LFP 059 | A Fancy Trick for Playing on Tune

Hey, guess what? I can help you play more on tune with just one simple little trick that I’m pretty positive you have never even thought about before. Ready to learn about it? Great- I’m Rebecca Fuller the expert and instructor at Learn Flute Online, and this is episode number fifty nine. Be right back!

Welcome back here to this episode number fifty nine of the Learn Flute Podcast where I get to show you even more about learning how to play the flute. I was talking to someone the other day who told me they assumed this instrument was learned easily by just memorizing a fingering chart. I definitely hesitated when I heard that because .. if you’ve been learning how to play the flute yourself, you’ve quickly discovered that there is about eighty percent more that you need to learn about it. That’s why I offer so much training here including these audios.

We all need to get at this type of education from all angles, and I’m more than happy to help present the different sides for you. It helps with not only with technique but it also keeps you motivated, and keeps you out of the darkness. We can do it! I promise. I’ll help you. Just stick with me.

So, as you heard me say at the beginning of this episode, I have a fancy trick for playing on tune. You may have already listened to some of the other episodes where I describe different things you need to do with your instrument or embouchure to play more on tune, but this is one trick I guarantee you may not have even thought of before!

I use this technique quite often when I am working with a group especially. If any of you listening to this audio right now have ever played in an ensemble or like band or something, you may have experienced the not so great buzzing bees sound that the flute section can show off. Ahh, I can hear it now- it’s some students playing a B flat, and others are playing a B natural.. With a couple who aren’t sure what note they are playing!

Haha, well- let’s just imagine for a minute that all of the flutists have the correct note and fingering- so they are all actually having a fighting chance to playing on tune- then, let’s assume that they’ve already learned what to do to get pretty close to on-tune… these proper techniques and exact skills are taught by me in the Gold Level as well as refreshers and higher level techniques in the Intermediate Level on the Learn Flute Online dot com website. So, what is there still left to do?

Well, as I said I use this technique when I am working with groups especially. And that is that I ask the players to listen to me play the tuning note – for today’s online demonstration purpose let’s say it’s an A – which by the way is a very proper note for a flutist to tune to since the instrument is set up perfectly to play this note very closely to on tune- without too much trouble if you’ve been trained.

So, let’s imagine the group has just attempted the A all together, and it did have some bee-buzzing qualities – which just means that some are playing sharp and others are more flat. What I do next is ask them to please listen to me play the tuning note first, then they all need to hum or sing the note that they hear me play. They have to sing it out loud or this doesn’t even work.

Then, I sing the pitch back to them, and they sing it again. Then I have the group play the A again all together.  Voila! It’s like magic! They always sound so much more in tune. And, I love to watch their faces when they hear how much better it sounds. It’s kind of fun. They are always surprised.

So, how can you take this knowledge and use it for yourself? Well, do you happen to have a tuner? Most hand-held tuners have a button on them that you can press so it will play a pitch for you. Even if it’s a digital sound this will still work for you. Try setting the note on an A, for example, (it’s best for flutes) and then listen to it. Then practice singing the pitch you hear. Try really hard to get it as exact as possible – oh and by the way, female voices do have an easier time doing this than male voices because they can sing up there in the correct octave also. But, it’s okay- anything will help some so try it anyway even if you have a deep voice.

After you’ve worked on finding the correct pitch to sing or hum, go ahead and play it on your flute. Listen carefully. Does it match what you wanted to have happen? Repeat again- listen to the tuner, sing it, then play it. You’ll find that you either consciously, or unconsciously adjust the pressure of your breath and voila! Like I said you’ll be playing even more on tune as well.

I think I have to put a little disclaimer in here about this subject and say that those of you who are listening and are still on a very basic, beginner level will not probably be able to nail this one… and that’s only because you’re still learning how to establish a solid, consistent tone.

But, for those of you who have been playing for long enough – especially those of you who have been working on playing the flute for years now, you’ll find this especially helpful because you have the muscle memory to take care of what i’m talking about. It’s kind of cool, actually!

What fun today- I love bringing a new subject to the table. Had you even thought of this one before? I actually have trick after trick that will help you become the best flute player you can become. I present the correct skills at the precise moment in your learning development so that you can feel happy and on the path to complete success- these types of lessons are taught in the membership area of one of the levels on the Learn Flute Online dot com website.

Now, I mention this because depending on where you are listening right now, you’ll find it valuable, and hopefully you’ll want to get your instrument out right away and just try what I’m talking about here. – and then go and get your video lessons for the week in the module you’ve been working through.

For those of you who aren’t sure which lesson to start on, no worries I have you covered. I have set all of the lessons in progressive order on the website, so you won’t get lost or have to bounce around aimlessly. Yup – every single lesson is numbered, and it makes it so simple to learn.

Well, I hope you have a fabulous week- enjoy your time with your instrument. Share it with others or just savor it yourself if you’d like. But, remember to find success in every little step, and be proud.

Hopefully we’ll see you in the comment box with even more insights on this particular subject today. I’m Rebecca Fuller, and we’ll see you soon!!