Composer Talk: Sharing Your Music

In this first post under “Composer Talk” we are going to be discussing sharing your music. The post may be most beneficial to those who compose, or have interest in composing, but I will be discussing the process of sharing your music, which can even apply to performers as well. I will be talking about things such as the creation process, feedback from friends and peers, and then finally sharing your work and getting it out to the public. In future “Composer Talks”, we will mainly focus on issues around and regarding issues of music composition and composers. As a composer myself, I would like to share some of my experiences with you, so that you can learn from my failures and successes over the years.

Sharing your music can mean having a CD or audio of a piece of music you wrote and/or performed. It can also mean having sheet music available for people to purchase, or play. The moment you share something you wrote, you make yourself vulnerable to feedback. This is a good, scary, exciting, and it is a necessary step.

Growing Into Geek

Fluties, and music lovers, please be aware that this is a heart felt post explaining and exploring some of my process of ‘growing into me’ and ‘accepting me for who I am’.  I use the word “Geek” almost as a blanket term for having a love or strong passion for something, to the point that you may be obsessed, or in love with something in a way you can’t really explain to others.  I hope that everyone finds what makes him or her ‘geek out’ and what brings him or her ultimate joy. No matter where it is in your life, I think it is important to have something that you love unconditionally, and that can grow with you in your life as you grow.  The luckiest people are those who have turned it into a career, and who still love it, while others have to try and find the place for it otherwise. 

 

Sadly, I hate to admit that I was in denial about my loves for a while. I felt there was stigma attached to being a male flute player, especially one that had come out as gay. I heard the “One time at Band Camp” joke far too many times in my life, and it saddens me that that is where people would go when they associated, gay, male, and flute player.  I know this isn’t unique, though, and I feel that there are many people who have gone through similar situations for being a flute player.  This post isn’t about the gender roles though that we place on instruments, but how I came to terms with my love of music, and learned to accept other loves, as I grew older.

 

GUO New Voice Flute and Grenaditte Piccolo Review

Disclaimer:
The Guo New Voice Flute and Guo Grenaditte Piccolo were purchased by the reviewers with their own money. No kickback or advertising money has been given to FluteLifeBlog for the promotion of the instruments. All feedback is given, honestly, from the writers, and all opinions are without incentive for a review.

Visit www.gflute.com for more information about these instruments or for a list of distributors and authorized repair specialists.

GUO New Voice Flute

What to do during rests

As I’m sure you can tell, things have been quiet around here. Well, I’d like to say that we’ve been resting, but both contributors have been busy with school. EP has been teaching, and I’ve been working towards my non-music degree.

Rests in music are important. The rests are times where other parts are in focus and you are active. During times of rests in music there are a few things you should be doing. Obviously the first thing you should do is be counting your rests. You should be listening and active within that time so that when you come in you can match and blend with the rest of the ensemble. Active doesn’t mean dancing along to the other players, but depending on the ensemble this may sometimes be acceptable.

We Have The Technology…

I have the hardest time convincing students to record themselves in order to help them really hear themselves in their practice. They are always surprised, however, by how much they do hear in their own playing when I quickly record them and play it back for them during a lesson. It helps bring to light those little things that make a huge difference in a performance, but that we might not hear in practice because we’re distracted by navigating the black dots of a run or making a breath last long enough. Believe me – it makes a huge difference to hear yourself “outside yourself.”

Once someone reluctantly agrees to recording themselves, the next objection is usually, “I don’t have any recording equipment.” There is good news. Now that most of us have our cellphones or other portable electronics within arm’s reach at all times your worries are over. If you are making a recording for an audition you’ll need more sophisticated equipment — but for purposes of recording bits of your daily practice session, the answer is in the palm of your hand!

Although there are loads of free and low-cost recording apps readily available for download on both the Apple and Android platforms, you can also simply use the iOS Voice Memo app that probably came right on your phone (or Android’s free Voice Recorder)! It is perfect for recording short snippets to check for the evenness of a run, rushing or dragging of a tempo change, and even all-important intonation. And if you want to keep the recording for later study you can easily email it to yourself or to your student directly from the application. I routinely record myself even if it is just a scale, run, phrase or short section to observe these things. Students will quickly state that the playback sound isn’t fantastic… well, of course, it’s not. You are listening on the minuscule speaker of your phone or tablet. If you want better playback quality then just plug in your headphones or connect your device to your computer’s larger external speaker. If you are not specifically studying tone quality then listening on your phone’s built-in speaker is adequate for revealing evenness, tempo, clarity of articulation, and intonation.

