Tooter Trivia

Did you know that our founding fathers in the flute world came from France around the turn of this century. Before the immigration of the French flutists, the American orchestras were made up of primarily German flutists with some Italian influence. They played on the old system (pre-Bohme flute design) flute that was made of wood, had a smaller sound, and used no vibrato. When the French invaded the U. S., they brought with them the metal flute with the modern Bohme system, and used vibrato. Their sound was so strong and dominating that they ended up taking over most of the major orchestral/university teaching flute positions in the U.S. Most of today's great flute teachers/performers can be traced back to these French flutists!

After twenty-plus years of giving flute master classes at middle through high schools in the Southeastern United States, South Eastern Nebraska and now Northwest Iowa, I can make some general assumptions as to why most flutists have problems playing in tune:

A. They tend to use their middle range embouchure when playing low or high notes
B. The higher they play the harder they blow.
C. The lower they play the softer they blow.
D. Once they tune to a concert Bb, they constantly readjust their head joint as they play.
E. They constantly roll the flute head joint in and out as they play in an attempt to play in tune.

If you find yourself doing any of the above, don't feel alone. Probably most young flutists use several of the mentioned procedures in an attempt to play in tune. Unfortunately none of them are correct! The flutist's embouchure is probably the least understood of all the woodwind instrument embouchures. Even professional woodwind teachers (if the flute is their second or third instrument) routinely teach it incorrectly. The normal intonation curve of a flute (unless you have a $10,000 professional flute) is flat in the lower range and very sharp in the upper range with out-of-tune notes scattered throughout the range of the flute. Good intonation is determined by the embouchure and not by how hard the flute is blown.

The flute embouchure is opposite that of brass instruments. To begin with, the lower the range the flatter and firmer the embouchure should be. The higher the range, the more relaxed the embouchure needs to be. The flute embouchure can be broken down into three ranges: low range, middle range, and high range. There is no instant change as you ascend up or down a scale but rather a gradual change to the next embouchure position. Once the student learns the correct embouchures, adjusting for good intonation of all notes is done by slight adjustments with the embouchure--NOT by changing the flute head joint, or rolling in or out!

Low Range Embouchure (middle C up to G in staff): Open your teeth as if you had the tip of your little finger between your teeth.  Lips should be flat and slightly pulled back as if someone gently pulled your lips back at the corners of your mouth. Because of the angle of the air flow from this embouchure position, you should no longer play flat with a dull and lifeless sound.

Middle range embouchure (A in staff to G on the staff): This embouchure is exactly like if you were asleep, relaxed with no wrinkles around the mouth. The teeth are still separated by a little finger's width. Most students do not have a problem with this embouchure.

High range embouchure (A above the staff to the ultra high notes): This embouchure resembles someone pouting, almost sticking their lower lip out more than their upper lip and should be very relaxed. No wrinkles should show around the mouth. Teeth are still a little finger's width apart. With this relaxed embouchure, flutists will not be sharp in the third octave, plus their sound will be clear and not forced.

The best way to practice these embouchures is to do them in front of a mirror. Remember all the work should come from your mouth. The flute should not move at all. You will not need to move your head up or down. Remember you did not learn your incorrect embouchure overnight so do not expect to change it so easily. But with persistence, you will achieve your goal of playing in tune!

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How (and what) to Practice

Many younger flutists think that practicing means playing in the school band. Unfortunately that couldn't be further from the truth! The school band is the place to use the skills you learned from practicing. Practicing should be where you learn new things, develop skills, and build endurance and strength. Practicing should cover three areas everyday; daily maintenance, developing new skills, and solos for demonstrating these new skills.

A. Daily maintenance practice routine: These are long tone studies, scales in all forms, arpeggios, long tone studies, articulation studies for single/double/triple tonguing, and vibrato exercises. Work daily with a metronome.

