Running out of air is one of the most common and frustrating problems flutists face. It affects tone, phrasing, intonation, and confidence, and it shows up at every level, from beginners to advanced players. The good news: this issue is rarely about lung capacity. It’s almost always about how you’re using your air. The Real …
Read more “Why You’re Running Out of Air on the Flute (and How to Fix It)”
Should You Use a Cleaning Rod, Flute Wand and/or Pad Saver? What Every Flutist Needs to Know Post-practice flute cleaning: Keeping your flute clean and dry is essential to maintaining its tone, pad condition, and overall performance. Three popular tools often recommended for this are the cleaning rod, flute wand and the pad saver, but …
Why You Should Avoid the “Smiley” Embouchure One of the most common and misleading habits beginner flutists develop is the “smiley” flute embouchure: pulling the corners of the mouth upward, as if smiling for a picture. While it may seem natural, this habit can seriously hinder your tone and technique. This is an approach that …
Read more “Embouchure – Let’s Discuss the “Smiley” Embouchure”
Here’s a quick blog post about a question that has come up so much lately: flute dynamics. Specifically HOW do we play louder or quieter? Basically, flute dynamics are a function of the quantity of air. If you want to play louder, you have to use more air. If you want to play quieter, you …
Read more “Flute Dynamics: Quiet High Notes and Loud Low Notes”
5 Advantages to Learning and Playing Flute as an Adult: Learning a musical instrument as an adult can seem like a daunting task, but it’s one that offers a wealth of benefits—both personal and professional. If you’ve ever considered picking up the flute, there’s no better time than now. Here are benefits of learning and …
Read more “5 Benefits of Learning and Playing Flute as an Adult”
🎵 A Beginner Flute Practice Plan That Actually Works So, you’ve just picked up the flute—congrats! Whether you’re learning on your own, taking lessons, or getting back into it after a long break, having a solid practice routine can make all the difference. Below is a beginner flute practice plan that actually works! The key …
Start Every Practice Session with a Fuller, Sweeter Sound: Flute Warm Ups Let’s be honest—when you’re short on time, it’s tempting to skip the warm-up and dive right into scales or pieces. But if there’s one thing you can do in just 5 minutes to dramatically improve your tone, breath control, and overall sound… it’s …
Read more “5-Minute Flute Warm-Ups to Instantly Improve Tone”
Do you need a flute fingering chart? I tend to get a lot of questions about how to play certain notes, or where to find a reliable source of finding how to play certain notes. A fingering chart lists every (well, for the most part) note that we can play on the flute, and it …
2017 in review: 2017 brought some very rewarding projects, some happy surprises, and a generous handful of disappointment. Continued from last year was the constant adjustment to tripling the number of children in my house (with now-toddler twins). For next year, my plans are on a larger scale and more geographically diverse. In terms of …
Fall 2017 Tour Fall 2017 tour was a whirlwind few days of friends, collaborations, and satisfying musical experiences. One big takeaway: performing multiple times within an intensely-compressed time period is really effective in keeping one on one’s toes, performance-wise. There’s no time for nervousness and no time for mistakes. The program has to be clearly …