Other handy free apps include Soundcloud … you can record straight from within the app, save it, and share it with only the student. I have also tried the iOS version of WavePad. If you have a favorite app for recording, whether free or paid, let us know and we’ll try them!

Try recording your sight-reading practice, too. Play and record an excerpt then listen to it while reading along. Check for accuracy of notes, steady tempo, and clear articulation. And don’t forget the dynamics! If you notice that you are missing one of the elements listed here, then you know what you tend to forget when you are playing.

No mirror in your practice room and you want to check your embouchure or posture? Use the front-facing camera and place your phone on your music stand so you can see yourself. Instant feedback for helpful analysis!

The last student that told me they lost/broke/forgot their metronome was slightly bewildered when I replied by asking what kind of phone they had. They had a smartphone so we quickly downloaded a free metronome and a tuner. The perfect backup when you are caught without all of your equipment.

No more excuses! Now get to work.

–Euterpe’s Piccolo

Help! My foot joint isn’t marked!? – Flute Markings Explained

Why is it that you see “Sterling Silver” or other metal markings on some flute parts while not on others?

Quite simple. On the pieces that need to be identified easily for sale or resale you will often see a metal marking. This is really common on student and intermediate flutes, and once you step up to professional flutes it is a free for all.

Every flute maker either develops or licenses the metals they use. Normally these combinations are patented so that they can use them and have exclusive use to the combination for their instruments. You will often see markings or definitions of metal combinations that vary vastly from brand to brand. What Powell calls “Aurumite” other brands may call “Gold on Silver Alloy” or some variation there of.

Metals, much like tuning and scale of the instruments are highly guarded and protected by companies that make and build flutes. These items are their intellectual property and means that they aren’t often shared between competitors.

What does this mean for the consumer?

It means that markings and identifying marks will vary by brand, flute maker, year made, and market expectation. Many flutes can not be identified by markings, and can only be identified by the records available from the maker. Even then, there are discrepancies because not all flute companies have kept accurate records of every flute made and sold.

What if the head joint says it is sterling silver and the body says it is sterling silver and there is nothing on the foot joint?

In this case, it is likely that the metal of the foot joint will match that of the body. Foot joints typically aren’t made separate of the body (because they produce the scale of the instrument) and if you add another foot joint to another flute where the foot joint wasn’t made for that instrument it is likely I could never be in tune or resonate correctly. The body and foot joint typically comprise the “body” of the flute and the “head” is a separate entity in itself.

How can I verify that the flute that I bought is what I paid for?

There are a few simple steps you can do to verify the flute you bought is what you asked for.

Things that are obvious are open holes, G placement (in line or offset), foot joint (C or B foot), pointed key arms vs y-arms, and additional keys that may be requested such as C# Trill, C# or D# rollers, or key extensions.

Verifying the metal type is very hard to do because each metal will have it’s own unique blend per company and per flute. These markings and metal combinations (alloys) are always changing as companies experiment with new blends and metals.

What should I expect to see on my flute (markings)?

You should see the company name on the barrel or right below the barrel on most flutes. It should also include where it is made. Either in Japan, Boston, Indiana, or many other places. A serial number would be next (if numbered). Most flutes now are, but older flutes it is harder to trace and verify.

Maybe: You *may* see a metal marking indicating the type of metal used or the model of the flute. This varies a lot and what you see on one brand and flute will easily vary from other brands.

What if I have no markings any where on the flute?

It is likely that you either got a non-production flute or a flute that was made by a “no name” maker. Many flutes are made by people who learn the craft that don’t formally name and mark their flutes. Although it is possible to find flutes with absolutely no markings it is very rare.

Things to remember:

What is the same for one brand is not likely to be the same for another.

Be aware of the markings on your flute and what they mean.

You may see other markings within the ribs or foot joint, but they aren’t required and it all depends on who makes it and when.

Consider taking the flute to a jeweler. They may not be able to specifically name the brand or alloy but they should be able to tell you the general metal or the prominent metal.

Worst case: Send it to a flute tech (or take it to your local tech) and ask them if they can help verify and identify the instrument.

Flutes are surprisingly complex. The math and physics required to make them work is amazing. Many flute makers have made great strides to push the instrument forward and as consumers we have the choice to pick and choose what we like for ourselves.

I hope you enjoyed our first FAQ post where we talk about common problems that every flute player has to deal with.

Did I forget anything?

Have a wonderful holiday season and please, keep happy and keep fluting.

