Hi all,

I'm a 46 year old newbie. I have been able to play some simple melodies on the flute but I do realize that I really need a teacher to progress. Unfortunately, my flute schooling yields very little priority amoungst the budgeted funds for the family so...If you could just indulge me on this question it might shed some light on my confusion about playing scales until I can find and afford a teacher.

In general, I'm a bit confused as to how one plays smoothly through a scale that includes a C to a D to an E. For example (I'll reference the low E to the 2nd octave E) if I'm trying to run a scale from E to the next octave E in the key of G, I'm fine running the notes E - F#- G - A - B - C , but then I have to make that change from having almost all fingers off the flute (C) to having almost all fingers down for the D. I realize that once I get to the top of the flute (playing C) I have to continue the scale by getting to the bottom of the flute (D) but it seems like there must be a better way to make this change smoothly.

I'm not sure if I am making myself clear but I guess I'm asking if there is something I am missing in terms of technique or fingerings that allow you to run smoothly through the C to D to E change. It seems so ackward to be moving so many fingers just to get from one note (C) to the next (D) in the scale.

If this is just a matter of practice then I guess I will just have to keep practicing this change if that is the only way to play it but I don't want to practice and re-enforce bad technique.

Thanks for your patience and help

Mojotele

Well, you can mitigate this a bit by changing so that your transition is on a B if you have a B foot, but it's a matter of having your fingers set/hovering over the keys and hammering it quickly. This will take time, of course - fingering on most woodwinds is actually very tough compared to many other instruments.

Power Putty works well for strengthening your pinky. The light blue resistance is all you need for flute. Finger exercises are the biggest help, IMO, for a beginning player - just like with, say, guitar.

http://www.powerputty.com/

Well,
Careful repetition is going to be the key. If you can figure out what any problem is, then zero in on it and determine a solution. As an example, your problem going from C to D and then E is actually a rather common issue. It may be in how you are supporting the flute. You need to hold it so that when you cahnge fingerings, the flute isn't being juggled from one hand (support) to the other. You may want to look up the "Modified Rockstro" hand position, try it and see if that helps.

THen too as Plekto suggested, it may take some non-flute finger exercises but generally they aren't needed unless you are not too strong. Remember though that on the flute it is just as important that we can lift our fingers as well as we put them down. So a good rubber band can be used to exercise each finger individually.

As for some specific exercises, try
:CDED: CDEFGFED: maybe add an F# into the mix or a C# and then go :bc#def#edc#: If you are getting the idea, then you can make up your own exercises. Be very even with the sound as you move your fingers and slur through the notes. Try too some modified rhythms. Play a dotted eighth/sixteenth rhythm or reverse that but keep your rhythm as even as you can. WHen you practice your scales, there is no reason why you have to go all the way around the whole scale. You can always make up your own shorter sections to zero in on the tough areas.Repetition and time will improve things.