Flute is a beautiful instrument, one of the most amazing wind instruments that can mesmerize you like no other instrument out there. However, it also happens to be one of the most difficult instruments to master which is perhaps the reason why you might see many guitarists, violin players and even keyboardists, but only a handful of flute players. Being one of the oldest instruments to still exist, the flute is indeed a stunner, a totally different game to play for even the experienced musicians. And that is why, learning and practising right is crucial when it comes to great flute playing.
If you want to become a better flute player, we bring you 5 great tips you should definitely consider.
Starting off with the right position
Whenever you are practising flute, make sure that you are standing upright, with your face towards your feet. Your hips should be 45 degrees towards the right. Always swing your upper body upwards to face the stand if you have notes to read from or just swing up while breathing – this would help you prevent arm fatigue. One of the worst mistakes you could make is become tired and stop your practice or performance midway, without even completing your piece.
Breathe, breathe & breathe
Do we need to say this? Yes, breathing is very important for all flute players and you need to master the art of breathing well as well as breathing more. When you are playing a note at a consistent level, breathing plays a crucial role. Of course, you wouldn’t want running out of breath especially when you are trying out the notation that could charm your audience like never before. In order to practice breathing while playing, you can start holding your note for a longer period of time and ensure that your shoulder position is right, allowing more air inside your lungs every time you breathe in while playing.
Start Low
One of the biggest mistakes made by flute players is that they try and strike a high note right off. And that right there is something even the professionals dare not try without hours of practice. So if you are trying to practice on high octaves or notes, start low. Starting low will also help you breathe more and ensure that your stance is correct when you begin. If you are seated while practising, you can still do it right by keeping an upright position. Starting low will also help you ensure that you are being consistent and are striking the notes in the right manner.
Listen & Concentrate
Because there is no better way to improve yourself than just listening and increasing your concentration to focus more. Listen to each and every note that you are playing, irrespective of the beat or notation that you are trying to match. Listen carefully, each and every move so that you can focus on it and change whenever required. Listening not only helps you get a better sense of music, sometimes, it just helps you know and understand your music better and the same is true with flute as well. The more you listen and focus, the better you would be able to play with time.
Put in those hours
Last but not the least, do not shy away from putting in those hours of practice. Early morning or late night hours into playing flute, perfecting your technique and having the patience to go through the process of correction will go a long way. As we said earlier, flute is indeed one of the toughest instruments to play, let alone master. Being one of the toughest of the lot, you need to ensure that you are putting in all your efforts, patience and persistence to improve and become a flute player!