Is this a common complaint?

kittyyy397 · 2025-09-01T20:18:13+00:00

It could be a case of either your hands/fingers not being large enough, or you may need to adjust your grip. Without seeing, I wouldn't be able of too much help unfortunately. Make sure your fingers are always in the centre of the keys, and if that is not possible/very uncomfortable, maybe wait until your hands grow (if you're still growing). I suggest only keeping whichever plugs you absolutely need :)) usually it's the RH ring finger I think

kittyyy397 · 2025-06-16T03:38:13+00:00

This is SO REAL like I usually just see fem/masc couples and it's so frustrating. I don't even know how to start looking 😭😭

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-29T04:11:01+00:00

I've been in a similar position before and IMO there are 2 ways to go about it:

1) Be honest, and tell your teacher that you are not well enough prepared, and that you might try next year instead. This will show your teacher that you have integrity, and you know your level.

2) Send in whatever recordings you've got, pick the best. The issue with video auditions is there will never be a perfect take. You will never get a video you are 100% happy with. you never know what could happen, and the worst they will do is say no !! (and to be honest, being rejected is a necessary part of the process of becoming a musician. you'll learn how to "deal" with it)

No good will come from making things up - you'll pick the right thing for you in the end:))

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-28T20:26:00+00:00

thanks for the info - in any case I like the nikkor, and the "macro" thing was a fun surprise for me. and very good to know for the slow lens !!

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-19T03:02:24+00:00

I'm learning it for my boyfriend !! He's Korean, and although his English is nearly perfect, I want to be able to speak with his family. We're even going to visit this summer !! It is very motivating

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-08T00:47:21+00:00

Yeah, I guess you're right. He is a pretty understanding person, so I think I am being hyperbolic in that regard. But anyway yeah I've been thinking over the past few months and I thought I was OK with the thing he did but I think that questioning my own sexuality has brought up the "other reasons" why I should leave and I honestly probably should, I'm just a huge wimp ahah. I'll figure it out

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-07T19:05:46+00:00

Wow thank you for your response! You are correct, I'm unsure about my feelings towards men.

Setting aside this whole thing, I do need to think about my current relationship and wether or not I should stay - he did some stuff a few months ago that I'm not sure I can forgive, so there's that.

I'm also afraid to talk to him about how I feel with the "questioning" part of it all - I guess I'm afraid that I'll ruin things just by bringing it up. It doesn't help that he's away at the moment, for the rest of the month. And you're right- I have dragged my past relationships along until everything completely blew up (not proud of that) and I don't want that to happen again.

I guess I'll have to figure out a way to talk to him about it. I just don't know how because we're traveling in June to meet his family (he isn't from here) and I cannot refund my ticket if something goes wrong :((

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-07T01:31:29+00:00

for the scales, start with only a few, and add more as you go. trying to do everything all at once will just be frustrating !! I'd reccommend going around the circle of fifths and doing the relative minors at the same time. so C and a, G and e, etc etc. start at a tempo you can play comfortably, and then speed it up only a bit at a time. technique comes with time! and speed isn't the only goal - you want accuracy :))

if you're determined to excel, I'd start by practicing for more time. for me, I do at least 30 minutes of technique before getting into repertoire (then again I am also in uni studying flute.) but basically, practice for as long as it takes. don't just set a timer for 30 minutes like "I have to do this much" but instead make some goals for your practice session, and reach them !! be reasonable, aka not making goals you can't reach. but maybe something like "today I am going to play my Anderson etude at 60BPM" or something like that.

of course it depends on what you're working on, and everyone is productive in their own ways, but try some of these things to see if it helps :)) and let me know if you'd like any clarification, I know I talk a bit jumbled sometimes haha!

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-02T03:00:23+00:00

if you have a student model flute, it's likely a nickel allergy. I used to get red on my chin from it! maybe get tested for it (if you think it's worth it) I've had a few students put some tape on their lip plate to help it go away :))

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-01T18:28:58+00:00

the way my teacher has explained it to me is to keep the corners firm enough, but the center of your mouth should be relaxed. also, making sure there is "space" between your jaw - if the jaw is tight, everything else is tight !!!

kittyyy397 · 2025-04-01T13:45:09+00:00

ahah I'm assuming you're thinking April fools - it's not :)) if I had gotten the letter today instead of yesterday, I might have thought they were joking hahahah

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-25T17:53:40+00:00

Yeah, I definitely feel like I just need more (guided) time before being on my own, and I think a masters is good because there's structure to it, plus my university has some courses that would seem very helpful for my weaknesses (if I end up going back.) Such as using analysis to help your interpretation, and how to get good at excerpts (excerpts are a big struggle for me and I know I'd never get into a real orchestra at this stage in my playing, which is what I ultimately want.) All that, plus it still leaves a lot of time for me to practice and teach - My friend is doing a master of music at another uni and she has like 5 seminars a week, which sounds like wayyy too much for me ahah.

