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As opposed to making a bunch of posts in several forums about questions that I have that are likely to be rather elementary, I figured I would just condense them into one thread. Please excuse my attention mongering.
First question
Upon looking at some of the photos on the board and seeing some videos, I notice that some players don't seem to use the tips of their fingers. They seem to extend the index finger and cover holes with the middle joint. Is this correct or just an optical illusion. If it is correct, please expand on the logic behind this.
Second question
In notation, when a line begins with a specifc octave indicator, do you stay in that octave until it is changed by the next octave indicator? Or, is the octave indicator just for that note? If you stay in that octave, does it carry to the next line?
I apologize if these are confusing questions because of my lack of experience. I am sure I'll have more in the future.
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Longer flutes can be easier to play with the pads of the finger that are closer to the palm. Playing with fingertips can be a hard stretch on longer flutes.
Generally stay in the same octave until either an octave change is indicated, or until the contour of the notes leads you naturally into another octave. There may be times when its a bit ambiguous, in which case you can refer to a recording, or ask someone who knows, if you have a specific piece in mind.
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Hi Jeffery,
lowonthetotom wrote:
Question 3
I've been practicing regularly on an exercise in the first octave and have it down pretty well. I am moving on to some other exercises that deal more with "time." As you guys may have gleaned, I am not much of music guy. When I used to play harmonica we used to just tap our feet. In one exercise that I have, there are small dots tot he right of the notes. Edosan has tried to explain these to me, but I am fairly dense. In other songs that Perry has in his books, there are simply longer and shorter vertical lines. Do I simply need to listen to the recordings and memorize the note lengths? Is there a more systematized way of deciding how long to hold the notes?
You should try to understand the phrasing as oppossed to memorize exact timing, that would not be possible anyway. The Shakuhachi music in my booklet is designed to develop the ear for tone color and being able to play in the moment. Although the phrasing is the same, the timing and feeling will be different every time. Think about it like playing a free form jazz riff. There is no time signature to tap your feet to.
Question 4
Are there any hints to switching between octaves? I've been told to move my lips closer to the utaguchi, and I've been advised to the contrary as well. I can hit the lower notes in the second octave, but as I move up the holes, the last two notes "disappear." Just looking for pointers. I am sure that the secret is to keep practicing.
Again, my apologies if these are elementary questions.
Try this link:
http://homepage.mac.com/bartonmusic/sha … ater7.html
It's to Todd Barton's video on how to get the second octave.
Enjoy your time with open ears! Perry
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I think that I partially cracked the octave issue. It seems that there are far fewer harmonics and squeaks when you sort of allow the breath to flow directly from the lungs to the flute, as opposed to blowing. It is more like breathing than blowing or maybe it's more like pushing the air with the diaphram as opposed to the intercostal muscles of the chest. It seemed to make a big difference. I practiced for a while just doing long notes in the second octave. That is probably lesson one for most wind instruments. Like I said, I have very little musical background.
It isn't that I don't think lessons are worth paying for Phil, and I'm not trying to get anything for free that should be paid for. It is certainly up to everyone whether they choose to answer me or not. To be honest, I rather expect that many of my questions will go unanswered. It helps me to get them down, so I can review them and be clear about what I have to work on. I am kind of a forgetful guy. I'd love to attend a lesson; however, I purchased one flute, which was not terribly expensive relatively speaking, and it was destroyed. I went ahead and got another one that was a little more pricey, still not terribly expensive relatively speaking, thinking that it would be the last one for a long while. But together I've invested quite a sum, given my means. With the way the economy is, food prices going up, gas prices sky rocketing, flute lessons are a luxury that really is not justified for me. My wife's business is just getting started, and we are trying to save to have a child. It caused quite a bit of friction just to get the second flute. I could have been a little more careful with the first one, but that is water under the bridge. Really, this is not a sob story. I'd really like to take a lesson, but I am afraid it is just not in my immediate future. I am not trying to be a professional player or anything, so it really would just be a luxury.
Honestly, the questions are as much for the purpose of revisiting and reviewing as they are for anything else. It'd be nice to get an answer or two, but I certainly don't expect any comprehensive answers. That is kind of Zen 101, huh? Lose the expectaions. I hope nobody minds if I continue to keep track of what I feel are my issues. The section is called "Ask the Pros," so I thought it'd be a good place for these kinds of questions. However, feel free to moderate me as necessary. Sorry to be tedious, but I want to pay attention to the details and approach this practice with care.
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Certainly you will get some general hints about technique on the forum. However, a face-to-face encounter can save you a lot of time and effort and the advice is specific to you. We all try to solve many of our problems on the internet but if it persists it is better to see the pro in person. If this is not possible because of financial restraints, I'm sure you can find someone to meet informally to point you in the right direction. They may discover that your difficulties are mainly due to the quality of the instrument or a factor you are not aware of.
In the meantime, you can find some hints about getting the high notes here http://www.shakuhachizen.com/kan.html.
Last edited by philthefluter (2008-06-03 11:33:14)
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