Music for All Summer Symposium presented by Yamaha www.musicforall.org

Flute Master ClassMihoko Watanabe

Tone Production For Flutists

M U S I C F O R A L L

J U N E 2 0 1 2

©2012 Mihoko Watanabe

I: Common Problems in Flute Playing - Intonation - Dynamics - Tone - Musicality - Articulation - Rhythm - Notes - Technique - … II: Important Elements of Flute Playing

III: Check List 1) Instrument The Flute must be in good working order.

Assemble - Never grasp the flute by the keys and apply pressure to the mechanism.

The screws Swab flute after each use

- Shrinkage or expansion of the pads -> leaks - Never put the cleaning swab in side of the flute or in side of the case.

Locate a skilled repairman - take the flute to have clean, oil and adjust yearly or every semester.

1) Balance(Standing/Sitting)

2) Relaxation 3) Breathing

TONE

IntonationDynamics/Color

ArticulationMusicality/Technique

©2012 Mihoko Watanabe

2) Listening Everybody needs to have a good tone concept in your ear.

Listening to Flutists around the world Go to live performances Listening to recorded performances Ask yourself to describe the tone quality that you like Listen to yourself and experiment to make the sound Remember how did you make the sound

3) Balance Balance with your body (alignment) is the most important elements of making music in life.

Head – hold up with ears over shoulders Shoulder blade (Wings!) down (Open chest area) Spine – do not over extend Feet – on the floor Sitting position

- Never use chair as crutch Hand position

- Three-point-balance: Chin, left index finger, and right thumb - Curve all fingers - Never squeeze the keys 4 ) Relaxation Relaxation is the key to have good breathing.

Open your chest area Your shoulder blades (WINGS!) are relaxed Relax your abdominal area Relax your pelvis area Relax your fingers

o Relaxation exercise (sitting/standing) Mountain Pose Forward Bend Bow Pose Half-Moon Pose

©2012 Mihoko Watanabe

5) Breathing Successful air management (in and out) is the beginning of successful music making.

Open mouth by dropping the jaw slightly. Inhale with saying “HOW” A deep, full breath will cause expansion of lungs in the back. Think about even outflow of air. Feel the air pressure. Develop steady air stream, air capacity, and the quick breath.

oBreathing Exercises - With/without a piece of paper - Thumb breathing oUse of exercise ball - 55cm, 65cm, and 75 cm diameter balls are available.

- Sit down on the ball with 90 degree angle of knee to the floor. o Other Useful Yoga poses:

Child’s Pose Tree Pose Downward Face Dog Triangle

Twist Pyramid

IV: Recommended Resources For Tone Development and Technique De La Sonorité by Marcel Moyse, published by Alphonse Leduc, 1934. 17 Grands Exercices Jounaliers de Mecanisme by Paul Taffanel and arranged by Philippe Gaubert, published by Alphonse Leduc. 24 Petites Etudes Melodiques by Marcel Moyse, published by Alphonse Leduc, 1928. Technical Flexibility for Flutists by Geoffrey Gilbert, published by Southern Muisc Company, 1988. Tone Development Through Interpretation for the Flute Marcel Moyse, published by McGinnis & Marx Music Publishers, 1962. A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Omnibus Edition Books 1-5 by Trevor Wye, published by Novello.

- A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 1, Tone (with CD) by Trevor Wye, published by Novello. - A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 2, Technique by Trevor Wye, published by Novello. - A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 3 Articulation by Trevor Wye, published by Novello. - A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 4 Intonation & Vibrato by Trevor Wye, published by Novello. - A Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 5 Breathing & Scales by Trevor Wye, published by Novello. - Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute: Volume 6 Advanced Practice by Trevor Wye, published from Novello. CHECK-UP/20 Basic Studies for Flutists by Peter-Lucas Graf, published by Shott. Sequence for Flute by Geoffrey Gilbert, published by Southern Music Company. For Balancing and Breathing Body Mapping for Flutists: What Every Flute Teacher Needs to Know About the Body by Lea Pearson, published by Andover Press. What Every Musician Needs to Know about the body: the application of Body Mapping to Making Music by Barbara Conable, published by Andover Press. ANY QUESTIONS: Contact - Dr. Mihoko Watanabe at E-mail watanabe@bsu.edu

