I have my flute exam (Grade 7) between 28th February and the 4th March.
My main weakness are scales and aurals and I want to improve these. Would it be more beneficial if I did my practice like this:
Days 1, 3, 5, 7 - normal flute practice (hour each time)
Days 2, 4, 6 - 1 hour aural/scales sessions?

OR

If I did say 40 minutes of flute practice per day with then 20 minutes at the end of each practice?

Thanks for all replies

This is just a guess but perhaps the latter: if you don't like doing aurals and scales then you're likely to try to get out of practising on those days if you split the days; might be best to do the aural and scales first though, if you say you have to do it before your flute practice (I'm presuming you like doing that) then you'll do it so that you can do your flute practice. It might also help you in the second version that you're doing each thing for a shorter time so it's easier to maintain concentration and do good work. As I said though I'm only guessing....

I'd say little and often is better than doing an hour of just scales and aurals every other day...

I'd suggest doing the scale practice right after you warm up... then you're less likely to let yourself off the hook ("oh I'm too tired today" sort of thing!) and also they can make a good additional warm up. Any scales in particular you have problems with?

What have have done it put all the scales I'm learning on bits of paper... ie "C# minor arpeggio slurred", "Diminished 7th on D tongued" and put them all in a pot - pick one out at random - if you can play it satisfactorially (is that a word???!) then it goes into a seperate pile or pot... if not, it stays on your "to be practised" list. Make sense? Means you don't end up not practising some of your scales. Also any you are especially having problems with, play them slowly but really be a stickler for accuracy - helps get them really into your fingers. also make yourself practice them slowly and slurred, and listen hard, because that will make you make sure your fingering changes are really sharp, because at a lower speed and slurred you will hear it if they aren't.

What does your teacher recommend?

personally i would do the 1st one and on the days i had to do aural, id find something else to do LOL

but its not me, its you and i want you to do well so go with the 2nd choice!!

xx

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 2 2005, 08:00 PM)

What does your teacher recommend?

you're not allowed to be SENSIBLE, Amber...!

its all this time she is spending away from us here.its making her far too normal!

Can I make a third suggestio Nikki? Because while 20 mins each day is probably moe beneficial, that only leaves 10 mintes for each. So perhaps 20 minutes a day 6 days a week, and then spend 20 minutes of your pieces and 40 on scales and aural on the seventh.

Senisible? Who's sensible?

40 minutes of flute practice per day with then 20 minutes at the end of each practice

I think I would agree with Tamsin here. Good luck Nicki! You'll do great!

-

Speaking of Aural tests, who says "Aural" and who says "Oral"...I never did get to know which was the correct pronunciation.

"You sa-y Aural and I sa-y Oral, Aural, Oral, Aural, Oral, lets call the whole thing off!

Gae

QUOTE (Gae @ Feb 3 2005, 12:44 PM)

Speaking of Aural tests, who says "Aural" and who says "Oral"...I never did get to know which was the correct pronunciation.

I would pronounce both of those words exactly the same! The only difference being of course, oral pertaining to the mouth and aural pertaining to the ear... So if you would pronounce the two differently it's aural .

I would personally go for scales and aural at the begining of your practise - a few at a time split over the week then do the pieces.

That way, you would be doing scales etc everytime you play.

Thats what I do with piano practise anyway and it works for me.

Fiona

best till last i'd say do the nasty and borin stuff first the have fun doing the stuff you like to make up for all that suffereing

QUOTE

What does your teacher recommend?

At the moment she asked me to get the CD but I already have it!!

QUOTE

Good luck Nicki! You'll do great!

Thankyou

At the moment, I generally do 25 minutes of scales anyway, it is just in the exam a case of dealing with nerves and not making mistakes because of pressure.

Any tips to help me with aural tests?

Thankfully, with Guildhall, you do scales as a kind of "piece" so you get to know the rhythm and the sounds of how they sound, and I find them easier to remember

QUOTE (nicki_flute @ Feb 3 2005, 06:07 PM)

At the moment, I generally do 25 minutes of scales anyway, it is just in the exam a case of dealing with nerves and not making mistakes because of pressure.

any that usually trip you up, go back to basics and play them slowly over and over... if it's in the top octave that you come unstuck, or any particular section, play that over and over - accurately! play it slow enough so that you are absolutely accurate... then as you speed it up you have absolute confidence that your fingers are heading in the right direction and you know exactly what embouchure and support you need. playing them slowly an right is a trillion times more beneficial than fast but not accurate... speed will come with time - accuracy needs to be worked at. if they are really in your head and fingers, you will be much less likely to make mistakes in your exam, because you will be able to do them almost without thinking.

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 2 2005, 09:57 PM)

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 2 2005, 08:00 PM) What does your teacher recommend? you're not allowed to be SENSIBLE, Amber...!

What is this "sensibubble" you're talking about? I've never been sensibubble in my life, and I don't intend to start now, and if anyone says they've seen me sensibubbling then they're just lying, yeah but, no but, yeah but........

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 3 2005, 09:26 PM)

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 2 2005, 09:57 PM) QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 2 2005, 08:00 PM) What does your teacher recommend? you're not allowed to be SENSIBLE, Amber...! What is this "sensibubble" you're talking about? I've never been sensibubble in my life, and I don't intend to start now, and if anyone says they've seen me sensibubbling then they're just lying, yeah but, no but, yeah but........

ok... point taken

I retract my statement about Amber's sensibubbliness.

