The Pez Dispenser vs. The Nutcracker

Greetings,

The images represent 2 distinct "mappings" of the jaw.

"Pez" throws his head back using his neck muscles to open his mouth. This puts extreme stress on his vocal cords, throat, and upper back. "Nutcracker" drops his jaw open from it's natural hinge.

So...breathe more like Mr. Nutcracker, avoiding the "flip-top head" syndrome demonstrated by Mr. Pez. Even better is to breathe most of the time from the sides of your mouth, leaving your jaw in a neutral,natural position.

Happy Breathing!
Catherine

Notes from Keith Underwood’s Ghost Ranch Masterclass on 8.24.11

Greetings,

Here are my notes from Keith Underwood’s Flute Masterclass at Ghost Ranch on 8.24.11.

Most notes are my paraphrased understanding.
[ ...CL] are my additional comments
“...” is a literal Keith quote

1. A modified Rockstro hand position (see.....)allows for changing the balance of the flute between hands. Keith advocates shifting the weight of the flute between hands as needed to facilitate technique as he was taught by Tom Nyfenger. Use the fingers that are down to balance the flute.

2. DOUBLE TONGUING
Play the varied articulations in Taffanel-Gaubert scales (#4 from Daily Exercises) with double tonguing syllables. Examples (T=Tongue, S=Slur)
Ta-------key for TSST
Ta-key----- for TSSS
Ta-key-ya-key for one for TTST.
You end up with better double tonguing than if you practiced double tonguing itself all day.

3. PRACTICING T-G SCALE #4, CONT.
Cover a bit of the left side of embouchure hole by turning head toward the right hand for high notes. Turn head to the right while moving arm forward. Float right wrist forward.
It will sound like you are blowing down into the flute. Aim for top note
by turning head to right toward as right hands goes forward.
[I used this method with great success in Spring 2011 performances of Bartok Suite Paysanne Hongroise. My flute was very stable during difficult passages. They were suddenly easier! CL]

D Major scale in trills.
Connect each trill with nachschlag as you ascend.
Keith thinks this is “fertile ground for improvement of technique”
Keep flute more stable by using the finger next-closest to your face (not moving) to support the motion of the trill. This keeps us from tensing up the left shoulder. Relax shoulders and upper arms and feel like you are holding your flute with your fingers. [Remember to bodymap your arms as resting on your ribs.CL]

5. These methods keeps upper body more available for breathing. “I think one reason people talk about “low breathing” is because people hold their instruments so tightly.” They are tight across the chest, forcing their abdomen out.,

6. Watch Rampal play the 1st movement of Mozart D Major Concerto, K. 314

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs9kcu-BXUQ&feature=fvwrel

Notice how he brings flute up to play for first entrance. Holding mostly in right hand, relaxed across the chest.

7. 3rd movement of the Mozart D Major Concerto, K. 314. is great for practicing the flute balancing techniques above.

END
Time to practice!

Best,
Catherine

Buzzing and Balanced Embouchure

Greetings,

Correct body mapping of the atlas occipital joint (versus the jaw) is helpful in creating a balanced embouchure and assisting with your buzzing. Remember that your atlas occipital joint (where your skull balances on your spine) is located between your ears--BEHIND your tongue and soft palate.



Balanced use of the zygomatic major and triangularis muscles of the face also contribute to a balanced embouchure.






Check out this link at Google books to see part of The Artist's Complete Guide to Facial Expression by Gary Faigin. A Great resource!

Hope these thoughts are helpful.
Catherine

"Noodling around": using pool noodles to increase awareness

Greetings,

I recently had the good fortune to attend an all day workshop with Lea Pearson, author of "Body Mapping for Flutists," sponsored by the Raleigh Area Flute Association.

Lea shared many great ideas for improving our awareness and body use while playing the flute. I truly enjoyed our interactions, and have found that her ideas have inspired some new ones from me.

This video shares one of Lea's ideas for using a pool noodle to increase awareness, together with a couple of my own variations.

Thanks, Lea, for the inspiration!

You can read more about Lea and her inventive ideas at her website:

Her excellent book is published by GIA.

I strongly recommend her book and her workshops.


Best,
Catherine

Skull/Jaw "Mapping" and Lifted Embouchure

Greetings,

This past week I have had some seemingly simple, yet profound realizations.

When "mapping" the skull/jaw relationship, it is useful to remember that the jaw is an appendage of the skull, much as an arm or leg is an appendage to the torso.

While reaching around your face with your hand and pressing gently just under the cheek bones, imagine your tongue as related to your skull, rather than your jaw. This helps activate the zygomatic major and caninus muscles, lifting the embouchure and keeping the upper lip flexible.

Another approach to feeling this relationship:
If you place a finger on each side of the upper lip, just inside the corners, gently pressing upward with your fingers, then relax your entire face to be supported by the upward pressing fingers, you can feel many muscles of the face and head relax as the upper lift is lifted and remains soft and flexible. Wow!