MUSICFORALL

IUNE 2012

The Vibrato should be introduced to the student vzhen the tone in the fust three registersis fairly stable. Even if you already play with a vibmto, it is a good idea to try thisexetcise once in a while. These exelcises are necessary if you do not have conftol of ou-tvibrato. If it is wobbly or you can play it with only one speed, these will be quite helpfirl.After you undetstood the basic exetcise, do this below.

Tum the metonome on 60 (one click a second)Pulse 4 times (quarter) on the first note of a scale and 4 on the second one.I This should sound as obnoxious as possible.* Make sute you ate teally pulsing. Can your nextdoor neighbor hear it or it is

only in your head?{ Fe[ a kick from your belty.{ This is a breath accent (not with your tongue).* Let the pitch vary, this is a part of your vibrato.

Make sure all pulse is the same (dy'namic, length, force, etc,)Go on only ifyou have gteat control of this speed (aftet maybe a week forbeginners).Next, increase the me$onome speed in stages a few notches until youreach 120.l" Go to a higher speed only if you can control the ptevious speed.* Make sure you have nice tound pulses.* You should still fell a kick in your belly.* By 1 20 you should be able to hold the last note much longer than 4 pulses .

Now, the goal is to increase the metronome speed ftom 60 to 1?) whilepulsing eighth notes.+ DO NOT GO ON undl you can conftol the wibrato at each speed.

Finally, try to pulse triplets and sixteenth at various speeds.Once this is mastered try fives and seventh!

Be carefirl to match the wibrato tipe with the appropriate musical moment. A misplacedvibtato will always be noticed and swly deftact from your musical presentation.

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(O7012 Mihoko Watanahe

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V\IARNINGS:1. Fast and narrow wibrato can easily become "nanny-goat" vibrato, which is never

a good idea.2. TIo slow and wide often creeps in during soft passages in the low register' The

tone is too delicate in the lowiegister to handle a wide vibrato, which can easily

overtake it.3. A wide and slow vibrato can make the upper tegister sound hearry' It is better to

play with a relztively fast and narrow vibato, which make the sound light and

brilliant.4. Nevet let the vibrato ovettake your tone. It should be a part of the tone not the

tone.

VIBFIATO TYPES:

v/hen you have conttol over all the speeds of your vibrato, take a look at the many

different vibrato types. Your vibmto consists of 2 patameters or variable components,SPEED urrd wIDiI{. SpEED descdbes how fast the wibtation is while the WIDTH is

how deep ot shallow without effecting the other one. Both of these comPonents afe

independent of each other and can be cbanges witlout affecti..g the othet one" Hele are

visuil representations of the possible combination of vibtato by varying the WIDTH and

SPEED. Try to play all of them.

1) Staight Tone

Slow Speed and Narow l7idth

---- --'-'---""-'== --

5) Fast Speed and Narrow lTidth

Vibrato is atoolto express music in abeautiluterpfesslvetone.

Slow Speed and Wide Width

Fast Speed and Wide \?idth

O2012 Mihoko Watanabe

Photos of Various Flute EmbouchuresThe following material has been taken directly from:

Artistic Flute Technique and Studyby Roger S. Stevens

Hollywood: Highland Music Company. (1967) pp.14-16(currently out of print)

It is published here with the kind permission of Roger S. Stevens.

Many thanks to Pauline Mancuso for scanning the photos and for her generosity in helping to create this page.Thanks also to Jim Lasota for putting me in touch with Roger Stevens.

"The flutists whose embouchures are illustrated are highly accomplished musicians with better thanprofessionally average tones. Most are professional or semi-professional career people, although one or two arestrictly students with fine tones.

The purpose of these illustrations is one of demonstrating the wide variation in embouchures capable ofproducing a good flute tone."