Though she can be quite bubbly.

QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 3 2005, 09:33 PM)

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 3 2005, 09:26 PM) QUOTE (sarah-flute @ Feb 2 2005, 09:57 PM) QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 2 2005, 08:00 PM) What does your teacher recommend? you're not allowed to be SENSIBLE, Amber...! What is this "sensibubble" you're talking about? I've never been sensibubble in my life, and I don't intend to start now, and if anyone says they've seen me sensibubbling then they're just lying, yeah but, no but, yeah but........ ok... point taken I retract my statement about Amber's sensibubbliness. Though she can be quite bubbly.

That's not me, that's just the baked beans.

I'd blame it on the dog, 'cept we haven't got one.

blame it on the soup

QUOTE (Amber @ Feb 3 2005, 09:37 PM)

That's not me, that's just the baked beans. I'd blame it on the dog, 'cept we haven't got one.

*splutter* LOL

Watch that Sarah, you don't want to spill your soup.....

ahhh I am feeling horrible (I'm ill ) and I'm so glad I popped on, giggling is good for you!

Oh, poor you [hands Sarah bunch of flowers].

Wishing you better, and giggling is a good medicine.

awwww thanks... yep it's very good medicine and you keep making me giggle so... thank you

Just watch you don't get the hiccups - really dodgy when drinking soup......

I'll be careful... sounds like the solution is "don't drink soup..."

Bother, foiled again. Will I ever get rid of the stuff?

[On that note, I've just seen the time, and think I'd better get myself sorted out fortomorrow, or I will be in disarray when my clients turn up, and we wouldn't want that, would we]

Nite nite all



Ambs
xxx

Sorry

'night... sleep tight!

dont let the bed bugs bite

QUOTE

any that usually trip you up, go back to basics and play them slowly over and over... if it's in the top octave that you come unstuck, or any particular section, play that over and over - accurately! play it slow enough so that you are absolutely accurate... then as you speed it up you have absolute confidence that your fingers are heading in the right direction and you know exactly what embouchure and support you need. playing them slowly an right is a trillion times more beneficial than fast but not accurate... speed will come with time - accuracy needs to be worked at. if they are really in your head and fingers, you will be much less likely to make mistakes in your exam, because you will be able to do them almost without thinking.

Well, with any new scale, I start off playing them at crocthet = 60, and then increase the tempo by 10 each time until I get up to crotchet = 120. I have actually found that when my brain is like "Umm, I don't know what comes next", but fingers just do the scale!

Sarah, I hope you feel better soon . Cecilia is ill too...oh and Helen!
*wishes that everyone who is ill gets better as soon as possible*

Right, off to get ready for band now, byee xx

i usually forget which scale im playing 1/2 way through! and i can never do the descending bit right

Know the feeling!

lol

QUOTE (nicki_flute @ Feb 5 2005, 07:53 AM)

Well, with any new scale, I start off playing them at crocthet = 60, and then increase the tempo by 10 each time until I get up to crotchet = 120. I have actually found that when my brain is like "Umm, I don't know what comes next", but fingers just do the scale!

lol sounds like you have it down pat. don't up the speed until you know you have got it though.

yeah I hope I feel better soon too.

QUOTE

lol sounds like you have it down pat. don't up the speed until you know you have got it though.

Yes, generally I do it 3 times at each speed

Nicki, I still reckon it's worth maybe 4 or 5 mins intervals practice a day. You'll soon have it sorted out. Lunchtimes maybe?

-

QUOTE

Nicki, I still reckon it's worth maybe 4 or 5 mins intervals practice a day. You'll soon have it sorted out. Lunchtimes maybe?

I have downloaded this software, and has a bit for interval identification. So I use that. I need to plan my practice regieme again!

QUOTE

did you hear that Ravi Shankar simply didn't turn up to give his recital at the Barbican last night? ... (he couldn't find a baby sitar).

Where do you get your jokes from!!!!! That is awful!

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 5 2005, 10:27 AM)

i usually forget which scale im playing 1/2 way through! and i can never do the descending bit right  <_<

its the whole scale part which I forget
P.S Rhapsodin: you call that a joke do you?

QUOTE (Saxophonist @ Feb 6 2005, 11:00 AM)

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 5 2005, 10:27 AM) i usually forget which scale im playing 1/2 way through! and i can never do the descending bit right   its the whole scale part which I forget

i know!!!

-

First of all Nat shut up.
Seondly Rhapsodin I'd love to tell some jokes but sadly my computer isnt working so I cant post on the forums

-

QUOTE (clarinetlover @ Feb 5 2005, 10:27 AM)

i usually forget which scale im playing 1/2 way through! and i can never do the descending bit right

Practise them down then up: that way you get more practice of the bit that you're doing wrongly (especially if normally you would get halfway down and stop when you get stuck...). It also makes you think about it a bit more because it's slightly different to usual.

...

You know what the real joke was:

QUOTE

(laufens sehr schnell looking behind for the flying tomatos)

I mean honestly Rapsodin. Things like that could ruin someone's German for life!

QUOTE (tamsin @ Feb 6 2005, 05:51 PM)

You know what the real joke was: QUOTE (laufens sehr schnell looking behind for the flying tomatos) I mean honestly Rapsodin. Things like that could ruin someone's German for life!

lol tamsin... Does this mean I can sue...? though my German's pretty ruinous already...