1. Long Tone Studies:

     a. Tone (by Trevor Wye)
     b. De La Sonorite (by Marcel Moyse)

2. Scales and Arpeggios:

     a. The Fabric of Flute Playing (by Martha Rearick)
     b. Daily Exercises for the Flute (by Marcel Moyse)
     c. The Execution of the Upper Notes of the Flute (by Daniel Wood)
     d. Daily Exercises for the Flute (by Julius Baker)
     c.  Know Your Scale (by  Harris)

3. Articulation Studies (single, double, triple tonguing):

     a. Seventeen Daily Exercises for the Flute (by Taffanel and Gaubert)

B. Developing new skills: Such as etudes covering styles from the Baroque to the 20th century.

1. Etudes:

     a. (Beg., Inter., Ad.) Method for the Flute (Book I-III) (by Rubank)
     b. Melodious and Progressive Studies for the Flute (Book I-IV) (by Cavally)
     c. Twenty-Four Concert Studies in the Style of J. S. Bach
     d. The Modern Flutist (by Karg Elert)
      e. Let's Play the Flute (by Cavally)
      f. Fifty Easy Progressive Studies, vol. I, II (by Cavally)
      g. Flutist's Progress (by Kujala)
      h. Fourteen Melodious Studies (by Lombardo)
      i. Method Complete de Flute, vol. I, II (by Taffanel & Gaubert)
      j. Beginners Practice Book, vol. I, II (by Trevor Wye)

C. Solos: The student should work on a graded variety of solo literature from the Baroque to the 20th century, from French to German, as well as many new exciting American composers.

1. Middle School level Solos:

     a. Concert and Contest Collection for the Flute (by Rubank)
     b. Easy Solos For Flute (by Bluestone)
     c. I Love Flute (by McGinty)
     d. Young Flautist, vol. I, II (by Lawton)
     e. Forty Little Pieces (by Marcel Moyse)
     f. Sixty-five Little Pieces (by Marcel Moyse)
     g. Beginners Repertoire For The Flute, vol. I. II (by Phillips)

2. Level 4-6 solos:

     a. Sonata in Eb Major for Flute (by J. S. Bach)
     b. Concerto in D Major for Flute (by W. A. Mozart)
     c. Fantaise (by Faure)
     d. Concertino (by Chaminade)
     e. Romance (by Gaubert)
     f. Allegretto (by Godard)
     g. Serenade (by Saint-Saens)
     f. Sonata for Flute (by Poulence)
     g. Sonata for Flute (by Hindemith)
     h. Danse De La Chevre (by Honnegger)
     i. Night Soliloquy (by Kennan)
     j. Three Preludes (by Muczyniski)
     k. Airs De Ballet (by Saint-Saens)
     l. Sonatas for the Flute (by George Handel)

The most important thing about practicing is not how much you practice in one day but how many DAYS you practice in a week. There are numerous studies to support the theory about how you can only learn so much at a given setting. It is more important to repeat the given endeavor many times a week for best results. Over the years I worked out a system of practicing that works extremely well for me. The first thing to do is to work out a set schedule of free times to practice for each week. The most important thing is to spend a little bit of time with EACH category EACH time you practice. Most young flutists may practice scales on lets say a Monday, and maybe their etude or solo or other literature on Thursday. This kind of practice schedule will only leave the young flutist extremely frustrated and most likely failure will result. We learn by daily repetition. It is more important to practice each area EVERY day! If you have an hour a day you can practice all the areas in the following manner and you will achieve far superior results in much less time.

1. Long tones-5 minutes
2. Scales/arpeggios-15 minutes
3. Articulation Exercises-5 minutes
4. Etudes-15 minutes
5. Solos-20 minutes

I practice on a triple-split system of three or more sessions a day depending on my teaching schedule. I divide up my practicing in order to protect my hands and wrists from injury. My first session is focused on major/minor/whole tone/jazz scales and arpeggios. Then I practice my single/double/triple tonguing. This takes about one and a half hours each day. My second session involves etudes that focus on interval training and other facets for about an hour each day. My third session is devoted to solos and/or other music such as orchestral or recital music for about one to one and a half hours each day. This may seem like a lot but while I was working on my doctorate degree in flute performance, I practiced between six and ten hours EVERY day plus I performed in a graduate woodwind quintet , belonged to a local orchestra, and performed in other musical obligations when needed.

