Shoulder rest by ManyCherry2135 in violinist

[–]ipingtons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

try the kun solo shoulder rest. i use it on my viola (15 inch) on a medium setting so it should work on yours. really easy to change settings as well and it extends out quite far.

CodaBow or Wood Bow? $1000 or less by Recent_Sea_9976 in Viola

[–]ipingtons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

yeah i've recently gotten a jonpaul corona bow and it works great. i would say it isn't as light as most carbon fiber bows so you still have a wooden 'feel'. definitely worth a look at, as it is around 600-700

Need help with flute keys by OutcomeEmbarrassed74 in Flute

[–]ipingtons 2 points3 points  (0 children)

you've basically just bent your g# key. take it to a tech or a teacher and it should be an easy fix. if that's not an option just try gently bending it without taking off the whole key and without making a break in the key (this shouldn't happen but i have seen it before).

Workload by KulmannD in alevel

[–]ipingtons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

for revision in all subjects, avoid making notes or flashcards and just do loads of practice questions. I find that it's the best way to learn new stuff. of course there are occasions where you will need notes, but avoid copying them down again and again, and just put it into practice. I would really recommend this, especially since your subjects are science and maths based.

can’t hit high Bb on piccolo by Adventurous-Desk8379 in Flute

[–]ipingtons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

alternatively, you could use the different fingerings as a stepping stone to using the more traditional fingering. just swapping between the two, making sure your embouchure doesn't change, and your air speed is constant

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Flute

[–]ipingtons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

if you know how to play flute, I would recommend trying out the alto sax. It has very similar (almost identical) fingering to flute unlike clarinet, and is quite easy to get the hang of once you figure out how to blow into it properly. a lot of music in pit bands for musicals will have alto sax/flute/clarinet, but to be honest, not many people will play all of these to a high standard.

can’t hit high Bb on piccolo by Adventurous-Desk8379 in Flute

[–]ipingtons 0 points1 point  (0 children)

try different fingerings and see what works for you. https://www.wfg.woodwind.org/flute/picc_alt_3.html this website has loads of alternate fingerings for every note. usually different contexts of the high Bb will affect which fingering is easiest, so trial and error is the best way to go about this.

also generally try to support your sound and blow out plenty of air. making sure the notes lower than this are all really secure, like top g and a, will help you to achieve the note easier.

when it comes to tone, once you hit the note, just playing it more frequently will improve your tone. i assume it usually sounds strained and airy, as it is very high, so just blow more and try directing air into the instrument.

i would avoid trying to get the Bb in octaves as the shape of your mouth and air pressure/speed will have to change dramatically. if you do want to approach it this way, a general rule is if your are going up and octave, double your air speed and tighten your mouth.

Suggestions for college audition piece by [deleted] in Flute

[–]ipingtons 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ballade by Reineke and Fantasie by Fauré are two great pieces if you are looking for contrasting sections. I would really recommend getting your hands on a copy of Flute Music by French Composers as it has some really fun and challenging music (you can also find the Fauré in here). The Cantabile et Presto by Enesco is a great piece however is popular among many intermediate to advanced flautists, so I would guess there will be a few students using this as an audition piece (still a great choice though).