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    The Top Tips To Great Flute Playing - by Jennifer Cluff PDF

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    Angelo Malerba
    The document provides tips for intermediate flute players to improve their performance. It discusses proper chair and body positioning, how to align the flute headjoint to suit individual players, techniques for developing a flexible embouchure and tone across registers, and methods for improving articulation, dynamics, and tuning. Key recommendations include turning the chair at a 45 degree angle, gradually adjusting the headjoint alignment and marking it, using abdominal muscles to support long tones, allowing the lip centers to move forward in the higher registers, and techniques like "FULP and PLOT" to balance tone in different dynamics. The tips are collected from the author's 25 years of flute teaching experience to help educators without extensive playing experience.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    The Top Tips To Great Flute Playing - by Jennifer Cluff PDF

    Uploaded by

    Angelo Malerba
    1K views4 pages
    The document provides tips for intermediate flute players to improve their performance. It discusses proper chair and body positioning, how to align the flute headjoint to suit individual players, techniques for developing a flexible embouchure and tone across registers, and methods for improving articulation, dynamics, and tuning. Key recommendations include turning the chair at a 45 degree angle, gradually adjusting the headjoint alignment and marking it, using abdominal muscles to support long tones, allowing the lip centers to move forward in the higher registers, and techniques like "FULP and PLOT" to balance tone in different dynamics. The tips are collected from the author's 25 years of flute teaching experience to help educators without extensive playing experience.

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    The document provides tips for intermediate flute players to improve their performance. It discusses proper chair and body positioning, how to align the flute headjoint to suit individual players, techniques for developing a flexible embouchure and tone across registers, and methods for improving articulation, dynamics, and tuning. Key recommendations include turning the chair at a 45 degree angle, gradually adjusting the headjoint alignment and marking it, using abdominal muscles to support long tones, allowing the lip centers to move forward in the higher registers, and techniques like "FULP and PLOT" to balance tone in different dynamics. The tips are collected from the author's 25 years of flute teaching experience to help educators without extensive playing experience.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    1K views4 pages

    The Top Tips To Great Flute Playing - by Jennifer Cluff PDF

    Uploaded by

    Angelo Malerba
    The document provides tips for intermediate flute players to improve their performance. It discusses proper chair and body positioning, how to align the flute headjoint to suit individual players, techniques for developing a flexible embouchure and tone across registers, and methods for improving articulation, dynamics, and tuning. Key recommendations include turning the chair at a 45 degree angle, gradually adjusting the headjoint alignment and marking it, using abdominal muscles to support long tones, allowing the lip centers to move forward in the higher registers, and techniques like "FULP and PLOT" to balance tone in different dynamics. The tips are collected from the author's 25 years of flute teaching experience to help educators without extensive playing experience.

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    Pr nToRMANCE:

    Ft-urr TrcHNIerE

    The Top Tips


    to Great F'lute Playlng
    r-nnnnin,
    rac'rl
    r niannc fn;
    i\-/\/l ri r'\-1 LrL/i
    lL, p6yiCe tC tnteffneCiate
    C,tL C,t Vi(-,tr r\/\,

    flr_itrStS

    ByJennifer Cluff

    flute clinician collects and distills

    the tips and tricks that instantly


    work to help young flutists reach
    a

    higher skill level. These tips may be par-

    ticularly useful for those educators who


    do not have years of flute-playing experience. Display these great secrets from

    flute experts, with their "at a glance" illustrations, in the rehearsal room, or keep
    these tips on hand when your flute students have technical questions. Here are

    the top tips l've amassed from a quartercentury of flute teaching.

    Figure

    Chair Set-Up for Flute Players

    Flute players should always turn their chairs so that they


    point 45 degrees to the right. This leaves room for the right
    elbow to extend forward, in front of the chest and relaxes
    the left arm. Like the violin, which also is played diagonally
    across the chest, the flute requires the proper angling of the

    flutist's lower body to lend strength to the tone quality and

    flexibility to the arms, hands and wrists. (Figure

    I)

    Sit-

    ting forward on the chair so both feet are flat on the floor
    helps breathing and balance. Allowing one music stand per
    player also helps leave sufficlent room for the length of the
    Left: Chairs parallel to music stands strain the arms and shoulders.
    Right: Angled chair allows both arms to be in front of the chest.

    instrument.

