We as flute players go through a journey that takes our tone up and down.
I remember going through periods of time where one day my tone was good and I started riding high but the very next day it was bad. Then the next day it was good again and so on. I really thought there never would come a day when my tone was consistently good.
And I just felt like that would never go away.
I will assure you that eventually it does go away. And I’ve learned a few things along the way to maybe help you not go quite so crazy with our up and down tone days.
I’ve Learned a Few Things Along the Way
That May Help You to Not Go So Crazy
I learned a few thing through this journey so let me give you some advice that can help you with these tumultuous years.
The first thing you need to do is don’t let it drive you crazy. Recognize that this is a process. It’s going to happen. But don’t let it stop you from your tonal studies and doing what you know is going to build tone. You are trying to build those lip muscles. And only consistent practice is going to shape those muscles into doing what they are being trained to do.
The next thing you need to do is to do the same tone exercises every day for a long period of time. That means you can’t do Moyse long tones one day in the low register, and then the next day you move over to Trevor Wye upper register long tones, and then the day after that you practice flexibility.
The process of doing the same routine day-after-day and month-after-month is one from which you will reap great benefits. To give you an example of a 30 to 45 minute tone routine lets begin with:
1. Taffanel and Gaubert #8 A. I know, it’s not a typical tone exercise. But let me tell you, it’s a gem.
2. Trevor Wye Flexibility #1. Use a couple of different rhythms.
3. Moyse or Wye middle register long tones. But go all the way down to the low register.
4. A few melodies in de la Sonorite.
When I say keep doing the same exercises for a long time, I mean months, not just one week or two. After a long time, then I might change it up slightly. Because by then, you are just starting to build some consistency in your tone.
Do the Same Tone Routine Daily for Months!
Then the next point to examine for tone is to experiment with where you are on that mouthpiece. I’ve talked about this in other videos, but sometimes it’s just a matter of re-placing your embouchure for a better value. If you just moved the angle of your air down, or you move the mouthpiece up a little bit on your lip, that may be the change you need that all of a sudden brings in your tone and it’s just going to come out so much better.
Give this method a try. Feel free to find a tonal routine that works for you and just do it. I just found that when I was consistent with the exercises, that one day I put the flute to my lip and said:
What Happened?!
My first response when this happened was to ask myself the question “what did I do yesterday?” and then I would repeat it.
Eventually you realize that your good days occur more often, and your bad days occur less often. Not only that, but your good days are better then they used to be and your bad days are not as bad. This is the concept of climbing the mountains and descending to the valleys but as some point you keep climbing higher, and while there might be a valley, it isn’t as low as the last valley.
The bottom line is to practice consistent tone exercises. It’s the only way to grow!
Have fun!
Doctor Flute
Watch me demonstrate this: FluteTips 39 Bad Tone Day – What to Do
