How to repair a flute

Dear Flutists and teachers,

From time to time on our flute discussion groups we receive requests from well-meaning do-it-yourselfers about repairing old "found in closet" flutes.

Well, finally, there's a resource online which shows exactly how this is done.

By looking at this 6.5 MB pdf manual, you can clearly see.....

...er....um......(ahem)

.....that there's no way in fluteland that you'd ever want to try and repair your own flute!!!

It takes so many years of experience, so much training, and so many specialized tools that only a crazy person would even attempt to take a tiny screwdriver to one of the tiny screws.

You would seriously have to have a tiny screw loose.
I'm serious!!

ahhahahaha! :>D
(I'm laughing but I'm serious!)

So help yourself to a free download of this manual with its incredible pictures of everything, and just say NO to trying it at home. :>)

Then pick up a phone and find the most experienced flute technician in your area, and let them do the work for you.
It will take mere minutes instead of horrible decades, and you will actually be able to play the flute very very easily when you get it back from the repair shop.

Enjoy the pictures in the manual though.
I don't know how much longer the manual will be online for free.

Best,
Jen

Can you buy a good quality pink flute?

Dear Readers,
This email came today:

I am interested in purchasing a good quality flute that will last me a long time, however, I would also like it to be pink. The flutes I am finding on the internet so far seem to be lower quality. Do you know of a place I can get a high qualilty pink flute, or is there a way I can have a regular silver flute lacquered to that colour?
I'm sorry to bother you with such a silly question, but I am very interested in this, and the internet has not been very helpful thus-far! Thanks for your time.

Dear....
As a flute teacher and performer who has played for 35 years, I firmly believe that playing the flute is about the SOUND of the flute, and the quality of its workmanship, so that it lasts and works well.
What the flute looks like is way down on my list.
The idea of colouring or laquering a flute for aesthetic purposes is the opposite of almost everything I know about the instrument.
They keys have to be fast, the pads have to seal, and the sound has to be beautiful.
The companies who do paint flutes in colours use very cheap flutes that have few or none of these qualities.
And, as far as I know, to date there is no reputable flute manufacturer who decorates flutes in this manner.

However, I wonder if you're asking about a pink flute because you have a young person in your life who loves everything to be pink?

If this is the case, you can buy a pink case cover or make a pink flute case cover and/or simply tie a pink bow on the crown of the flute.

I recommend these brands of flutes as durable and decent quality.
Let me know if this helps.

Best, Jen





Note: The above post has re-edited to get rid of the sound of frustration that I was being haunted by when first writing this. Thanks to Anon. who pointed that out.
Best, Jen Aug. 2009

Thumbport left hand index finger support

Dear fluters,
This is *so* interesting. The "Thumbport" people have created a new kind of left hand index finger support.

This looks like a different version of a left hand "bo-pep".
If anyone reading this blog has tried one, send your reviews.
Are there improvements over the standard LH Bo-pep?

I'm still using pencil grips stuck on with blue-tac.
hahhahaaa!


Send feedback on this new LH support dudes.

Best, Jen :>)

Can flute scales be more interesting to work on?

Dear Flutists,

I have several VERY creative flute students in my studio, and inevitably the kind of questions these very smart and orginal people ask are:

"Can you tell me how to make my flute scale practice (or learning of scales) more interesting? I'm not particularly good at discipline, but I know I have to improve my technique."

Well for these fabulous students, who like me perhaps, are not into discipline, but are into improving while remaining open-minded, creative, free and fascinated, I have updated my scale "how to" scale page for flutists. Do have a look.

The new and improved flute scale collection of links and ideas is here.

Also added later: In 2011:

FREE SCALE BOOK FOR FLUTE by Jen

For a copy of Major scales,and Harmonic minor scales and scales in thirds, as well as all kinds of other useful exercises, in free pdf book by Jen, download
and print out:

Part 1 - (chromatic warmup, wholetone, dim7 and major/minor scales.

