“What I did on my summer vacation”
Quotes from Keith: “quote from Keith”
My comments: [my comments]
GENERAL COMMENTS:
• Lower lip can have a stabilizing function
• Lower lip can have an upward “fuuuhhhh”--eeling” (feeling with a lip sensation of “fuuuhhhh”) [This is similar to what I call “surf noises.”]
• Feel the vibrato more on your lower lip.
• Try to not shove neck forward. [I call that, “turtleneck”]
• Try to not lose compression of upper lip while using lower lip to stabilize embouchure.
BRAHMS 4 SOLO
• Keith says to roll headjoint in a little, so you can roll out with hands [Where have you heard THIS before?]
• When going to high notes, roll flute out more with hands.
• When keys roll back, the right little finger collapses, causing technical issues.
• When keys roll in, you play on tips of fingers--so roll out so play on PADS of fingers.
• Be sure to roll the flute just with hands, so not changing torso position.
• It changes the embouchure when the flute rolls out, adding cushion to the sound!
When doing this well --headjoint in, flute out --helps high notes.
Keith says: “Show me the keys”--don’t bend over the flute.
Also with note releases--head in same position, flexible with wrists and fingers.
B-flat fingerings
• Keith reminded us of the Importance of teaching all 3 b-flat fingerings.
• LEVER!!! Use the Lever! (in Griffes poem--numerous spots--and in Brahms 4 solo near end)
• Don’t shove neck into the flute--cuts off sound in throat and tightens back. Step backwards as playing high note. Now mentally step backwards while playing the high note in each phrase. Keith calls this “Cat Back.” Climb up behind the flute...
• (Try this on Dvorak 8 solo, too.)
• Cat Back takes pressure off the high notes and makes them ring more.
• Feel vibrato more in embouchure so you don’t blow lips apart.
CLASS EXERCISE: CAT BACK
• G scale: 1 octave at a time, ascending stepwise.
• Thumbs more on the back of the flute, not sticking out in front
• Right elbow not dropped.
• Float right wrist and elbow then “head down slightly--neck back.”
• Much fuller, “ringier” tone as climb open up neck and back--CAT BACK
• “Show me your keys!” [Sound familiar?]
• Climbing like cat back while breathing in--more air in faster!
VIBRATO
• Use slow downer on iphone for vibrato analysis. Check for numbers of vibrato pulses. Keith suggests listening to: Baker Daphnis; Galway Salome’s Dance Till (and Rossini overtures) Berlin with Von Karajan conducting.
• Julius Baker slowed down Heifitz recordings to learn how to play vibrato!
• Bakers headjoint was turned way in. He said he then turned out more with his hands.
• Get lower lip up into teeth to create that kind of vibrato.
TONGUING
• If tongue somewhat with left side of tongue--makes tonguing more clean.
• He feels like he blowing from the right, opens up right side of body. [Lots more on this topic in previous Keith class notes].
ON THUMBS
• If too much pressure on thumb, wrist could be up higher helps with low note stability
• “People miss low notes because there is too much pressure with right thumb” [HUGE comment]
• Keith is not a fan of bent left thumb. This is a bent thumb.
Tom Nyfenger made Keith unbend his thumb. This is a straight thumb.
• Keith places the top of the left thumb higher than the thumb key.
• Rampal used B-flat thumb key on Prokofiev slow movement. [This requires LOTS of switching thumb keys and no dependence on left thumb for balancing the flute] Helps the left hand not push up into the lip.
ON FINGER BREATHS
• The FInger Breath causes the tongue to be more forward.
• Allows for quicker, unstressed breaths. Good For Midsummer Night’s Dream Scherzo and fast solo in Leonore #3 Overture.
• Wavy-sounding inhale Finger Breaths: wave tongue and bring forward in mouth while inhaling during a Finger Breath This helps keep the tongue arch and be stable.[These are GREAT for creating a richer tone and teaching the tongue to be more forward while playing] Try this on TG 13 [Helps keep tone resonant throughout entire range.]Also on tonguing at end of Martin Ballade cadenza.
• FInger Breath while inhaling the tonguing during a FInger Breath, then play the phrase with that air.
• RAISE OTHER HAND while doing finger breath. Finger Breath while making hollow sound[I like to raise my right arm and hold flute in left--try it!]
• (Wonderful Alexander Technique teacher Anne Waxman calls “Cat Back”
“curling.”)Try “curling” slowly during a Finger Breath. The pitch stays low which is better for flute playing.
Open up BEHIND the sound...
Keith reminded us of the Pavorotti teaching video talking about covered sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo6dDQiBGyI
Bach B minor
• Movement 1 is fantastic for practicing Cat Back on ascending intervals.
• Use of monkey position to leap around like a frog while playing --WOW! what a difference. [deepens flexation at hip joints and ankles, freeing up spine and breathing.]
END
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