    42

    School Band and Orchestra

    May 2013

    Headjoint Alignment
    on Flute Body
    Always iine up the fluteb

    headjoint

    so that when playng all three octaves


    with good tone quality rhe tops of the
    keys continue to face the ceiling. Key
    tops should not tilt backwards. Flut_
    ists with rhinner iips or less dip in their

    alignment can also help


    keep more chin plate in
    the skin o[ the chin, and
    the shoulders down and
    relaxed.

    Mark the Headjoint


    Alignment

    chin may find when assembling rhe flute

    they should line up the far-edge of the


    blowhole wirh rhe cenrer of the keys.
    Roughly 75 percenr of all flute players
    will find the chin plate and the hand position more stabie this way Flutists with
    deep chin concavity or thicker lower lips
    may want to start with the center of the
    blowhole lined up with the cenrer of rhe
    keys and gradually experiment from that
    headjoinr alignment posirion. (Figure 2)
    Finger length and hand size also play a
    ro1e. The ergonomically corecr headjoint

    Uniike a

    clarinet,

    Figure 3

    When experimenting with gradually turning the headjoint inward,


    be sure and roll the flute,s keywork outward.
    Note how the elbows drop into a
    more comfortable position when
    the best alignment is found.

    which has sections rhar


    click into place, flures

    are aligned ergonomically to suit each player as he or she


    gradually adjusts to an as).rynmetrlcal
    posture. instead of turning the whole
    flute inward with the wrists for stabilrty, flutists should rurn only the he_
    adjoint inward at the barrel and then
    mark it with ink or slickers. After each
    headjoinr adjustment, the body is again
    rolled outward with the hands so rhar
    the key lops remain

    Figure 2

    parallei ro rhe ceiling.

    By gradually

    experimenting over time and


    marking the best alignment position found,

    each flutist can cus25% of flutists will use the center-to-center alignment of the

    headjoint.
    75% of flutists will line up the far edge of the blow hole
    with
    the center of the keys.

    tom fit his or her own


    headjoint alignment.
    Small stickers, spors
    of nail-polish, or semi-

    , ,; {i_:+:=:1ggE

    " . .4;1 9r4*'=ea

    PNEUfVIO PRO
    WIND
    DIRECTOR

    for

    6e

    autfut ftute

    tone

    permanent "shiny surface" markers can

    be used to create matching markings


    on barrels and headjoints. Spot clean

    with isopropyl alcohol before applyrng


    and use the alcohol again to clean off
    ink or adhesive. This allows the flutist
    to change markings or keep consistent
    markings as the embouchure and hand
    position develop.

    Tuning the Flute


    Cold flutes need ro be warmed wirh
    the keys down and by breathing warm
    air into them before flutists check their

    tuning. The cork in the flute,s crown


    should be permanently set ar 17.3 mil-

    limeters during annual maintenance


    and then ieft undisrurbed. Tuning the
    flutes three octaves requires modifying
    the length of the draw of the headjoinl
    in very small increments over several
    practice sessions, using an audible tunlng ald such as "The Tuning CD" (www.
    thetuningcd.com).
    Ink markers made for shiny surfaces
    can be used to mark the insertion line
    on the flute's tenon for quickly assembling the instrument once the best draw
    for pitch is ascerrained (Figure 4)
    Although rolling the flute inward

    and outward can a method to locate


    sharper and flatter pitches as a brief experiment for the ear, runing with the
    wrists is to be avoided during normal
    playing. The study of embouchure position and air speed is more flexibie and
    reliable once the octave length is set.

    Blowing Well
    To sustain the flute's sound with

    rich, full tone quality, trigger the


    dominal muscles by using

    ab-

    mental im-

    age called "The Belt Trick."