Part 2 - Arpeggios made of any three notes; dominant, diminished and augmented 7th chords for easy practice.

Part 3 - Major and Minor scales in thirds; a fun exploration with improv/etudes.


Explanations of the above simplified Moyse Exercises Journaliers re-writing for novice/intermediates.

How to re-write scales for self-created and more interesting scale patterns.


I'd love it if other students and teachers would comment on what tricks and creative ideas they have for flute scales too. Use the comment button, and send feedback. :>)

Best,
Jen

Listen to flute CD by April Clayton

Hello Flutists,

This month's "FluteTalk" magazine featured flutist April Clayton. At a very young age she is already a flute professor and has a great soloist's career ahead of her. The article in Flutetalk was a very interesting read, and what a player!

You can listen to her CD samples here.

I love the delicacy and the refinement of her playing. And the pieces are well selected too (Dutilleux being one of my all time favourites!) Very lovely to listen to, especially the note endings!

Best,
Jen

Gustavo Dudamel and the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra

Dear Flutists,

Not only is this orchestra the most fun to watch, but WHAT an incredible energy and spirit.

If only all orchestras were this ALIVE!

Please check out the Ted Talks video of
Gustavo Dudamel and the Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra

Best,
Jen :>D

Rampal & Baker ~ Doppler Andante & Rondo

Dear Flutists,

This is another youtube video that showed up this week.
Wow. Although these were two of the top flutists in the world just a decade or two ago, standards have really gone UP since this was recorded.

Rampal and Baker play op. 25 and create Doppler Effect. ;>)



Enjoy.
Best,
Jen

James Galway Undine, Taffanel, Prokofiev Sonata on youtube

Dear Flutists,

A wonderful set of films; Sir James Galway with up-close camera work playing some great flute works.
And if you didn't know about it, this slow movement from the Prokofiev Sonata (III) is particularly interesting for the use of the Bb side lever. It's one of the few pieces that demands the use of this tiny lever near the F-key.

3rd mvmt. Prokofiev Sonata: James Galway



Here are all the latest James Galway youtube videos:

Taffanel Fantasie

Reineke Undine Sonata - James Galway

Part 1

part 2

Prokofiev Sonata - James Galway

1st mvmt

2nd mvmt

3rd mvmt

4th mvmt


Best,
Jen

Srul Irving Glick Sonata for Flute & Piano

Dear Fluters,

The "Glick Sonata" for flute and piano has become very popular lately. And so far (because I have a Glick Sonata reference on youtube) I've received about 7 or 8 inquiries about how to obtain the sheetmusic.

NEW NOTES: August 2010:

A member of the Glick family has just been in contact to say that the rights to publishing new copies of Srul Irving Glick's Sonata for Flute and Piano are owned by The Canadian Music Centre (CMC) and that the CMC will be publishing new copies to order of the Srul Irving Glick Sonata for Flute and Piano.
So please contact them by email to order an on-demand printing and purchase the work ($30 plus shipping.)

Aside from the CMC lending library, which has, I believe four copies for free six-week loan (to anywhere in Canada) there may be other sheetmusic stores that still have old copies of the "Jaymar" printing of this work.

Here is the online ordering catalogue of the CMC: FIND A SCORE Note that the CMC also has recordings of other works by Glick and similar Canadian composers.

And may I add that the Glick Sonata is a University level flute work, and takes about three months to learn by a very advanced flutist.
Intermediate flutists may like to just work on the beautiful arpeggios in tiny chunks of notes, putting pauses in, just to hear those chords ringing.
Very inspiring.

I would be unlikely to give it to a highschool student for a flute competition as the breath control and multiple meter changes make it typically too challenging for anything other than an accomplished flutist.
But more and more professionals are recording it these days as they discover its charms.

My favourite recording to date is by Susan Hoeppner. Her CD is fabulous.

Best,
Jen Cluff