Peter Sheridan: News

The Low Flutes (Alto, Bass and Contrabass) are unique in the issues to air quantity, air speed, and embouchure angle. These instruments all require much more air to excite their wider longer body tubing, a slower air speed and possibly a closer angle to the back wall of the embouchure tone hole.

AIR QUANTITY

The quantity of the air used to play the contrabass flute well, sompared to the flute is almost double. Really! You need to fill up the lungs, drop the diaphragm and extend the intercoastal muscles of the rib cage. This manner of breathing and inhalation will allow your low flute to sing like a cello with a fine bow. Also do not neglect the chest cavity. As a fine Opera Tenor once stated, Älways leave the chest up and open....ready to do it's job." Well there are varying degrees of this technique, but please use in moderation, as an overuse can cause problems with your back and neck.
The basic concept: fill your body with so much air, then top it up with even more. Overtime your can here some dramtic tonal changes in the quality of your sound and musical phrasing.

SPEED QUALITY

The air speed on the low flutes will be slower and the embouchure will be a bit wider in shape. I set my blowing in a reverse psychology and convince myself that as I blow out my air in coming in. A great method to slow down and control the air speed of your embouchure.

EMBOUCHURE ANGLE

As Music Teachers, we have all experienced new students, who are reluctant readers of music notation. Some students truly believe they are not able to read the notes on the page fast enough. Musical notation is only a graphic representation of sound. Music reading is not difficult or even impossible, it only takes work and discipline. Here is a little tick to work with: Always and forever, read one, two, or even three notes ahead of where you are playing. Practice, by having a friend or fellow musician cover the notes you are playing, hence motivating the eye to look ahead. The note that is sounding is NOT important, as far as reading, it is the note or series of notes that follow. Look ahead, and read like a PRO. let me know if it works for you.

"Reading is Everything in a Musical Education..." P. Sheridan

The flutist embouchure is truly a miraculous mechanism. With numerous muscle groups controlling size, and motion, it is no wonder there are so many variations of embouchures.
There are two main functions of the embouchure:

1) guide the airstream
2) control airflow.

Of course there is a fine balance which needs to take place between the lips. Too tight and the tone suffers harmonic richness, too loose and the tone is diffused and unfocused.
Here are a few tips that work for me, when I am focusing awareness on my Embouchure Emissions:

-Allow teeth to remain open. This creates more space in your mouth and allows a full stream of air to flow into your flute.

-Think about applying a bit of tension to the corners of your mouth. If applied correctly, you should have a rounded opening in the center, with relaxed lips to control airflow efficiently.

-The more air you supply the flute, the embouchure will work less. Control not only comes from the lips, but can be monitored by the diaphragm.

-Use your ears to shape your embouchure, not just your eyes. Yes, we have all been told to study our embouchure in the mirror, but inspire yourself to also use the aural sense as well. I have seen CRAZY embouchure formations, that produce stunningly beautiful sounds. I have also noticed perfect embouchure formations that produce dull, uninteresting sounds.
It is all relative, as Einstein taught us!

-Experiment with your embouchure, it is fun. You can find some pretty cool sounds it you allow yourself to explore the possibilities. Try it, you may find a position you were not aware of.

For a closer look at the mechanics of the embouchure, read the: "Illustrated Method for Flute," by Sheridon Stokes.


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As a young flutist in the US, I had often read about a mysterious T-shaped flute named the Pinschofon, titled after it's designer and flutist Thomas Pinschof. I finally have had a chance to play this most interesting low flute, and can proudly say, I am a fan of it's beautiful lyrical tone and agility.

The quality of the tone is a cross combination, to my ears, of an alto and bass flute. The Pinschofon truly sings like a viola, and has a unigue range, dropping down to a low G, two octaves below middle C, which is one more octave than the alto flute, hence the difference in color. The design is slightly altered from the traditional (modern) Boehm system, as this instrument has two additional keys next to the G# key, and a pair of RH thumb plate keys for the low Ab and G. What a musical treat, to finally play one of these legendary flutes, after years of reading about it's existence.

Thank you Thomas for your wonderful creativity. Have a listen to one of my melodies played on this fabulous flute.
For more info visit:
http://www.web-arts.com.au/MUSOS/TP.html

BASS FLUTE

Vivienne Olive: "..Is The Flower Of The Heart Of Man..."(1972)

A solo work that is proportionally based on the time and date of the Hiroshima Attack 815681945.
Many dynamic and melodic colors. Furore Editions (Kassel)

Frank Michael Beyer: Echo (1985)

Solo work set in four movements, with outer movements based around chorale like quarter tone chants. Good for a spacial setting. Third movement set in a duo score for great dramatic and dynamic effect of compund like melodic material. Challenging to pull-off in performance. Bote & Bock (Berlin)

Daniel Kessner: Priere et Scherzo (2000)

A challenging and exciting six minute composition for Bass Flute and Piano. Includes some air/breath sounds and fluid scale passages. Perfect on any recital program, and has some of those familiar French overtones, with of course, an American twist.
Published by Theodore Front Musical Literature
http://www.csun.edu/~vcoao04c/daniel.html
Daniel Kessner: Seven Studies In Melodic Expression (1991)

A fantastic set of melodic explorations for the Low Flutes, that expand the concepts and control of musical expressions. All etudes are excellent individual performance pieces.
Publisher: Theodore Front Music

Dominik Karski: Glimmer
(Duo for Alto and Bass Flute)
A sonic treat, with pages of quarter tone clashes, pitch glissandi, timbral trills and rich harmonic overtone patterns. A neat well written manuscript, but a challenge to play accurrate.
http://www.amcoz.com.au/opac/name.aspx?id=4374

CONTRABASS FLUTE

Felix Werder: Opening! (1987)

Solo composition for Contrabass flute (in G), but a virtuosic challenge for C Contrabass flute. Some demanding rhythmic passages with wide intervalic leaps. Exciting to play and fun to listen to. Published through Australian Music Center.

C. POTTER: Alto and Bass Resource Book (Falls House Press)
A short pamphlet containing reliable alternate fingerings, helpful playing tips, intonation issuses and repertoire (mostly transcriptions). A
good source for trouble shooting problems.

C. LEVINE: The Techniques of Flute Playing II (Picc., Alf, and Bfl)
Strong resource for a serious approach to contemporary musical techniques. List of Bass flute timbral trills and multiphonic fingerings.
(Barenreiter)

The following list contains music books I have enjoyed over the years. Some are more technical than others, and some are just down right "Good Reads."
Another words, inspire the muses within us all. Enjoy!

"In Defence of "Classical Music," Andrew Ford
A wonderful and personal account of the power and verve that Classical music can possess for some. Mr. Ford a well known composer, critic, and radio personality throughout Australia. Many passionate and thought- provoking points about the art of 'listening.'

"The Joy of Music," Leonard Bernstein. Passionate written dialogues and essays, collected from his memorable Omnibus Television Series. Something for everyone who is enthusiastic about Concert Music. I have used it as a resource in Music Appreciation classes to great success.

"Early Modernism:" Literature, Music, and Painting in Europe 1900-1916. A strong resource for any musician, artist, writer, etc. interested in this fascinating period of radical change. A bit technical at times, but wonderful artistic cross references to all the arts of the period.

"The Classical Style," Charles Rosen. An in-depth read of what truly makes the music of the Classical Period so unique. Rather technical for non-musicians, but if you can wade through, you and your ears will be greatly rewarded. An excellent chapter on the development of the Symphony, and how the form grew rather organically.