Okay, so I play the flute, and today I decided that I should do some practise because I haven't done any this holiday. As I was playing I noticed how bad I sound particuarly when I play the Faure-Sicillienne piece.

I think it would be wise for me to give a basic outline before I get to the point.

Me and my friend who have been sharing lessons since year 4 when we first started are meant to be taking grade 5 this year. When we first started in year 4, by the end of the year our teacher entered us for Grade 1, which we both passed with merits. I feel that she was a very good teacher.

In year 5, I'd gone to middle school and we continued to share lessons. However neither of us really feel that she was a very good teacher and we had her for the whole 4 years. Several times she was absent and my friend took her Grade 2 in year 6. Throughout the whole time until year 8 I'd been hiring a flute, and my tone had always been terrible when I passed C2. In year 8 I got my Yamaha 311 which immediately improved my tone and we were entered for Grade 3 (128) and Grade 4 (115).

This year because I'm now at high school I have a new teacher who I think is good. However, I still think I play very badly. My friend has a much better tone but she doesn't practise until 4 weeks before exams! I do practise but I always sound worse, and I feel this may be because she's been in a band for years so gets a lot more practise. My piano teachers daughter also had the same teacher for a year but then got a private one because she didn't think she was very good. I don't know, but maybe if I'd had a teacher i'd be at a better standard.

Because of the difference between in the scores for G3+4 and just listening to myself, I feel like I'm really really behind and I should only be on Grade 3 still.

The teacher wants us to do Grade 5 by November but I don't think I'll be ready for it. I think the playing sounds bad, my scales that go past A2 sound naff and it's really holding me back. I'm not sure what to do to improve.

Any advice on just what to do would be really, really appreciated.

Musicbox

I guess the first thing to say is that if you really haven't done any practise for a few weeks your sound isn't going to be great, so don't be too disheartened.
So what's your current teacher like? Do you just play over your pieces or do you do tone exercises, studies, scales to improve technique before you start the exam work. What does your teacher say about your tone? Do they explain things like proper breathing, support, embouchure, articulation or not? My first teacher didn't teach any of those things but I now have good though infrequent lessons from someone else. And it has made an enormous difference to my playing - that & proper practise, not just playing over a few tunes

First of all, I am sure you have improved, think of things you couldn't do a year ago.

Tone wise - have you tried long tones. Ie on a C major scale, play C,D,E etc but hold for say 6 seconds each and then move on. If you do this often then over time you will see a difference.

Have you asked your teacher what she thinks of your tone?

I also have a very expensive but brilliant book called De La Sonority (£20!) which has some really good exercises in. But there are some very good, cheaper technical books around to do with tone. I think Trevor Wye does one.

Good luck!

Oooh, if you could record yourself, it might help us give more accurate information, we are only giving a general advice if we can't hear you
If you don't want to/can't that's fine

Thanks. Well my teacher first said I see that you (me) don't like your top notes and you ( friends) don't like theory. In lessons we do some scale sort of things to warm up. And she has told me to just push hard from my diaphragm to get the really high notes, if that helps. May I also say I've noticed sometimes when I blow you can hear a sort of whistling sound. I think this may be to do with technique or breathing.
Nicki-I will ahve a look for that book.

Thanks a lot.

What book do you use with your teacher? - Ian Denley Flute Time 2 is really good & explains alot of technical things that maybe your teacher doesn't - & the exercises/studies are really good to play (ie not boring!). Trevor Wye is very good but quite daunting if you get the omnibus edition (which is better value than getting the individual ones).
And you need to support all notes all the time from your diaphragm & really push the air through the flute - playing the flute properly is really tiring

Whistling sound sounds like air wastage...

Tone-wise, when you play try imagining you have a tennis ball in your mouth (or a bunch of grapes if you're bothered about taste ) This will give you a much more warm, rounded tone.

Also, have you thought about jooining some sort of ensemble? For example a school band, or district Youth Orchestra if you have one?

Good luck anyway, and don't be so negative about yourself! I'm sure your teacher wouldn't want you to do Grade 5 if he/she didn't think you were capable of passing with a good mark

Alex xx





Oh the Trevor Wye is good, is your De La Sonority the Moyace? (sp) If it is I have it too and it's excellent for anyone wishing to improve their tone

I think those two sentences probably give you a good start on what's wrong - you've not been practising much, and the Faure is a piece that's slow and pretty so it shows up a not-that-great tone. Don't beat yourself up, and start doing some tonework.

Have a look at the pattern the condensation from your breath makes on the headjoint of the flute when it's cold, you should be able to tell from that if your airstream is too wide which can make you sound windy I think.

Give yourself a while to get back into good habits though, if you haven't practised for a while it will show. Don't worry about it too much, and don't let it get you down - but do try and do something about it

Moyse, yep.

My tone was terrible, so my teacher started me working in the Trevoe Wye Tone book, and after justt he first excerise things were improving. It was a harmonics exercise playing harmonics up from low C, and it made me think about my lip shape etc a lot more rather than just relying on pressing the keys to get the note.

Ok thank you very much guys, I had a practise this morning again so I can get back into the habbit. I will look out for either one of the books. You guys are stars!

Hope things improve for you! just keep working at it. Sometimes day to day you don't notice much difference, or even think you sound worse (because you're listening more carefully) but over time the effects build up and your tone will improve