Rebecca Fuller, Author at Learn Flute Online

7 Ways to Find Joy in Musical Mastery While in Adulthood

Flute Misc, General Music / By Rebecca Fuller

I used to think that musical mastery meant wearing black clothing and hunching over a music stand stacked with complicated looking sheets. But, as I mature, I’m realizing that this is not it at all. “Music,” as musician Robert Fripp once said, “is the wine that fills the cup of silence.” I remember hearing that quote as a child and having not the foggiest idea what it could mean. As I became older …

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How to Clean a Flute

Flute Care / By Rebecca Fuller

Flutes are unlike other instruments. Most of them are silver plated and require a level of care you may not have considered before. Let’s explore the inside and out of how to clean a flute. The Inside The inside of your flute starts out dry and cold, but then once you begin blowing your warm breath into the head joint and barrel, a phenomenon I like to call “rain” happens. Cold metal mixed with warm …

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What to do About Sweaty, Slippery Lip When Playing Flute

Flute Misc, Performing, Practicing the Flute, Technique / By Rebecca Fuller

It’s definitely no fun when you’re trying to focus on sounding great, yet your flute won’t stay put. What can you do about sweaty, slippery lip when playing flute? There are a few easy fixes for this uncomfortable phenomenon. First, is it hot? Then it’s totally normal to sweat a bit while you’re practicing or performing your instrument. It’s so much easier to keep your lip plate in the perfect spot when the temperatures …

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LFP 089 The Best Note to Tune a Flute To

Learn Flute Podcast / By Rebecca Fuller

If you’ve played flute for even a few weeks you may have wondered if the tones that you play are absolutely correct. How do you know the best note to tune a flute to? Well, this is a good question, especially if you intend to play with other musicians, whether that be live or simultaneously with a recording. It may seem like a simple question, but there’s actually a lot to the science behind it. …

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Why Do I Have Inconsistent Tone on My Flute?

Technique / By Rebecca Fuller

Is your tone spot on one day and then totally fuzzy the next? Wonder what causes inconsistent tone? You’re not alone. There are a few reasons why many flute players feel they have unpredictable tone. Feeling on top of the world in your flute practice session one day and then feeling like you have completely missed the mark on another isn’t uncommon, especially amongst newer players. Barring any mechanical issues with your flute, let’s assume …

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What Does a Flute Overhaul Include?

Flute Care / By Rebecca Fuller

How do you know if a flute just needs a quick fix or if the entire flute needs extensive repair work? What does a flute overhaul include? It require professional maintenance and care for flutes to play in tip-top shape. Even if the flute isn’t being played often it will require some visits to a technician for adjustment periodically. The Body First of all, a technician will check the body of the flute will for …

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How Long Does it Take to Learn to Play the Flute?

Practicing the Flute / By Rebecca Fuller

Have you ever wondered “How long does it take to learn to play the flute?” Are you wondering, “Will I be able to pick up my flute, memorize some fingerings, and immediately blow into my flute for great sound”? No matter how much time it takes, you can have an amazing journey that you will love and enjoy forever. Whether it be months or decades, developing a skill, especially a musical one, is like the …

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7 Ways to Get Out of a Practice Funk

Practicing the Flute / By Rebecca Fuller

Are you finding yourself accomplishing about half of what you used to? Are you bothered by your weaknesses more than you used to be? Translation: this is called a ‘funk’, and it happens to practicing musicians regularly. But getting out of a practice funk isn’t as hard as you might think. Here are 4 simple fixes you can implement today to get you happily on your way: Get outdoors Going outside (especially in pristine nature) …

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How to be First Chair in Band

Practicing / By Rebecca Fuller

You are ready to show up and be an even better flute player than you are right now. Congratulations! Now, let’s get you to be first chair in band. Here’s a little blueprint to help you become the flutist who sits in the first chair position. It is more important to feel like a First Chair Flutist than it is to actually be one. First of all, I’ll give a disclaimer that occasionally it may …

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How to Trill Better on Flute

Technique / By Rebecca Fuller

Do your fingers feel slow or stuck when you’re trying to trill? You’re not alone. Here are some simple tips to learning how to trill better on flute. Trills are one of the exciting sounds a flutist can make on their instrument, and not being able to execute them as well as you want is frustrating. Following these hints will really help you find faster, more fluent fingers, right away. First, let’s make sure you …

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