by Dr. Angela McBrearty | May 1, 2018 | Daily Routine, Eastman School of Music, FluteTips, Practice, Technique
Instead of merely playing a scale up and down – learn to interact with it. Get to know it by playing it in different patterns and forms. Once you’ve interacted with a scale, you’ll own it! You’ll be able to play in that key signature in any piece, in any solo, in any...
by Dr. Angela McBrearty | Apr 19, 2018 | Breathing, FluteTips, Support
Does your throat make an unwanted inexplicable noise sometimes when you play? There are a couple reasons why throat noise occurs but usually the reason is because your throat is too tight. When your throat is too tight, it engages your vocal cords. While that is the...
by Dr. Angela McBrearty | Apr 12, 2018 | Finger Placements, FluteTips
When you play a high C# does it feel like you can’t quite hold onto the flute? How do you stop that flute bobble? By using the correct hand positions which give you 4 balance points, and enables you to hold the flute with confidence. Balance Point 1 – Left Hand Shelf...
by Dr. Angela McBrearty | Mar 29, 2018 | Embouchure, FluteTips, Intonation, Tone
Playing in tune is one of the most important aspects of playing the flute. It is also the bane of our existence. Wouldn’t a perfectly in tune flute be a wonderful thing? However, until that beast is invented we must use every tool in our toolkit to play in tune. One...
by Dr. Angela McBrearty | Mar 22, 2018 | FluteTips, Practice
The technique of the crescendo and diminuendo is about much more than what I ever thought it was. I used to think that it was just blowing harder or blowing less. Or pinching to a teeny tiny embouchure to play soft especially in the high register. That’s not it at...
by Dr. Angela McBrearty | Mar 15, 2018 | Flute Purchase, FluteTips
What do I mean? When you have just purchased an open hole flute and now you are trying to figure out what to do with those plugs. Do you take them out one-at-a-time? Or, do you plunge in all-at-once, much like ripping off a band aid? Here is what I do with my students...