Believe me!! This system works! You may need to keep a journal of where you were the day before with tempo/metronome markings and other rehearsal information so you stay on task. Try it and find out for yourself how fast you will  improve.

Differences in Flutes

I get asked the same question every time I present a flute master class at a school-- What are the differences in flutes and flute designs and what really makes one flute better than another? These differences in the flutes can help or hinder the flutist in the following areas:

1. Sound
2. Intonation
3. Projection
4. Ease of playing

The more silver in the flute, the better the overall sound of the instrument. The better the craftsmanship, the more precise the key mechanism will be and the more in tune it will be. The more handmade the head joint is, the easier it is to play intervals, octaves, and other flute gymnastics. Most student-line flutes are made of a nickel-brass alloy with silver plating. They are usually very durable flutes made for more strength than sound. Open hole flutes tend to have a slightly darker sound than closed hole models. All professional flutes are solid silver (the flute body, foot joint, head joint, and keys are all silver) and are usually handmade. Unfortunately, the more silver and better craftsmanship the flute has, the higher the cost. Most totally handmade silver flutes (such as those made by Haynes, Powell, or Brannen-Cooper) start at about $8,500, and have a 2-4 year waiting list. Gemeinhardt and Yamaha make solid silver semi-professional models for under $3,000. (If you shop nationally you can get these brands close to 40% off retail.)

A good top-of-line handmade flute lasts a lifetime and is well worth the investment. Unfortunately the competition is so fierce in the larger music schools that it is almost a necessity to own a flute of this caliber. Another way to get more flute for the money is to buy a used professional flute (I have had many, many students by a better flute this way). Several of my students purchased used Haynes, Powell, Mateki, and top of the line Yamaha flutes. There are several places located nationwide where you can purchase these flutes. Most of these places will allow you to try them out for a short trial period before you buy them.

For information concerning flute lessons, master classes, or seminars,
contact Dr. Klee at:

Buena Vista University Department of Music
610 4th Street
Storm Lake IA 50588
Phone: 712-749-2175
E-mail: klee@bvu.edu

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Dr. David Klee, publisher of the Flute Connection, is the Director of Jazz Studies and the Assistant Professor of Woodwinds at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. His education includes the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Flute Performance from the University of Georgia, the Master of Music Education Degree with an Emphasis in Flute Performance from the University of South Carolina, and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education and Flute Performance from Mercer University. He was formally the Director of Bands and the Assistant Professor of Woodwinds at Peru State College in Nebraska. Dr. Klee has been on the faculties at Mercer University, Macon, Georgia, and at Georgia College & State University, in Milledgeville, Georgia. His teachers have included Martha Rearick, formar principal flute, The Florida Symphony, and professor of flute, The University of South Florida, Warren Little, formal principal flute, Atlanta Symphony, Dr. Constance Lane, principal flute, The Columbia Philharmonic, and professor of flute, The University of South Carolina, and Dr. Ronald Waln, professor of flute, The University of Georgia. 

While in Georgia, Dr. Klee had the honors of having the largest known private flute studio in the Southeast with over sixty students. His students were literally a who's who of flutists from all over the Southeast. His students dominated District Honor Band (for several years ALL the flutists were his students), All-State Band and Orchestra, and consistently won most regional competition including the Macon Symphony Concerto Competition (three times), and national music scholarships from prestigious music schools from across the country.

This publication is designed to enhance the flute student's musical experiences with information geared toward his/her specific needs. The Flute Connection is published bi-monthly for the academic school year (September-May). This is a FREE service for all flutists and connoisseurs of the flute. You have my permission to download this newsletter for your personal enjoyment and use. This newsletter is not to be used for anything where there is a profit to be made. This newsletter also cannot be used in part or in its entirety in any books, journal articles, or anything of this nature without the written permission by Dr. David Klee.

©2001, Dr. David A. Klee, Sr.  All rights reserved. No duplication for profit allowed.

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