Greetings,
This Flutorial™ uses a balloon as a prop for learning how to rest your arms on your ribs and minimize effort to move fingers while playing.
Best,
Catherine
Showing posts with label finger technique. Show all posts
Showing posts with label finger technique. Show all posts
Friday, March 16, 2012
Saturday, February 25, 2012
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
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
Thursday, July 30, 2009
1st Axiom of Flute Playing
An old saying of mine:
So often,thinking seems to interfere with the release of air. Try allowing yourself to feel the air moving--then think. Fingers seem to work best when air is in constant supply.
Catherine
"It is possible to think and blow at the same time."
--Catherine LeGrand
So often,thinking seems to interfere with the release of air. Try allowing yourself to feel the air moving--then think. Fingers seem to work best when air is in constant supply.
Catherine
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Exploring the "Twirlability" of the Flute
No, I don't mean what teenage band students do when they are pretending their flutes are batons. YIKES!
I am referring to flexibility gained by using the fingers in an extended motion while playing the flute or another keyed or valved instrument.
In Keith Underwoods's October masterclasses in NYC, he encouraged performers to engage their hands while practicing (as in the classic Alexander Technique back of chair exercise) and to avoid having their fingers be too "smooshy" or rounded in an inflexible way, but rather to fully extend fingers when completing a fingering, moving them in a darting motion--sort of stretching them out, fully extended, after playing a note. The results after practicing a difficult passage in this way were amazing for several performers. Not only was the tone more focused and fuller, but fingerings were more even, with noticeably better rhythm.
At other times Keith has referred to related finger technique concepts as "tai chi fingers", "spideyfingers", and "roboflute."
During this class, to improve the sound on old Powells he also encouraged moving the right thumb somewhat closer to the footjoint--I tried it and it's true! My tone was more focused, yet fuller when I did this on my vintage Powell. It also improved the flexibilty of my fingerings.
Please let me know how these ideas work for you!
Best,
Catherine
I am referring to flexibility gained by using the fingers in an extended motion while playing the flute or another keyed or valved instrument.
In Keith Underwoods's October masterclasses in NYC, he encouraged performers to engage their hands while practicing (as in the classic Alexander Technique back of chair exercise) and to avoid having their fingers be too "smooshy" or rounded in an inflexible way, but rather to fully extend fingers when completing a fingering, moving them in a darting motion--sort of stretching them out, fully extended, after playing a note. The results after practicing a difficult passage in this way were amazing for several performers. Not only was the tone more focused and fuller, but fingerings were more even, with noticeably better rhythm.
At other times Keith has referred to related finger technique concepts as "tai chi fingers", "spideyfingers", and "roboflute."
During this class, to improve the sound on old Powells he also encouraged moving the right thumb somewhat closer to the footjoint--I tried it and it's true! My tone was more focused, yet fuller when I did this on my vintage Powell. It also improved the flexibilty of my fingerings.
Please let me know how these ideas work for you!
Best,
Catherine
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