Hi everything in the topic is something I have improved on but I feel that some of it still interferes with my playing. Especially the first two. So if there is any advice please help. Oh and I do dight read almost everday(everyweek at least really) but I don`t feel like I am strong enough. And I would like to know some good and helpful practice techniques. Thanks

Buy a manuscript book and hand transcribe music into it. It was one of the things that I was taught to help with sight reading.

Darkeldar! You`re back!!!

Sorry, off topic- um, I used to have problems practicing and breathing techniques have helped me so much-ask a band director for instructions on techniques-I will see if I can find some for you and post them soon.

Thanks! =-) I take private lessons and i started writing my own music for solo flute, flute choir, and different orchaestral types. I think that does help because you learn things you may have not known. It`s actually a very good technique even if you don`t know what you`re doing at first. Thanks for the posts. oh and the music software I use is PrintMusic2004

Not really gone, just didn`t have much to say, AAAnd I guess being on vacation last week means I haven`t looked here for awhile.

I use Finale Notepad Plus, but doing it by hand may make the lessons stick.

Well, I hope vacation was good...I have had plenty to say on the forum and it has all been rather sad because we were missing your great writing skills and personality!
I have been trying to find the breathing practices and my director is copying them off for me today; that means I will get them either tommorrow or monday, so it will be soon! Sorry for the delay!

I have realy found that practice and sight reading at a steady pace can really improve sight reading. I have noticed that with myself in the past few months since I last took my sight reading test. I messed up when I got to a part that was in 2/4 AND cut time. I was confused and by the time I figured it out my teacher told me to stop. I was so dissapointed, but I feel like have improved so much since then. I got a 64 for the first test and then a 65 on the last. I am 8th chair. THe girl who is 1st gets in the 100`s because she has been taking lessons for so long. I hope one day I`ll be up there next to another level headed flautist who understands the same things I love about music...

Hi, I have a quick trick (I am inbetween bells at school, so I gotta rush) Breathe in for 8 counts, breathe out for 4. Then, breathe in for 10 counts, breathe out for 8...Just keep going until you breathe in for 20 counts and then reverse it until you breathe in for 8 again (or you can start at 4 and go til 16 counts) It works to relive jitters and give your lungs and air control a small workout. There are more practices comming (something bad happened to the copies my director gave me-loose papers + a windy day = lost work.)

oh, and dont worry about lessons-I was a person who would have a major panic attack before a lesson and would beat myself up over a 24 out of 25. If you want it to happen, it will happen...just be patient and you`ll get there!