Fluteachniques™: "Up for the Count": New Use for Your Instrument Peg

Greetings,
I hope you find this useful, or, at least, amusing!
Best always,
Catherine

Chromatic Exercise: 2 Octave F Chromatic Scale

Greetings,

By using the formula outlined in the "Chromatic Exercise" document posted in the LeGrand Virtual Studio, you will master your chromatic scale staring on each pitch.

Practice well!
Catherine

"How" you are doing...

Greetings,

Check out this great article by Frank M. Sheldon, former Director of The Virginia School for Alexander Technique and Co-Founder of the summer Sweet Briar, Virginia residential course in the Alexander Technique.

This article is a wonderful reminder that awareness in practice helps us "get out of our own way" when performing. How we work on music is truly the most important route to success. "Cramming" for your lesson is the worst possible scenario for progress!

My technique is based on inhibition, the inhibition of undesirable, unwanted responses to stimuli, and hence it is primarily a technique for the development of the control of human reaction.--F. Matthias Alexander

Alexander Technique for Musicians: Working to a Principle by Pedro de Alcantara

More information about the Alexander Technique

Practice wisely and with awareness.
Catherine

Double Tonguing: It All "Hinges" on This

Greetings,

In his 2.17.2012 masterclass Keith Underwood taught us about something he referred to as "the best thing since buzzing." Is this some new fangled, goofy exercise? No indeed. It is very old and straight from the source--well, from this classic source for 18th century performance practice: On Playing the Flute by Johann Joachim Quantz.

Today this standard reference book is easily available on Amazon for Kindle devices for $13.29. What a deal! It is truly amazing to be able to carry this big, fat book in my iphone!

Here are the pertinent passages from Quantz:

CHAPTER VI
Section 1
6 (excerpt)
In the di (the tongue) must remain free in the middle of the mouth, so that the wind is not kept from sustaining the tone.

Section III
Of the Use of the Tongue with the Word did’ll, or the so-called Double Tongue

1
The double tongue is used only for the very quickest passage-work. Although easy to explain orally, and simple for the ear to grasp, it is difficult to teach in writing. The word did’ll which is articulated in it should consist of two syllables. In the second, however, no vowel is present; hence it must be pronounced did’ll rather than didel or dili, suppressing the vowel which should appear in the second syllable. But the d’ll must not be articulated with the tip of the tongue like the di.

2
I have indicated in the first section of this chapter how the di must be formed. [Section 1: 6 (excerpt) above] I refer you to that section here. To articulate did’ll, first say di, and while the tip of the tongue springs forward to the palate, quickly draw the middle portion of the tongue downward a little on both sides, away from the palate, so that the wind is expelled on both sides obliquely between the teeth. This withdrawal of the tongue will then produce the stroke of the second syllable did’ll; but it can never be articulated without the preceding di. If you pronounce did’ll quickly several times in a row, you will hear how it should sound better than I can express in writing.

For many years I have encouraged a wide, forward tongue when playing, and, also, as a prerequisite for double tonguing (as in syllables: "yell yell yell yell"). The above passages indicate the importance of blowing around the tongue, through the teeth (like I have described as "tz" and "surf sounds").

In this passage:

while the tip of the tongue springs forward to the palate, quickly draw the middle portion of the tongue downward a little on both sides, away from the palate, so that the wind is expelled on both sides obliquely between the teeth.

Quantz is encouraging a "hinging' of the tongue in the middle, arcing it forward for the second syllable of the double tongue. This keeps the tongue from stiffening up in long double tongued passages, while keeping the tone focused throughout without disturbing the embouchure.

Now, go practice!
Catherine