This is a great position for buzzing, leaving lots of room for the tongue.

it is a good idea to also activate the triangularis muscle slightly to stabilize the lower lip.

A good interactive webpage for understanding the function of the facial muscles is found here. This wonderful website created by Joseph C. Hager, Ph.D., has many detailed illustrations of the anatomy of skeletal and muscular structures of the head and face.

I invite you to post your insights and questions as always.

Best,
Catherine

Buzzing and Balance

Greetings,

At the Keith Underwood/Anne Waxman Flute/Alexander Technique Workshop on September 28-30, frequent topics included:

body mapping of the atlas occipital joint versus the jaw
balanced use of the zygomatic major and triangularis muscles

Remember that your atlas occipital joint (where head rests on the spine) is located between your ears--behind your tongue and soft palate. Most of us were allowing either our jaw or our upper back to carry part of the weight of our heads while playing our flutes, rather than allowing the head to actually balance on the atlas occipital joint (despite how much Alexander training we have had).

Allowing the head to balance naturally frees up the masseter (jaw) muscle so that the zygomatic major muscle can have improved function, helping the lip to lift very slightly laterally from the upper edge, across the cheek bone to the jaw bone. I notice that both my buzzing and my flute tone become more resonant (my upper lip vibrates more) when my zygomatic major muscle is activated.

Allowing the head to balance naturally also helps the jaw to be relaxed but not hang open which can cause a somewhat unfocused tone. (This happens when the head pulls forward and down, straining the upper back. I call this condition "turtleneck.")

Balanced use of the zygomatic major and triangularis muscles in the embouchure: the triangularis muscles stabilize the corners of the lower lip and the zygomatic major muscles lift the lip laterally across the cheekbone to the jaw joint. Most of of us were using either the upper or lower pair of muscles more than the other pair. As we adjusted this balance, everyone's buzzing, flute tone, and articulation improved!

I found that when my head/jaw body map was clear, my head was balanced, and I used the zygomatic major muscle in balance with the triangularis, my tongue position was naturally ideal and my embouchure felt organized and very flexible.

Hope you enjoy experimenting with these thoughts!

Feel free to post questions. I will do my best to answer them or to find out the answer for you.

Best,
Catherine

Body Mapping as Preventive Treatment

I often mention how "body mapping" and "correct use" can improve our music- making. Of course, these approaches to movement and self awareness can affect our daily activities and our well-being in general. Avoidance of injury and freedom of movement are major factors of being well and living well.

Scientific Basis of Body Mapping gives the neurological explanation for the concept of the "body map." In this article T. Richard Nichols, Ph.D., Departments of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering at Emory University, emphasizes the importance of correct body maps in the prevention of injury to musicians.

For more information about body mapping please visit http://www.bodymap.org. More articles about applications of body mapping can be found at http://www.bodymap.org/articlestoc.html.

Catherine

Muscles That Act On Shoulders, Arms, Wrists and Fingers

Did you ever wonder what muscles get sore or tired if you over-practice? Maybe you can solve the mystery and even eliminate the over-use itself if you understand better how the muscles work.

http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/menu/menu.html
This website offers layered drawings, front and back, of rotator cuff and other muscles affecting the shoulder. You can add and remove layers by clicking your mouse. Animations of the muscles in use are also provided. Great body mapping information for shoulders, arms, forearms, wrists and fingers.

Very cool! Check it out!

(Muscles that act on head, face, & neck are due to be published at this site late 2009.)

Catherine

Patricia George's "Flute Spa"

On Sunday, April 15, at Meredith College, Raleigh Area Flute Association hosted Patricia George, Professor of Flute at Brigham Young University, to present her workshop , "Flute Spa," 3 solid hours of teaching jam packed with useful exercises, thoughts to ponder, and stories about the legacy and icons of flute playing.

I found almost everything she said meshed with my experiences as both flutist and teacher, and ignited my own creative thought process. With her permission, I am posting the useful booklet from the clinic as a pdf in the Library on my website, www.catherinelegrand.com. I hope you find it inspiring.

In this document you will find:

• Warm up exercises and routines
• Body Mapping Check List and images reprinted with permission from Barbara Conable's Book, What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body, published by Andover Press (Amazon Link in Library).
• "Octave Variations" (quick thoughts to remember high note fingerings)
• "Short Scales" (a quick tour of the high octave of the flute moving through scales in the circle of fifths)-SUPER!
• Useful pattern variations for practicing scales, including advocacy of "chunking" groups of notes in order to learn patterns faster (less practice time) in short, manageable sections. (I call these "bursts of notes".)
• The "Flute Spa" menu concludes with Patricia's 2-page "Ideas on Phrasing 2007" which simplifies the vast, comprehensive subjects of phrasing and expression into well-explained individual elements.

Thanks for reminding us that practicing is a joyful process, one in which we can experience and celebrate measurable improvement!

I highly recommend attending a class with Patricia George.

Also, check out the article:
"Using the 17 Big Daily Exercises for Flute by Taffanel and Gaubert, Published by Leduc" By Patricia George

Happy Practicing!
Catherine