Chiff and Fipple Forums

1. Listen to LOTS of ITM, especially (of course) flute tunes. Listen to it all the time. Analyze and critique the music and compare to your own playing. 2. Practice at least an hour a day for the first 4-5 years. Try and make it fun so you don't burn yourself out. Have a beer or two. You'll find thi...

The pictures you included show the most common (and most taught) way of holding a flute, but it's not the way I hold it. I could never understand how anyone can maintain dexterity in their left fingers with their wrist bent upwards like that. The flute is not heavy and you don't need your entire han...

Typical initial response on this forum as of late, I'm afraid.

I, for one, appreciate the quote. I'm not completely up-to-date one intellectual property rights issues, but I don't believe a Facebook posting qualifies as published material where consent may be required. Again, thanks for the post.

Rolling the edge of the embouchure hole to the middle of the first fingerhole seems a bit extreme, but that's just my opinion. More of a slight roll makes for a better sound in my case. I find that as you progress as a player this particular factor becomes less and less important.

I noticed this particular phenomenon long ago. The tunes that actually got me interested in playing flute, and I therefore began with learning, I no longer even play because those same old mistakes and general immature playing style sets in every time. Kind of sad, actually, that I specifically shy ...

Excellent find and thanks for the clip. The old Irish Rovers show was a staple of TV viewing in my childhood in Canada. Definitely one of the best programs produced by CBC. Fine old times. You'll notice Conal, even as a boy, uses that weird heel-toe way of keeping time. I've tried it but it messes u...

Thanks for the suggestions posted. I'd already considered the old-fashioned paper and pencil method and I appreciate the link to the blank music score sheets. I've fooled around with Sibelius a bit more but didn't get far. Adjusting the time signature to something out in left field doesn't really so...

I've been driving myself crazy lately trying to find a new software program that allows me to create sheet music. I used to use Encore for Macintosh, but since upgrading to Snow Leopard my old version is no longer supported. A new version of Encore is $399 :shock: Anyway, I find that this type of so...

You'd think they'd have had much better results using a "real" simple-system keyless flute as their model. In years to come should we expect to be able to buy plastic versions of Olwells and Grinters for fractions of the cost of the original that sound and play essentially the same? That r...

Great review. I'm only just beginning a study of this book and I'm taking the process very slowly. I sure as hell wish I'd read Conal's advice about cuts and breathing about four years ago. Nobody's ever explained it as well as this in any of the other tutor books I own. This book is definitely goin...

Way back when I was first learning flute I was trying to teach myself and somehow got into the habit of using WAY too many glottal stops. It was to the point, like you said, where I'd use them in place of proper ornamentation. I articulated most notes this way and my playing was very staccato and ha...

I'd been playing guitar for many years by the time I took up the flute. One of the first things that caused me problems was the fact that as you moved fingerings from index finger to pinky on the fretboard of a guitar, you are increasing in pitch. With the flute (from index to ring finger) the pitch...

Keep in mind that humidity levels also have a lot to do with the type of heating system in your house. I live in eastern Canada; hard to find a more wintery environment than here. The heat I have is oil-fired hot water, as opposed to forced air. I never have any difficulty keeping a steady 60% humid...

I just installed Garageband this evening and I've been fooling around with it. This was recorded with a USB powered condenser mic and played on a Martin Doyle blackwood.

http://www.box.com/s/ihbgb424pjqjpsn8bqt7

Othannen wrote:

I manage fine with an Eb Generation whistle.

Of course when miked all is simple, but it looks like an Eb piccolo will do well enough even without amplification. Now I'll have to try get one on ebay at less than 50 euros

Yeah, then you'll have to learn all four bagpipe tunes