-The Flute Elf

Murphy’s Law – Your Guide To Preparation

I’m sure you are all familiar with Murphy’s Law – “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong”. In the music world, this can be a technical issue, or a practice issue. If you’ve done performance, I’m sure by now you’ve learned that the mistakes you may make in performance are almost always the ones you’ve never made before.

One great thing about mistakes, is that often you are the only one to notice them. Very rarely do you make a mistake that other people know about, especially if you are the person familiar with the music while the others are not. Mistakes are never enjoyable, but you can’t avoid making them. Part of this really means accepting what you can and can’t do about certain situations, getting through them, and striving forward to get past them.

If you think about everything that can go wrong though, it can give you a list of things to think about to insure that everything is on track to go right. If you have a sound guy, makes sure everything is turned on (you’d be surprised how often this is overlooked), and that everything is plugged in. If you are performing, make sure that you bring your music, and have everything organized. If you are conducting, make sure you have your baton! All though these things seem simple, when we get caught up in the moment of life, the event, and the experience, we can often overlook basic things.

Should you ever work for free?

Simple answer: Maybe

Complex Answer: No work is ever done for free. Even if it is just an investment of your time and the result of something you love then it may be worth volunteering your services.

This subject is highly debatable within the music industry. Some people are willing to donate their time and energy to “to better good” and are fine without getting paid while others require it. There honestly is no right answer, but I’ve come to the conclusion that there are times to get paid and times to donate your talents.

Commercial Use – If you are playing in something that is going to make someone else money. Yes. Charge. Please. Others can be financially gaining from your talents and ability, and if they are, without giving you the recognition and compensation that you deserve there is a problem. Orchestras, movie music, etc… That there is a final product being made and sold to a customer may be worth making sure you are paid.

Let’s All Sing Along!

You are in your car cruising to work or school and you turn on the radio. Who can resist singing along to an 80s hair band or some classic rock or the current top pop tunes? We all have our favorites… but have you ever considered doing vocal exercises or scales and arpeggios instead?

Wait… what? Why?

I drive a lot and sometimes wish I could warm up or practice flute while scooting down the road. While driving to a gig with a vocalist friend, we began talking about how she can warm-up her instrument in the car when time is short. I was kind of jealous, but it also got me thinking. Remembering my own voice lessons from years ago (wisely required of all music majors at the time), I was reminded that the mechanics of singing and fluting are nearly identical! Breathing, support, tongue position… all incredibly fundamental. If I could warm-up some of my mechanics in the car then my flute warm-up might be more effective and efficient.

Knowing yours RIGHTS as a musician, composer, or artist….(series)

Knowing your Rights, and your ‘entitlement’ for your music, and art is extremely important. This matters in everything you do with your music, and everything you will do.  You may not be dealing with it now, but once you start to perform for others, collaborate with other musicians, and share your ideas/work this will become more necessary over time.

There are several PROS (Performance Rights Organizations) that will help and handle most of this for you if you register with them, but if you don’t, you have to know and understand your legal entitlements. ASCAP, BMI, and several others are big in the U.S. while other organizations outside the U.S. deal with performance rights in other locations.

General Rule of Thumb: “No contract, no deal”
Those can be very hard words to say, but if you don’t feel that your work will be respected for the credit it deserves, sometimes it is necessary. To protect yourself, it is often best you get something in writing that can be referred to.  E-mail is considered a legal binding document, so if it ever comes down to a court case, e-mail is admissible as evidence (to this, and other matters).

Although you may want to always do things in “Good Faith”, it can often lead to troubles if you aren’t clear about what your expectations and understandings are. For example, this blog is done by writers who DONATE their time, energy, and love into the project.  Although we own Copyright of all material produced (except for website code that is provided by WordPress) we have an agreement that the information and community are most important.  None of the writers are seeking financial gain off of the material, and we just want to provide and be a source for our community.  We feel we are catalysts for change, and want to help make the change. So, we donate our work to the blog to share it.

This “Pro-Bono” or “Volunteer” work, is very different than what I’m talking about here, and we’ll dive more into the legal aspects of that another time.
Basic Rights (in laymen’s terms):

Copyright –
You own Copyright for anything you produce yourself.  This ranges from pictures, text, e-mails, mixes, music, and art.  If you created something original, then you own the Copyright to it by default.  This became true as part of the Copyright Act of 1976, and although when dealing with legal cases, it is best for you have a registered Copyright, it isn’t necessary, and most stuff is legally covered within this blanket.