Jen Cluff ~ Intermediate Flute Articles

Canadian Flutist and Teacher

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  Articles on this website for intermediate & highschool flutists

General articles for intermediate flutists

General articles for intermediate flute players

Flute stuff on the Internet

• Jen's free pdfs for Practicing Flute - Free flute scales, low and high longtones and scale-arpeggios (3rds, 2nds, 7th chords) all in printable pdfs. Have fun!
  
  1. Longtones: Overblowing harmonics pdf practice pages
  
  2. Scales for flute: links to three books of scale and arpeggio pdfs at bottom of my scales blog post: here
  
  3. Faster fingers: Trills, Chromatics - pdf practice pages
   
• I'm thinking of buying a flute. Is there information online?

• Go to articles on Tone, Tonguing, Tuning, Practicing and other specifics

• What are some great flute CDs and where to buy flute CDs.

• What's the best way to ask flute questions on the internet?

• I need really great flute pieces to play (or piccolo pieces) where can I find some great flute repertoire lists?

• James Galway's 2007 Masterclass in Texas on video and links to his exercises and scale practice methods.

• Where can I find pop music tunes, and books with playalong CDs that have latin, jazz, big band, swing etc?

• Where can I find a list of flute repertoire for flute & band, or flute & orchestra?

• Listen to flutists online; flute videos list

• Buy MP3 piano accompaniments online to practice your flute repertoire with at home

• How do I find strange or rare flute sheetmusic by composer, keyword, title?

• Advanced flute method book list and great flute reading list.

• Free Flute Sheetmusic on the net

• Music Theory Dictionary online

• Beginner's Music Theory online

• James Galway's masterclass; embouchure exercise to avoid "smiley embouchure" and to allow flexibility of lower and upper lips. Also full report and links to sound files of this class.

• James Galway teachings on MP3 (free)

• James Galway interviews with professional flutists.MP3 format.

• Go to articles on Tone, Tonguing, Tuning, Practicing and other specifics

Flute Lesson Information

• I've never had a private flute teacher Then you may want to scan these novice articles to make sure you haven't missed some important flute knowledge.

• Can I get by without a private teacher? Self-teaching; what a private teacher is worth to your development; speedy improvements.

• How to progress really quickly on the flute a quick list of things to do for the aspiring high school player hoping to major in flute in University

• I've heard about self-taught flutists having "Bad Habits". What are the common ones?

• But I played it PERFECTLY in the practice room!!!Experienced flute teachers have 'heard it all' but this particular student statement can lead to some interesting and useful information. Click here and read on. :>)

• Flute skill levels required for transferring to University music programmes How a University programme would rate incoming flute students

• Flute career information: Have you decided to enter college as a flute major? Need career info. and direction?

• How do I find a flute teacher (inexpensively)?

• Go to articles on Tone, Tonguing, Tuning, Practicing and other specifics

Wow, I didn't know that about the flute!

• Most common flute misconceptions Old myths and doofy band knowledge updated

• Flute Care, maintenance, and special flute features

• How do I check my flute for repair needs?

• Do I need a gold flute? Article on how the gold-silver-platinum debate will be endless at least for a while longer.

• Best flute equipment stands, metronomes, swabs, flutes etc.

• What level is my flute playing at? A chart that compares Canadian Conservatory grades, Fluteworld sheetmusic levels, British Flute Exams, National Flute Association Repertoire Levels, and tells you what skills are being learned at each level.

• Go to articles on Tone, Tonguing, Tuning, Practicing and other specifics

Flutist's hands and fingers

• Flute and Piccolo fingering charts online for printing, including alternate fingering charts, trills and tremelos

• Alternate Fingering Article: How to know when to use alternate fingerings and how to work out passages that contain them.

• What's the best way to align my headjoint to avoid arm/hand pain?

• Help I have pain from practicing too hard

• John Wion's advice on Taffanel & Gaubert's 17 Daily Exercises

Rehearsing & Performing Issues:

• Ensemble Deportment How does one best behave in a rehearsing ensemble in order to get invited back again?

• Preparing for a senior highschool flute recital

• What can I do about stagefright? Four great articles from novice first-time performers to advanced performers.

• Piccolo information of all kinds links to "how to play piccolo" as well as method books, repertoire lists and other articles.

• Paul Edmund Davies Masterclass Report

• James Galway's Masterclass 2005

• Go to articles on Tone, Tonguing, Tuning, Practicing and other specifics

• Flute Trills ~ trill rules & reading
   
• How to execute Baroque Gruppetto ornaments

Specific articles for intermediate Flutists:

Developing Flute Tone

• Novice articles on tone & developing the low register

• How to get really great tone, especially in the high register; tone & phrasing finesse

• Longtones: Overblowing harmonics: free pdfs

• Why is my high register so difficult?

• Help, I suddenly lost my tone. What's wrong?

• Dynamics for flutists including vowel dynamics

• Help for buzzing lips in high register flute playing

• I have a problem with throat noise when playing flute

• James Galway's warmups for tone

• Articles and sound samples regarding Flute Vibrato

Tips on Tonguing

• Tips on tonguing Cleanly & Clearly, with variety

• Double & single tonguing well

Tips on Flute Tuning

• Why am I flat in the low register and sharp in the high register???

• 1001 tuning improvement ideas

• Using the Tuning CD (excellent resource for practicing playing "in tune" and developing your ears.)

Breathing & Posture

• Easy Posture - Pure Tone

• Why am I having trouble getting enough air?

• What is basic flute posture?

• How should I set up my headjoint for maximum hand/arm ease?

• Links to detailed articles on flute vibrato

Practicing

• 4-part series of articles on practicing. Everything you need to do. How to rotate your technical practice.

• Trevor Wye's Speedy Improvement Practice scheme

• Links to "how to" practice articles by other teachers

• Etudes: Everything you need to know

• What if I don't have much time to practice?

• Help, I have pain from practicing the flute!

• List of best books to inspire better practicing

• How does a flutist work on sight-reading?

Flute Technique

• Help, I know nothing about flute SCALES! :>)

• How do I start flute scales for the first time?

• How do I get faster fingers? Trills, Chromatics: free pdfs
   
• Starting Scales & Technique as an Intermediate

• How do I work on my arpeggios?

• Dynamics for flutists including vowel dynamics

• Why are my trills so slow and awkward?

• A graded list of flute etudes

• James Galway's five-note exercise

• John Wion's method of practicing the Taffanel and Gaubert 17 Daily Exercises

• Mary Byrne's 101 Uses for Scales

Highschoolers headed for professional flute careers

• College audition advice and steps to a professional career as soloist or orchestral flutist

• Articles for college level flutists

• Shopping for a University-level flute

• The top ten reasons why first year college/University flutists don't do their best

• Online Flute Teacher's Manual by Charles Delaney 

• Robert Billington's dissertation on Robert Aitken's Flute Method (excellent!)

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