    Fill up with air, as described

    above, and pretend you have a belt

    44

    around your middle that is far too


    School Band and Orchestra

    May 2013

    gradually, gradually forward at the 1ip cenrers as rhe flure


    ascends. (Figure 5)
    To descend, slowly move the corners of the lips back
    again. Low notes need only one-quarter of the blowhole
    covered with the lower lip ro sound well. Eventually, with
    practice, this flexible embouchure movement will take place
    almost unnoticeably in the very center of the lips creating a
    longer and shorrer "tube" berween the lips.
    Cork is set at 17.3 millimeters and students can mark ink on tenon to
    set their headjoint's

    draw

    Dynamics and Tuning


    The flute is naturally sharp in pirch in loud dyt-Lamics and
    goes flat when playing softly To counreract this, use this trick

    by Walfrid Ku;ala, which he cails FULP and PLOT. Forrelarge for you. Make the imaginary belt taut by pushing
    gently outward all around the lowest ribs, and keep the
    lmaginary belt raut the whole time you sustain a rich lone
    on the flute. This engages those extra abdominal muscles
    that help conrrol the exhalarion. After a few moments of
    dehberately engaging these muscles, forget the "belt too
    big" image, and 1et the abdominal muscies relax into their

    Upper-Lip-Pulls (down) and Piano-Lower-Teerh (rise). The


    pu11lng down of the upper Iip or the raising of the lower
    teeth can be practiced anyrlme wlth the hand in front of the
    mouth. (Figure 6) Notice rhe .;aw opens and closes narurally as the lower teeth rise and fail in slow morion. The air
    is angled more deeply or sha11owly into the flute with this
    simpie movement.

    new role.
    Figure 6

    Articulation
    When tonguing say "tu tu tu'' as in French. For a less hard
    syilable, say "du du du." The tip of the tongue should be
    used on the roof of the mouth Jusr behind rhe top front teeth
    to lightly interrupt a fast stream of constant air. After each
    "tu," the tongue tip should move vertically downward to rest
    lightly behind the fronr lower teerh. This leaves the tongue
    tlp in the closest possible position to say "ru" or "du" again.

    Flexible Lip Centers


    The llp corners move forward as the flutist ascends
    to the highest octa\res. Moving the corners of the lips allows the lip centers [o move gradually closer and cioser
    to the lar side of the blowing edge and this shortening of
    the length of the "air reed" allows easy high regisrer rone
    and tuning. High notes may require over one-halfl to twothirds of the blowhole ro be covered by the lower 1ip. Do
    not roll the flute inu'ard with the wrists ro achieve this

    shortening of the air reed length. Instead, move the lips

    Figure 5

    *----\..--<=-r-T-;7
    >:- -r-

    /ri-\

    ,r i -...\

    i\

    Low

    \^^1
    ,<.-t--><-

    Medium

    . ..-j-jl
    +--(4r -r:i

    --=

    \/
    -.^v-\

    $======.

    Lip centers actually move forward across the blowhole during ascent.
    Eventually this movement takes place in the very center of the lips,
    for finely controlled flexibility.

    f,,fF

    \'\A
    Forte

    Mczzo

    Fiafio

    FULP & PLOT

    For Forte: Pull the upper lip downward and aim the air down into
    the flute. Jaw opens.
    For Piano: Raise the lower teeth gradually vertically upwards so as
    to counteract the downward pull of the upper lip.