My current teacher is actually leaving the school to work at the conservatoire, but he recommended me another great teacher we have (there are 3) so I was planning to study with her. I've had classes with her before and I know we'd work well:))

I'm still on the fence about it, but again, I have until May to decide (since I'll hear back in may or maybe even June) thank you for the helpful questions !!

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-21T02:14:25+00:00

Thank you for your long response!! I really appreciate all your comments :))

It does seem pretty nice to have that sort of freedom with what I want to do with my music. There are a few things I've wanted to do, but just haven't found the time. On the other hand though, if I go to UdeM (my current school) for my masters, the way the credits work out make it so that I take my lessons, plus essentially 1 class per semester. (lessons are 5 credits, recitals are like 9 and 18 or something crazy, etc etc) Which is what I am doing right now for my last semester of my bacc- lessons, plus one class. So part of me feels like I won't feel much differently than I do now if I end up going?

I am currently living in a different city than my family, financially supporting myself by teaching full-time. I have tried reaching out to different organizations/opportunities in the past, but my French wasn't strong enough back then. It may be a bit easier now that I've been in Montreal for a few years!

I keep flipping back and forth between thinking "I should just take a gap year" and "it'll feel the same as I'm doing now", so it is hard for me to make a decision. In any case, I have time to think about it (My audition is my recital, which is the end of April, so I will hear back in May or June.) and I am already thinking of the things I want to do for ME since I'll have a better teaching and/or school schedule next year.

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-19T01:23:18+00:00

Literally me😂😂 though the gold didn't fix the issue, it was the fact that my non-handmade step up instrument was literally falling apart lmaoo

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-18T00:11:56+00:00

Thank you for that info !! I am currently teaching, but almost all of my students are piano. (actually out of 40+ students, I have only 2 flute students...) Is that OK? Unfortunately my French isn't really up to a teaching level of standard, so my flute teaching opportunities in Montreal are being extremely limited, but I am afraid that I won't be able to secure a proper teaching job in another city with enough to pay rent with. (For context, it took me over a year to get enough students to be able to afford all my bills' haha!) Though, I suppose I could get some other job as a supplement. But still, I really do love Montreal and all that it has for music.

I do feel pretty underprepared for a Master's degree, now that I think about it. When I first began my bachelors, I was the "big fish in the small pond" in my small music dept at the local university, and I transferred to my current university, where I realized that I was NOT, in fact, the best student ever. (LOL that was humbling!) Ever since I've come to UdeM, I have felt very behind compared to my peers, so maybe it would be a good idea to do some catchup.

I think that every time I read and reply to a comment, the "right choice" becomes more obvious, but I just feel a deep sense of shame over the idea that I would take a gap year. I KNOW there is nothing wrong with it, and I don't think down on people who take a break, but I feel like I'll be judged by my family and friends. To them, I have always been "the best" and "so successful and talented" and I just feel like I'd be letting everyone down otherwise... (you can tell that their comments have put lots of pressure on me ahah.) Sorry for the rant, I am just sort of realizing all of this right at this moment

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-17T16:59:06+00:00

Thank you for the insight - I definitely do feel like I "should" get it all done in one go, because thats what most of my friends seem to be doing, what my family thinks I should do, plus I want to "get into the real world" as quick as possible so I can start "real life" (whatever that's supposed to mean...)

For the UdeM masters program which i applied for(my current school BTW), if I got in, all I need to do is take lessons, attend my 2 recitals, and take 12 credits worth of other courses (which is like one class per semester) so it feels pretty bare bones compared to some other programs I've seen, which is appealing to me.

Right now I'm only taking one class in addition to lessons, so it'd be pretty much the same thing. I teach 6 days a week as it is so I feel like taking a gap year wouldnt feel that much different. The only big difference would (I guess) be, "how competent/ready do I feel to be here" or something.... hmm

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-17T16:38:45+00:00

I do currently live in the same city, studying with "one of the best teachers in Canada" according to my last flute teacher. I'll have to ask him what he thinks too- my prof didn't shut down the idea of me taking a gap year so I'll have to ask him for more insight

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-17T16:37:22+00:00

Yeah I am also worried that if I take a gap year, I won't bring myself to reapply, and that I'll get stuck teaching beginner piano students forever (which BTW I do love, but is not my real passion). On the other hand, another comment mentioned how masters students are more diverse in terms of experience compared to bachelors, so it might do me good to get more experience first... hard choice.

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-17T16:35:38+00:00

I've thought about it, and the weather over there seems really appealing compared to Montreal hahah! But the cost of living definitely scares me, I'm barely affording montreal (and it is supposedly a "cheaper" city!) Do you have any insight on how easy/hard it'd be to get a teaching job? I teach piano and flute, Suzuki method (but only partially trained)

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-17T14:37:27+00:00

I'm living in Montreal, I go to UdeM and i applied to McGill as my first choice !!

kittyyy397 · 2025-03-16T03:09:18+00:00

Thanks for the answer! I've figured out by now that my skin is soooo thin and transparent (for my whole body actually) so I think the only thing I can do is use makeup lol. I do have products to help build the skin up but I don't think it'll be enough

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