I’m interested in what you guys have to say on tuning, rhythm, ornamentation, tone, basically everything. (And suggestions on how to improve those things naturally.) I’m really just an intermediate stage beginner, so not too harsh… (just kidding, harsh is fine, as long as it comes with constructive advice.)
-Thanks
(I know there’s a clips sticky for this, but I did this once before and the mods left it so I assume it’s not too wildly out of bounds.)
Edited to fix link. Hopefully this works now. Thanks MT for the help.
Sounds just fine to me. I know and play the tune, so I can be more critical than if I didn’t, but I find no fault whatsoever. If I want to nitpick, I’d say I like the tune a bit faster. It sounds like you learned it from the CD recorded at Matt Molloy’s pub, which is where I got it. We can all improve, but if you never got any better than this, you could hold your own with anyone. Well done.
Not bad at all - keep doing what you’re doing! Your flute could be more in tune with itself. Check the cork position first (I’m sure there’s a thread on that). Then, I’d take the same tune and compare say 2-3 notes at a time, very slowly, just listening for pitch. Likely you’ll then automatically correct it. Blow harder/faster/more air to bring up a pitch that doesn’t automatically correct. Then take the tempo up a bit and see if you can still listen for pitch when going bit faster. Pretty soon you won’t have to focus on it. You could also work with a tuner but I recommend trusting your ears first. These flutes have tuning peculiarities which sometimes suit the tune but sometimes you’ll just want to ‘lip it’.
What I like the best about this is your timing and smoothness of rhythm. My attention went to a couple of very fast rolls, it may be they slightly interrupted your timing within the bar- I think one on the long F# in the first part - just keep working on those, it’s barely noticeable. The Shannon Breeze, its a great old tune isn’t it. (aka Rolling in the Rye Grass)
Don’t go any faster than being in control of the tune.
Well-done! Applause! I agree with Lesl’s tuning suggestion, but overall you’re totally on the right track. You’ve got a nice rhythm, a nice tone (your middle register especially), some nice ornamentation, good phrasing and you’re also evolving a nice style. I hear your fingers having a few arguments with your brain about which notes come next in certain passages, so I wouldn’t speed the tune up until you get that resolved. But otherwise, great job! Keep doing what you’re doing!
Cubitt: Thanks for the encouragement. I appreciate the kind words. lesl: I suspected the tuning was off, I have a very poor ear for this kind of thing. Thanks for taking the time to listen and give me pointers. Cathy Wilde: Thank you for the comments and for listening. tsackett: I just recorded it using my webcam mic. Nothing fancy at all.
Your ear is fine, you’d not be playing as well as you are otherwise. Its easy to get used to the sound of a flat this or that when you’re paying attention to other things. But just focussing is usually enough to get the body to almost automatically correct it. Your timing is really good and that’s more important overall. Keep up the good work!
There’s something not quite right about the initial articulation of notes throughout the recording. To me it sounded like every initial sound in each phrase started with the letter W. Now, it could just be the quality of the recording or something funny going on with an auto-gain control on the recorder.
Sounds like you’re not tonguing, which is fine if that is what you are intending. If you’re doing glottal articulation from the back of the throat, and it wasn’t just a recording artifact, work on getting a more percussive initial sound by practicing starting notes with a more plosive huff so the tone has a more precise start. It will give more clarity and a more confident feel to your playing.
Hmm, I’m not quite sure I hear what you mean, but overall I’m sure starting with a more explosive attack will be an improvement. Thanks for the suggestion.
No, and you won’t. With all due respect to the other posters, there’s nothing wrong with your attack - No “W” - no problems with intonation. What you lack is what separates the pro from the avid enthusiast. And if you want it, it will come. Don’t take the advice you get too seriously unless what is said honestly resonates with you. The first priority in becoming a good player is to be able to evaluate your own playing. Advice is well and good, but I’m not seeing much here that I’d find helpful, if I were you.
All I’m saying is to take it all with a hefty grain of salt. You sound good.
Cubitt, when someone so quickly and, in my opinion, somewhat rudely dismisses suggestions others make to a newer player, it would be nice to hear where you’re coming from. Do you have a recording online we can listen to?
Don’t take it personally. I’m sure you meant well. The last section of my post contains the essence of what I intended to get across.
Perhaps I’ll post a clip some day, but I’ve been playing for a long time and am neither looking for applause or criticism. I just love to play the music and get a great deal of pleasure doing so. Still, if I come up with something I want to share, here would be the place I would do it.
It sounds good to my albeit failing ears. I deliberately haven’t read any of the other comments lest they inform my own. I like the straightforward style and the phrasing. The tone sounds well also. I think I play this tune (Rolling in the Ryegrass??) with a start of A - A F rather than A B A F as you do. I think you do the 3 note version on other occasions. I like your way round just as much - maybe more seeing as I’m not used to it. It’s always said to be a good thing to vary where the rests / breaths go. I know I’m often guilty of putting them in the same place each time round apart from the odd time I remember that I’m not supposed to. This last while I’ve just been playing one long rest - 3 months at last count.
Fair play to you - keep it up - good, uncluttered music; there’s a lot to be said for it.
(I’m away off to read the other comments now to see whether I got the right answer???)
By your logic, the only valid film reviews are those done by film makers. Weak.
I dismissed your advice because it was poor IMO. So were most of the others. I felt moved to let the OP know that so he wouldn’t think he was alone in perhaps being mystified by what you said.
And since you asked, I’ve played professionally at some pretty fine venues and have been playing ITM for about 30 years. Been playing flute longer than that.
As I said, don’t take it personally. I just had something to say, so I said it. It’s not about you.
What you offered was not anything specific that the OP could do anything with. Telling someone who posts a recording asking for feedback that “What you lack is what separates the pro from the avid enthusiast” and “And if you want it, it will come.” is pretty vague and doesn’t give him anything specific to work on.
I’ve found that when newer players here post recordings looking for feedback, what has the most dramatic impact on their playing are very specific recommendation that address specific issues, not general opinions of their playing. “You’re rushing the B part” or “the tap on the A roll is a bit muffled” serves them more than “Sounds great, keep it up” or similar responses. Not that there is anything wrong with giving someone encouragement, but specific suggestions are the ones that can make the most real difference to improve a newer players technique in the long run.
He wanted feedback, so I made a very specific suggestion about something I thought I noticed in the recording with the initial note articulation that did seem potentially problematic if it was true. I tempered that with some uncertainty based on the quality of the recording. Based on that, I gave a very set of recommendations on how to address what I thought I was hearing. At least he can then make the choice on whether what I was hearing was real, and then to either try or not try what I’m suggesting if he thinks it would be useful.
I can’t help but notice you’re in Culver City, CA, ever make it down to The Auld Dubliner session in Long Beach on Sunday afternoons from 4-7? MTGuru and I will be hosting the session there on May 1, bring your flute down and we can continue the debate over a pint.
(just kidding, harsh is fine, as long as it comes with constructive advice.)