Hi Everyone,
I seem to have hit a brick wall, and think I sound awful.
I played for a couple of years as a teenager. A couple of years at around 28. Then took it up properly nearly 3 years ago. I did Grade 2, dist, very quickly. Grade 4 , dist, 18 months ago, and Grade 5, merit last July.
Currently studying theory, I have started looking at the Grade 6 studies, and can't seem to make my fingers move quickly enough. There are a lot of accidentals in the one piece too.
Have any of you been here, and what did you do to get over this "hump" in the road??
Thanks in advance.
Beverley.

Which studies are you looking at, Beverley? There are some very difficult ones on the syllabus.

There is quite a big jump in difficulty between Grades 5 and 6, in every area of the syllabus. I usually spend quite a long time with students post Grade 5 before I start working on Grade 6 level repertoire.

Probably the most important thing to recognise is that the hump in the road is a real one!

Do you have a teacher who can help you?

Maybe it would help to do some finger exercises for a while to improve your technique before you tackle the grade 6 studies.

Hitting a wall is such a common experience with any instrument, I think we've all been there. Usually the answer is to keep plugging away, keep attacking the technical problems from different angles and you will eventually have a breakthrough!

Good luck. I'm at a very similar stage with my flute playing, having given up after grade 5 many many years ago. I've recently started again and after an initial burst of enthusiasm have rediscovered all the technical hitches that I failed to overcome before! Like you I've been looking at the grade 6 repertoire. I'm looking at the jazz studies book - it's rather nice!

Thanks Ladies,
The book I have is the 76 Graded Studies for Flute. The study is no. 58 by Demersseman.
So many accidentals. Mind you, I have felt this way with other pieces, and they came along eventually, but this feels different.
Didn't realize there was such a big jump inbetween grades Andante. I thought the slope would be a gradual one.
Beverley.

I think the Associated Board Grade 6 is more like Grade 6-and-a-half. I've got someone who passed Grade 6 last term who's looking at Grade 7 pieces now and thinks they are easier - and I agree. She chose some of the harder options for Grade 6.

The studies in 76 Graded Studies Book 2 are all quite tricky. Most of mine end up doing the Russell Stokes Jazz Single. The Kohler is nice too.

I'll keep working on this, but take a look at those too Andante. Thanks.
Bev.

I'm doing grade 6 and my study is the Telemann Fantasia (number 2). It's quite easy with not too many accidentals, and the first movement is a slow one. Maybe give it a go? have you looked at list A and B pieces yet?

I like the Telemann too, and the Jazz Single, and the Kohler. All good

I don't like the G6 studies from 76 yuck!

Thnaks, I feel better now you have all said they are not easy or particularly nice. I am going to get on top of this piece though. THen I will look at the others.
Not yet looked at A and B. Do you reccomend any??
Bev.

The Gaubert Madrigal is quite a nice piece from one of the other lists

The Handel sonata is my favourite from List A. I was playing it for a student today (only the bass line, I can't do the chords as well) and realised that this might be the last time I have someone play it for an exam. Handel sonatas get on and off the syllabus quite often.

List A I like the Handel A-i-C has mentioned, I also like the JS Bach, don't know many of the others and those I do know I don't like much

List B I like most of, though on my brief encounter with the Kronke I didn't like it much

Favourites probably the Gaubert and the Busser. The Rutter is pretty but gets irritating if you practise it a lot (IMO!)

The Gaubert is far better value to buy if you get The Flautist's Collection volume that it's in (ed Edmund-Davies) which also has loads of other good music in. But it looks ominously like it's out of print which is a great shame as I think it's number two. But it could be number 3 which looks like it's still in print: definitely worth trying to beg steal or borrow a copy though. Lovely piece though, if you like it it might be worth getting separately anyway! It hasn't got the easiest piano part but it sounds wonderful when it comes together!

The Busser IMO is very pretty I like it.

The Caplet is quite nice, stinky piano part though I think the Godard is pretty how some people play it but can sound like just a bunch of scales when it's not played with a bit of, I don't know, panache or something. It can be nice though

Thanks for the suggestions. I think it might be worth my while getting the ABRSM Cd with them all on.
I have practised like mad for the last 2 days Andante, I can now get my fingers around the silly thing but only at 92MM, and it should be at 120MM. Do you just get gradually faster as you go on playing?? I don't think I will do this one for an exam, but want to "beat" it, and not have it get the better of me.
Bev.

I find it helps to practice tricky things quite slowly until I can get all the way through at a steady speed. I then increase the metronome by 1 or 2 clicks each session until I get to the right speed. Things tend to get better quicker towards the end of the process (if you see what I mean - rate of progress increases..)

I'm doing the Handel sonata - I could already play the second movement before we chose it as a piece so it seemed a good one! The first movement is so lovely

I'm doing the Bennett Summer music as list B, lots of showing off opportunities! It's a bit weird sounding at first though.

I played those! I really like the Summer Music

Does the summer music sound good with the accompaniment?