Mr.Gumby wrote:
And a lot of players will weigh and consider carefully how the various cuts and other ornaments influence the music. To an experienced listener these things are an important part of the musical 'language'. Reducing this to a mere one size fits all mechanical action without further importance ignores an important aspect of this music.
Well, Larsen's book is a tutorial for newcomers. As such, he's trying to give useful information to get started, based on his own technique, like every other flute tutorial I've picked up including Conal O'Grada's, Fintan Valleley's, and June McCormack's. For what it's worth, I found O'Grada's tutorial the most useful as a single source, but all had interesting views to offer.
Anyway, it's been a while since I read the Larsen tome, but I don't recall the advice on cuts being presented as the only way to do it. He might have suggested it was the best way, but that's what you get with any of these flute tutorials. As it happened, I came across the Larsen tutorial first before the others, so his recommended technique for cuts was where I started. I guess I still do most cuts that way but not all of them. I sometimes cut with fingers further from the note when it sounds better in a given tune, and I'll sometimes do taps with two fingers below the note instead of one. Just depends on the tune. I haven't gotten to the point yet where I'll intentionally vary how I cut notes in the repeats of a tune for the sake of variety, but it's a goal to shoot for after I get a little better.
I try not to think about it too much. Every time I start to analyze what I'm doing, my playing gets messed up. I'd hate to have to write a tutorial based on what I do! But it doesn't sound too terrible to my ears, so far. Listening to examples of what it
should sound like is key, and I try to do as much of that as I can.