A: Natural, symmetrical, making excellent use of the lower lip, and retaining optimum distance from theembouchure hole.

B: Natural, symmetrical, making excellent use of the lower lip, and retaining optimum distance from theembouchure hole.

C: Natural, symmetrical, inclined to be almost too far from the embouchure hole.

D: Natural, slightly pulled to the left side; lower lip in position for maximum use.

E: Natural, pulled slightly to the left; full upper lip retained high so that inner, more sensitive area of lip is used.

F: Natural, symmetrical, flexible lower lip capabilities; slight "tear drop" in upper lip pulled flat rather than to oneside.

G: Nearly symmetrical but with upper lip irregular in contour and therefore rolled slightly out to use inner surfacewhere irregularities are controllable. (Caution: upper lip must not move too close to embouchure hole.)

Larry Krantz Flute Pages: Flute Embouchure Photos http://www.larrykrantz.com/embpic.htm

H: Natural, pulled to the right, with only the playing surface of a full upper lip rolled outward; lower lip in excellentposition to perform.

I: Both lips full and both lips irregularly contoured; embouchure pulled to the right and located between theirregularities; both lips rolled slightly out to obtain use of more sensitive, inner surface.

J: Symmetrical, upper lip almost straight across, thin lower lip rolled out to provide good playing surface. K: Extreme pull to the left to avoid heavy "tear drop"; air enters flute at an angle from the left. (Problematical.) L: Pulled to the right, heavy lips rolled out for sensitivity; no "tear drop". M: Nearly symmetrical; large "tear drop" virtually eliminated by muscular pull in upper lip, lower lip in excellent position for use. N: "Tear drop", both lips irregular, appature pulled to the left, lower lip inadvantageously located,danger of upper lip smothering embouchure hole. O: Very large "tear drop" avoided with appature pulled to the right, lower lip rolled out for maximum sensitivity at point of aperture. P: "Tear drop" avoided by rolling upper lip up and out; relatively irregular lower lip, nevertheless in good position for optimum use. Q: Extremely large and heavy "tear drop" avoided by pulling only upper lip to the right; lower lip nearly symmetrical and in good, natural position for effective use. R: Both lips unusually heavy and irregular; aperture located to the left with flute moved to the left to coincide.

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Larry Krantz Flute Pages: Flute Embouchure Photos http://www.larrykrantz.com/embpic.htm

5/25/12 5:57 PM

Vibrato Vibrato as it is used by modern flutists developed in late Nineteenth Century France. In describing their tone they talked moreof warmth than vibrato. Listening to Philip Gaubert gives a good understanding of this - one needs to listen closely to hear thequick, narrow pulse. Listen again at 300% slower speed.

Marcel Moyse also followed in this tradition. The vibrato can be studied clearly at 300% slower. Julius Baker termed this fast narrow vibrato "spinning the sound." Listen to him playing the opening to the second movement ofthe Debussy Sonata, and the same passage 300% slower.

In the above example notice how the top of each vibrato wave is tuned to the pedal C of the viola.

The listener hears the highest pitch when a note is vibrated. This is the pitch that must be tuned to the accompaniment.

One has only to think of a string player's vibrato movement and hear it slowly. Or listen to a great soprano and hear the vibratoslowed down. I call this incorporating the vibrato into the sound.

Sometimes a flutist will start a note in tune with an accompaniment and then vibrate above that pitch. The "high power" of thiseffect when produced by James Galway can be analysed in slow motion. In the hands of a less masterful player, particularly ifthe upward push is greater and slower, the effect on the listener will be sharpness rather than brilliance.

The flutists in the above examples use a vibrato of four pulses at a speed of 92-96 and a width of less than a half step. You maynotice that they tend to vibrate evenly and consistently on long notes and not on short notes. You may notice how they tend tomake a note end on the upper pitch so that it makes a true legato connection to the following note. When performers vibrate onquick notes there is a tendency for this legato to be broken.

