questions

Irish Flute
1

I’m sort of new here, and in regard to flute playing, there’s still a lot to go! But there are some things in particular that have been on my mind, and that before, I didn’t even know they existed!

  • What are rolls, and what does one use them for?
  • What are glottal stops? Are they just a different way to separate notes, instead of tonguing?
  • And the last(for now):slight_smile: : Vibrato. I have wanted to be able to do this for a long while, but none of the methods for learning it have made sense. Can someone help me?

Thanks
kittythorn

\

…stop and consider God’s wonders.
Job 37:14

[ This Message was edited by: kittythorn on 2002-04-19 20:01 ]

2

One could probably take a few pages trying to describe rolls, glottal stops, and vibrato, and you’d be no wiser at the end of it. You really need to have someone demonstrate, and then give you some feedback on your technique after you have had time to practice. In other words, a teacher. If you don’t live in an area where there is a traditional flute teacher within range, there are other alternatives, such as videos and cd-rom programs, or Conal O’Grada’s web-based Scoiltrad program (www.Scoiltrad.com). A search through the Chiff and Fipple archives should dig up information and opinions on these options.

Dave Copley
Loveland, Ohio

3

rolls are ornaments, used to attack or
emphasize a note or simply because they’re
rhythmically pleasing.

A roll typicall consists of two other
ornaments. The first is a cut.
Suppose I play a G and, while sustaining
the note, quickly lift and put down
again (cut) the finger over the A hole.
This must be quick and shallow (the cut)
and it sounds a bit like a barking dog
when done correctly. (very effective
and beautiful in its own right, and
a good way to attack or emphasize
a note).

The second ornament of which a roll
is composed is a tap. Again I’m playing
the G and I simply tap the index finger
of my rt hand on the next hole.
One basically raises a finger and strikes,
lifting it instantly. Taps are also
quite lovely and can be done anywhere-
but the idea is that one taps the note
below the lowest note one is playing.

Now a roll is done this way: again,
suppose I’m playing a G. I cut the
note above the G–of course as the
finger comes down the G sounds again,
and immediately I tap the note below
the G.

Or suppose I’m playing an A. I cut the
note above the A and immediately tap
the G. This is done quickly, but one
should hear the cut and the tap.

And it can be done in many places.
As Dave says, a teacher, a video,
or even a book and a CD will help.
The notes of a roll should be
tightly clustered, but distinct.

One plays finger vibrato by
playing a note, say a B and rapidly
waving a finger over the hole two
holes down (the G hole, in this case).
So if I’m playing a g
I wave my finger over the e hole.
The waving finger rapidly closes
and opens the hole. In effect
one taps the hole quickly and
repeatedly, making a vibrato
effect. Takes practice.

One can also do vibrato by
pulsing one’s breath from the
diaphragm–but sooner or later
one learns finger vibrato.

As to glottal stops, I don’t know
either–everything I’ve said comes
from whistle playing. Maybe somebody
will enlighten us both? Or
correct my mistakes? Best, Jim

4

Glottal stops ( my observation, of course) are used to stop,separate or accent notes. It is done like clearing your throat or similar to a cough ( like “ehhm”.. you get the idea). I like to do this more than tongueing as it gives you the “dirty” sound. It also helps a lot with the phrasing , giving a phrase a little added lift ( or bounce). Maybe Conal O’Grada could step in here and explain more ( I kinda figured out glottal stops from a post of his here or on woodenflute list).
In speech , a glottal stop is a sort of accent on a syllable where you stop/cut the vowel sound with your throat. Asian and European languages have a lot of these. This helped me understand the term too.
I hope I am making sense.

Tots



[ This Message was edited by: totst on 2002-04-20 00:07 ]

5

Thanks, that actually helps.
Anybody else on glottal stops?
Really would appreciate more info.

6

I thought I’d pass on what Conal had to say to me about glottal stops, since it directly applies to this thread. Glottals are something it has taken me some time and frustration to learn to do, and so he gave me a pretty detailed explanation:

—start quote–
“The glottal is formed by punching
out a very short pulse of air using your diagprham and cutting this pulse
off sharply using your larynx or the back of your throat. The manouevre is
not unlike producing a small cough to clear a tickle in the back of your
throat. These glottals need to be really controlled so that they don’t
become heavy and ponderous. They are executed on the leading edge of the
target note.”
–end quote–

–James
http://www.flutesite.com

7

Back to the rolls -
How would they be shown on music?
(just wondering if I’ve seen them before but didn’t know what they were)

And thanks to all who have given these questions answers!

kitty

…stop and consider God’s wonders.
Job 37:14

[ This Message was edited by: kittythorn on 2002-04-27 10:12 ]

8

Rolls are usually notated as ~ above the note.