Hi, I've recently (about 4 months) started playing piccolo. I played whistle for a while then dabbled with a single piece Dixon before getting a Peter Worrell keyless piccolo. It's been a real struggle, but I am starting to get a decent sound - some days much better than others! Not having played flute I suspect I've jumped in at the deep end a bit..
My plan has been to work on tone and intonation with scales and slow tunes. I try to play with a drone or play along with a recording to help with the intonation and also record and listen back. If anyone has any other practice suggestions or advice that would be very welcome!
Thanks
Allan
Hello and piccolo advice!
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an seanduine
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Re: Hello and piccolo advice!
It is wise to wear ear-plugs when you practice, especially as you get to the second octave and above. Get John Doonan's Flute for the Feis and At the Feis. These are all piccolo pieces by a master. Rock solid tempo with great lift. These are still found in action at the Dancing Academies.
Bob
Bob
Not everything you can count, counts. And not everything that counts, can be counted
The Expert's Mind has few possibilities.
The Beginner's mind has endless possibilities.
Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi
The Expert's Mind has few possibilities.
The Beginner's mind has endless possibilities.
Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi
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AllanJ
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Re: Hello and piccolo advice!
Just been listening to John Doonan on YouTube - inspirational stuff, thanks for the recommendation!
Allan
Allan
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accordionstu
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Re: Hello and piccolo advice!
Hi Allan, great to hear from piccolo players/learners. I have a few piccolos including keyed Peter Worrells and as with all new flutes they will take a while to blow them in and will improve over time. I make keyless Piccolos in D and Bb and mainly sell these to players of Bb high pitched band flutes, the thing they struggle with initially is changing their embouchure to suit the Piccolo, although a tighter embouchure is required for the Piccolo, the breath is more relaxed as you are only playing in the lower and middle octaves.
The next thing is that when playing band flutes you are taught to spit each note and use the tongue, so that the note is played staccato. When playing the piccolo, the notes are separated by cuts and rolls etc as they are with a whistle.
There's no doubt that 20 minutes practice a day also helps, Here's a clip of my one piece aluminium Piccolo, if you zip past the 1:14 of me talking nonsense you will hear the tune, its very easy to play and I now offer these as a two piece model in wood, aluminium and Delrin .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0eZgH4HCaA
The next thing is that when playing band flutes you are taught to spit each note and use the tongue, so that the note is played staccato. When playing the piccolo, the notes are separated by cuts and rolls etc as they are with a whistle.
There's no doubt that 20 minutes practice a day also helps, Here's a clip of my one piece aluminium Piccolo, if you zip past the 1:14 of me talking nonsense you will hear the tune, its very easy to play and I now offer these as a two piece model in wood, aluminium and Delrin .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0eZgH4HCaA
Boyd Flutes - For Soprano D Flutes, Fifes and Piccolos. Made in the UK
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sfmans
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Current gigs are The Powderkegs border morris, the concert band Trebuchet with our music theatre show The Mill Ballads www.themillballads.com, and Welsh dance band Caffl. - Location: High Peak, Derbyshire
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Re: Hello and piccolo advice!
All I'd add is that you shouldn't worry about starting on piccolo rather than flute - the embouchure is tighter for picc than flute, but if the picc embouchure is all you've known you'll be fine.
Do work hard on your tuning, because you're going to be audible when you're playing with other people; and just be prepared to make the amount of sound you're going to make, because if you try to back off you'll affect your tone and tuning. Tony Dixon makes some reasonable plastic piccolos that are a bit quieter than some piccs, whilst still having a good embouchure and tuning.
Do work hard on your tuning, because you're going to be audible when you're playing with other people; and just be prepared to make the amount of sound you're going to make, because if you try to back off you'll affect your tone and tuning. Tony Dixon makes some reasonable plastic piccolos that are a bit quieter than some piccs, whilst still having a good embouchure and tuning.
Steve Mansfield
http://www.lesession.co.uk
http://www.lesession.co.uk
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AllanJ
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Re: Hello and piccolo advice!
Accordionstu - I think I've seen some of your YouTube videos, it might have been one of yours that made me aware of Peter Worrell's piccolos. I'm glad I have spent some playing whistle so I don't have to learn fingering from scratch - there's enough to think about as it is!
sfmans - that's reassuring, I got the impression that the picc embouchure was much more difficult. I think physically the picc is easier in that it's easy to hold and the fingering appears less demanding than a flute. Also I don't find I need much more breath than with a whistle.
Tuning I find a big challenge and it's probably the thing I'm spending most time getting right - a bit of a shock coming from a background with fretted instruments. I try to play with a drone or a recording and I think as a side effect my musical ear has improved generally.
Allan
sfmans - that's reassuring, I got the impression that the picc embouchure was much more difficult. I think physically the picc is easier in that it's easy to hold and the fingering appears less demanding than a flute. Also I don't find I need much more breath than with a whistle.
Tuning I find a big challenge and it's probably the thing I'm spending most time getting right - a bit of a shock coming from a background with fretted instruments. I try to play with a drone or a recording and I think as a side effect my musical ear has improved generally.
Allan