Vibrato speeds above 96 will tend to involve tightness and sound nervous. This is particularly true if combined with a largerwidth.

Many professional flutists in the early Twentieth Century played without vibrato or with a very quick narrow one as does theEnglish player Robert Murchie in this example. The quivery tremble at faster than 120 is clearly heard when slowed down.Without vibrato at all is Eli Hudson - also slowed.

Narrow vibrato slower than 84 can create a peaceful effect but if it is wide it can tend to intrude on the sound. In my opinion thevibrato in this example of Aurele Nicolet although beautifully controlled draws attention to itself. The combination of slownesswith width can be examined in slow motion.

The width of the vibrato pulses can vary from an almost imperceptible pitch variation (the variation is largely intensity) to a fullhalf step. Even beyond this some vibratos are so exaggerated that there is almost silence between the pulses.

Problems and solutions

Many students start each note without any vibrato and then start an upward vibrato. Apart from the effect on the pitch this alsoinhibits the forward sense of phrasing. Instead start the note at the top of the pitch (in tune with the accompaniment) and vibratedownwards.

Students need to practice with a metronome to first be sure the pulsing is regular. Start practicing at the speed that seems mostcomfortable and begin to move the metronome toward the range of 84-96 for four pulses. For some students this will meanspeeding their normal vibrato; for others slowing it down.

Once control is reached in this tempo range practice setting the metronome on successive speeds from very slow to very fast. Fitan even number of pulses to the beat, from six or even seven for a slow beat to two for a fast one. Then experiment to seewhether you can fit two different numbers of pulses into a specific beat. For example put the metronome on 60 and practice bothfive pulses to the beat and six pulses to the beat.

Vibrato http://homepage.mac.com/johnwion/vibrato.html

The width of the vibrato is controlled by the extent to which the glottal (choking) muscle in the throat is exercised. If you havetrouble narrowing the width try thinking that you are not vibrating at all, although you feel the pulses in your head. Think ofbringing the air right up to the inside of the top lip without involving the throat. Think of blowing the airstream high into one orboth cheeks. Feel the vibrato happening of its own accord rather than making it happen.

To practice varying vibrato width try imagining a non-audible vibrato pulse on a sustained note. Then try to make animperceptible vibrato, making it gradually more noticeable. Keep increasing the width until there seems to be almost silence

between the pulses. The goal is to warm the sound gradually, not to have a wide vibrato suddenly apparent.Ultimately the use of vibrato is an element of artistry and can be varied to color the music. There is a place for all the extremes mentioned above, but their use needs to be both controlled and helpful to the mood of the moment. A faster vibrato sounds more intense than a slow one. A fast and wide vibrato is the most intense. A slow narrow vibrato can sound sensuous. A slow wide vibrato can sound langorous. A fast vibrato that varies only intensity can sound nervous. Above all develop a singing vibrato that is incorporated into your basic sound and does not draw attention to itself.Finally

Listen to some more flutists to see how they approach vibrato.

Jeanne Baxtresser playing Amirov and the same slowed down.

William Bennett playing Saint-Saens and the same slowed down.

Harold Bennett playing Debussy and the same slowed down

André Jaunet playing Pergolesi and the same slowed down.

William Kincaid playing Gluck and the same slowed down.

Joseph Mariano playing Griffes and the same slowed down.

Susan Milan playing Fauré and the same slowed down.

Thomas Nyfenger playing Enesco and the same slowed down.

Jean-Pierre Rampal playing Reinecke and the same slowed down.

Paula Robison playing Hindemith and the same slowed down.

Maurice Sharp playing Griffes and the same slowed down.

Alexa Still playing Foote and the same slowed down.

Ransom Wilson playing Schwantner and the same slowed down.

Carol Wincenc playing Schoenfeld and the same slowed down.

John Wion playing Molique and the same slowed down.

Jacques Zoon playing Wilms and the same slowed down.

Please e-mail me for further information, return to teaching, or

Vibrato http://homepage.mac.com/johnwion/vibrato.html