    This method does nor require the flure player ro decrease their air speed to achieve great pianisstmo dynam-

    in fact require more air speed than


    most intermediate flutists tend to use, and using PLOT
    a11ows quick experimentarion. In loud or high playing
    wlth very fast airspeed, the FULP technique stops flutists
    lrom being sharp or shrill by aiming rhe air downward.
    Pulling down the upper lip and opening the .1aw gives a
    me1low quality to the hlgh register thats easter [o tune
    and tame.
    ics. Soft dynamics

    Director To-do List


    Have all student flutes repaired annually, being especialthat minute pad leaks cause flutists to force down
    keys, whlch in turn causes finger slowness. Flute pads are
    1y aware

    not forgiving. Pad leaks occur on all flutes through normal use but are more frequently found when flutes are assembled and disassembled w-ith rhe student unknowingly
    bending the keys and rods by clasping them in order ro
    twist the sections together.
    Teach students the correct way to assemble and disassemble, handling the smooth rube secrions only. Play-tesr
    School Band and Orchestra

    May

    2013

    45

    student flutes using

    feather-light

    touch, and be sure that all the notes


    speak without an)r dou,nu,ard finger
    pressure. A free flute care information
    sheet that students can download can

    Flute Resources

    finger-

    care.hLm.

    Lrge srudents to rake- weekly pri,


    ', {
    atc ltule lessons wlln a quall,-;
    ned I lule
    reacher u,ho can help rvirh fingerings.
    hrgh octave tuning, expressiYe playing.
    and the technical facility that developing flr-rte players need in order ro exce1.
    \

    Jenniftr Cluff rs rtn i]1shr.tor ol .llutt at \rancouter Island

    Univer.sity and holds a per.forntttnce degtu fronr the Unrr,crsity

    of

    Torontuis Facuk,- oJ it4usic and

    The Rcryal Consen,atur) of Nhrsic, Trrronfo. Prncrpal Flttte o.f the


    Vancouvcr Island S,vmphonr, .[rom
    1995 until 2A06, lennLftr nr.rrv perJbr.iii.s as a so/oisl
    trncl chamber mLrsician, tcr;ches, arranges .lor' llute ,
    and rvrites a popular.llute blttg, tlhich canbc fowd at:
    rr,rlil lcnnifrr rlull.conr.

    How to Play the Flute by Howard Harrison (Elm Tree Books)


    An easy to read and play book that
    explains many details of blowing,
    ings, rhythm, and music reading.

    be lound at: ww\\.jennifercluff.com/

    This is the best contemporary source


    for all intermediate to advanced flute fingerings, trills, and tremelos, in an easy-

    lllustnted Flute Playing by Robin Soldan


    (autho1 and Jennre Mellersh (illustrator)
    ilonoon Minstead pubrications)
    The best source of cartoons and dia_
    grams that show optimal flute posture,
    lip, and hand positions with both "dos"
    and "don'ts" for comparison.

    The Art of Playing the Flute by Roger


    Mather (Romney Press)
    A comprehensive text on all aspects
    of flute playing and is especially great
    for teachers. This book gives clear, concise experiments for intermediate flute
    embouchure development.
    Alternative Fingerings for the Flute by
    Nestor Herszbaum (Carlyn Nussbaum
    Music Company)

    to-search spiral-bound book format.

    Conditioning Training for the Flute Embouchure by Werner Richter (Zimmerman)

    An advanced flute embouchure


    workbook with the best basic octavesmearing exercise for developing the

    basic lip position for easy

    register

    changes on the flute.


    Spit Buzzing 707 by Keith Underwood
    (video available on YouTube).

    This trumpet buzzing technique, as


    demonstrated on flute byUndenruood,
    allows quick control and precision using
    the center of the upper iip.

    Free downloadable educational flute


    articles, fingering charl and trill chart, longtone warm-up exercises, creative scales for

    melodious practice, flute arpeggios, and


    "fast fingei' trill exercises, ail in pdf, are
    available at luanru,jennifercluff,com.

    LatharTr
    TS

    '#

    NOW PART OF
    .@n, .$

    fuw& fu\"i .{,nj / df/ {.{tJ, ?! :


    *S,
    ]-gf,
    $.

    6403 W'est Rogers Circle . Boca Raton, FL 33487


    (8oo) 434-6340. (561) 24r-6169. Fa* (561) 24r-6347

    www.ludwigmastefs.com . info@ludwigmastef s.com

    46

    School Band and Orchestra

    May 2013

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