carefully to singers and other instruments which vibrate to gain important perspectives in the way vibrato is used properly. An unchanging vibrato makes for dull music!
4. DYNAMICS ARE THE MOST NEGLECTED ELEMENT IN MUSIC!
Playing with a wide range of dynamics is equally important to the development of technique and sound. A big majority of students play only forte and mezzo forte. This often happens because of a lack of proper lip strength and flexibility. Common pitfalls are playing flat in p and low register passages, and playing sharp in ff and while in the high register.
REMEMBER: Dynamics = Personality (either dull or interesting)
5. TECHNIQUE IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
Learning to play with a good technique and facility is absolutely essential in becoming a real musician, BUT it is only the foundation. Real music making comes when the player can use this foundation to express his own ideas and feelings.
(Still, no great player ever did it without hours of scale and arpeggio practice).
6. YOUR INSTRUMENT MUST BE A GREAT ONE
All of us can't afford the "pro" model instrument, so we should find the most pro-like instrument that your budget allows. The tip off in flute selection will come in the comparison of head joints and of manufacturing consistency. Don't forget that improper care and maintenance on a great flute indicates a disregard of $...... spent on that GREAT instrument. NOTE: There are many very fine student model instruments available! Also, never buy new equipment without your teacher or a trusted listener hearing you first!!
7. A STUDENT'S MOST IMPORTANT TASK IS TO GET THE BEST OUT OF HIS OR HER TEACHER.
We must always go into each lesson prepared enough to show the teacher "I have done my work so now you do yours and give me your best ideas". Then walk away with all those new ideas, practice them, think about them objectively, and decide the best way you can show in your next lesson that you deserve more great ideas. There will be times that all of those new ideas might not be perfect for every student however,
you must at least give the solid effort to trying everything your teacher recommends.
8. SEEK OUT THE BEST MUSICAL INFLUENCES
(not only your comfortable circle of musician friends)
Take every opportunity to hear and see good players. Go to every master class you can; go to summer music camps; listen to recordings, and talk with fellow musicians about music. REMEMBER: It's a big world with many ideas just waiting for you to accept and develop them.
9. PUTTING IN THE HOURS IS THE ONLY WAY TO SUCCESS
(No "GET GOOD" pills available yet)
Hopefully no one ever promised that practicing would be fun. The true fun comes when seeing obvious progress as we take step at a time towards becoming accomplished musicians. Developing a "work ethic" while studying an instrument is one of the most important aspects of becoming a musician. Learning to concentrate, to focus, to stand up and perform lead to developing the life skills that are necessary for success in many diverse areas. Each "effective" hour of practicing adds more to your growth than music-making skills.
10. IF YOU'RE NOT HAVING FUN THEN YOU ARE MISSING THE POINT!
Too often we players get pre-occupied with the mechanical and emotional demands of playing an instrument. Joy is no where in evidence. Life is too short to waist precious time on painful activities. Yes, practice is sometimes painful. If there is more pain than joy then its time to commit to more joy. Always listen for the beauty in your sound, the excitement in your rhythmic sense, and the emotional fulfillment in playing a singing phrase.
11. ATTITUDE AND DRIVE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN TALENT!
I have had many students who were extremely gifted; yet never developed potential because of a lack of drive and a dynamic attitude. In the beginning, even if you have to fake the great attitude, do it - and before long it will become a natural part of you're being.
As a teacher, I always prefer hard work to talent.
12. EVERYONE COMES FROM PODUNK!
DON'T ever think that you are somewhat underprivileged because you haven't had the perfect background of schools and teachers. Even those who have had the BEST of everything have felt that they missed out on that one instructor who could have made the difference in their future. The ratio of career-fulfilled folks (from small-town USA) to their unfulfilled counterparts (from "big-time" cities and schools) is surprisingly in favor of those of us who didn't have the "perfect" education and background. Small towns breed giants and leaders!
13. INTONATION - COMMUNICATION
Some of the musical highs of my orchestral career came when the woodwind section played so well "in tune" that there wasn't an errant vibration heard. Carlo Maria Guilini, conductor of the LA Philharmonic 1977-85, once said " intonation is not simply a matter of acoustics or physics, it is a moral issue". These are words worth pondering often. Playing "out of tune with others" indicates a number of weaknesses that must be corrected. Sensitivity, love and a caring mentality are the keys that allow a player to ascend to musical heights,
whereas pure technical achievement falls short. Listen-listen-listen-listen-listen and listen.
14. TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THE ENEMY
Many young and old musicians are frightened of today's technological advances and tend to stick the old head in the sand, rather than taking advantage of the power of new and progressive innovations and developments. A computer is only scary when an individual allows the mechanics to become the focal point, rather than an exciting means of expressing human qualities (heart-soul-beauty-personality-love) more effectively.
Technology can and must serve humanity!
15. GETTING ORGANIZED IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS
The missing link in most music education is the preparation for a life that necessarily includes business, management, finance, and organization. Even the most mundane job in music needs constant organization and maintenance. The fun and freedom that music provide sometimes tend to delude us into thinking that life can be wonderful if we just keep on practicing and being "free". The truth is that the true freedom and career success only come when we combine our "business-social-political act" with great musicianship.
