Doctor Flute Blog
Musings on the Flute
Practicing Your Etudes
Are you practicing your etudes? Do you do them diligently every day and treat them as if they are solos? If not, you're missing out. Etudes are an amazing way to build technique, to build stamina, to build concentration. Being able to play an etude perfectly from the...
Slow to Fast
Slow gets you fast faster. Say it again. Slow gets you fast faster. That will cure every technical ill you have. Do it! I'm doing it too! Doctor Flute
Practicing Octave Slurs
When you practice octave slurs, you need to think about the tone you're getting when you go up the octave. Are you actually blowing harder, or are you using your airstream and raising the airstream in order to get that upper octave? If you struggle to get the upper...
Low Register Tonguing
Who has difficulty tonguing short articulations in the low register? Do you? Or you? Tonguing in the low register is a bear. It takes a lot of work to get that low register working at optimal levels, especially if it's short articulations. Hello Cantabile et Presto....
Bruce Stark
Are you looking for a new piece to perform? Look no further, I have the piece for you: Bruce Stark, American Suite for flute and piano I truly don't know why this piece hasn't gotten more air time. This fine piece is not for the amateur. Both the flute part and the...
Concentrate on Long Tones
Does your mind wander while you play long tones? Long tones are an essential part of your practice time. And I hope that you’re doing these as part of your practice time. But what you have to make sure you do is concentrate on what you’re doing. Because they’re LONG...
Practice Yet Today?
Hey, are you practicing yet? The day is wastin' away and it's high time to get going. You might say "well, why are you on the blog writing and not practicing?" You might be right about that! I've had my excuses such as: My daughter has dance in 20 minutes and so I...
Support – Ribcage Air
We all know that when you breathe for the flute, you need to breathe from your stomach. But what do you do with your ribcage? Have you learned to breathe and expand your ribcage at the same time? Some teachers call that back breathing. You want to breathe from your...
5 Techniques to Improve Your Tone
How is your tone? Do you feel like it is always improving or are you stuck in a rut? Are you unsure of where to go next for tonal improvement? Tone, it is an unsung hero in our flute lives. At some point in our career, usually our college and grad school days, we work...