5 Tips for Making the Most of Your Flute Playing

The flute is an incredibly versatile instrument, capable of being played in an orchestra or included in a jazz or blues set. You can play the flute as a professional or simply learn to play for the enjoyment that making beautiful music brings to you. A good flute player maintains great control of their body, as it requires excellent posture and breath control to release the proper sound, and develops mastery of their music. To be the best version of a flute player, here are some important tips to keep in mind when selecting and playing flute sheet music.

1. Embrace the Possibilities

Playing the flute is much more than a technical skill. While training in posture, breathing, and music theory is important to developing a good sound and delivering a strong performance, allowing the natural movement of the music to fill your being turns your efforts into true music. The technical points of playing the flute produces clear notes and sounds, but embodying the expression of the sounds themselves creates the artistry. Playing the flute is all about embracing the possibilities of expression, musical structure, and challenging scores.

2. Tell a Story

When you allow yourself to feel the emotion and passion within a song, you can use your technical skills to tell the story of the music. If you really want to embody the purpose of your flute sheet music, take a few moments and research the composer of a piece. With each note you play, try to recreate a story, feeling, or thought. Musical notes are arranged much like a code; and when you interpret the meaning behind the melody, you will excel as a flute soloist. As you learn your piece, consider what you are feeling or thinking; and convey that to the audience. Use your skills and interpretation of the music to speak without words.

3. Abandon Your Ego

Even if you have mastered skills such as large interval leaping that is smooth and effortless or you have developed several tonguing combinations, performing with the idea that it is all about you can cause the music to fall flat. The tones of the flute are unique and dynamic on their own, and you are simply the tool behind a great sound. You can be impressive with your skills and hone them to mastery levels, but your performance should not be marred by overconfidence or an assertively self-assured stage presence. Performing as a flute soloist puts the spotlight on your abilities and interpretation of the music. Stepping out with confidence is not the same as stepping out and being cocky. Your passion and desire to do justice to the sheet music is what should be evident when you prepare to perform. Always leave your best with the audience, even if that means a few mistakes occurred. Be simple and transparent and touch lives by infusing your performance with a balance of humility and energy.

4. Choose the Right Music

Many people rely on the input of others when selecting flute sheet music, often focusing on skill level. If you are going to embody the story behind the sheet music, you need to select a piece that speaks to you. This could mean that you look outside the realm of music written specifically for the flute, as some piano pieces can be easily adapted to a flute solo. Skill level is an important consideration; and when it comes to choosing performance pieces, err on the side of ability and not a hopeful expectation. With enough practice, you could probably play any challenging piece of flute sheet music you select. However, you need a level of comfort and confidence with the music that allows you to incorporate passion into the performance. Focusing too hard on technical skills involving finger dexterity and articulation can make it easy to miss phrasing and interpretation. Some of the following pieces are excellent options for an intermediate flute soloist:

Bach: Suite in B Minor: Badinerie
Marcello: Sonata in F Major—1st Movement: Adagio
Beethoven: Moonlight Sonata—1st Movement
Schubert: Ave Maria
Mozart: Queen of the Night Aria from Magic Flute

5. Give Yourself Growth Opportunities

Even if you aren't aiming to be a world-renowned flutist, you will lose the joy and passion of playing if you let your routine become stale and boring. Continually find ways to grow in your abilities and understanding of the flute. Once you've mastered how to feel the flute sheet music, add in layers of difficulty by playing along with a track or with someone at the piano. Try to sync your interpretations or explore them from a different angle. Study or observe other flutists and move through different genres of music.

With these tips, you can improve how you play the flute. Let the music speak during your performances, and use your technical skills to enhance the message. Use Musicnotes as a starting point for finding great flute sheet music.