Doctor Flute Blog
Musings on the Flute
Finding Your Tone with a New Headjoint
If you have recently purchased or flute or are having a flute trial, you will be trying out a couple of different flutes and on these flutes, you will need to find your own tone. Each new headjoint will have a different color for tone and it is your job to find that...
The Importance of Your Throat in Tone Production
When we're trying to get a fantastic tone, we often don't think about the throat and how that is involved with getting a good tone. We mostly concentrate on our embouchure – and rightly so. We look at what our lips are doing, where we are on the embouchure hole, how...
Using Your Practice Time Wisely
When in a flurry of business how do you handle your practice time? Are you the type who runs through your solos hoping that it will keep you in shape and not lose ground? Hopefully you have watched some of my videos on a fast-but-thorough-warm-up. We always need to...
Practice Articulation to Improve Your Tone
We often think that getting a better tone is all about practicing long tones or flexibility exercises or practicing De la Sonorité or any tone book. Those will help. Don't get me wrong! You need to practice those books as well. But sometimes there are other exercises...
Relax Your Embouchure to Improve Your Tone
If you've been reading any of my blogs (or watching my videos) you will know that I think a relaxed embouchure is the best way to get a good tone. I don’t think that is controversial either. The embouchure is the gateway to tone of course since that is where it is...
How to Warm Up in 15 Minutes
Today is a busy day and I don't have a lot of time to practice. But I need to stay in shape. Because of my schedule I can only allot 15 to 20 minutes to get myself warmed up to today. That's all I have time for. I don't have the ability to practice my solos and to...
Get More from Your Long Tones
Long tones are great for your sound. They help you to learn how to focus the sound and to regulate vibrato. I find that you can get a lot more from your long tones if you have some things to concentrate on while you are playing. It is so easy to lose concentration...
Playing with an Open Throat
What is wrong with my tone? I feel like I’m doing everything right! Have you ever asked that question? We have all felt that way some time or another. It can be quite discouraging to try to do everything correctly, but still not quite have the tone you want. Sometimes...
Finding Color in Your Musical Line
Do you change your tone color when you practice solos? Do you even think about it as you play? For that matter what is tone color? Using tone color in a solo or performance is something that separates the professional from the amateur. Knowing how and when to use tone...