Have you ever been playing a beautiful flute piece that you’ve worked so hard and so long on and then mess up in the same spot over and over again? Did you find yourself missing the same notes or rhythms over and over and over again in your practice time? We’ve all been there. Don’t worry. Usually those spots are the same spots that lots of people miss! I call them a practice spot. Knowing […]
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Since I teach flute students of all ages I felt it important to point out how practicing the flute can ward of dementia in the later days of life. It may not cure dementia, but it can definitely help. Many people across the world are suffering from dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease. Doctors and Researchers are doing their best on trying to find a cure for these diseases. Many of the researchers are figuring out,
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How to Get Clearer Flute Tone in the Mornings As far as a subject I often teach at flute lessons, this is one you may never have actually thought about. But, after reading this you’ll be glad I chose to write about it. It makes me frustrated and wonder what happened. Sometimes when I wake up in the mornings it takes me a while to actually get the rest of my body going. I have
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The 3 P’s to improving your flute practice session: We all wish we could push a magic button (insert sparkly music here) and suddenly know how to play the flute music we desire perfectly. Well, we wish it happened this way, but I’m here today to tell you that it CAN happen more quickly than you think by following my 3 P’s of practicing. It’s totally impossible to go somewhere if you don’t get on
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Have you ever been learning a certain piece and had it almost all completed and polished except the practice spot? I have. And I know my students have as well. I spend large portions of my teaching time helping students make it through these elusive trouble spots. Some students even ask me if they can play the whole piece except that part. (funny, but no) Take your repetition number all the way to 100 Here
Every year beginning on January 1st I ask my studio to begin a 100 day contest. During this contest students must remember to practice each and every day without missing a single one. Hard? For some. But, you’d be surprised at the number of winners I have each year. The first year was a test to see who could actually do it, and of the 30 students I challenged I had 2 winners. I gave
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So, I have an older son (18) who used to only use the metronome in practice if I told him he had to. He didn’t fight me on it, he just didn’t prefer it. I used to explain to him the benefits of letting it help him find a steady beat. I also encouraged him to learn to “feel” it within his body or use his foot… or arms… or anything to help him keep
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