Achieving technical command of the flute is a journey that requires both dedication and discipline. Honing your technical skills is crucial for unlocking your full potential on the instrument and having total control of your musical expression. If you want to be confident in your ability to play fast notes with precision, you MUST (no exceptions!!!) memorize and master your scales and arpeggios.
The Role of Scales and Arpeggios
Scales and arpeggios make up 99% of the pieces you will learn. They form the basis of melodies, harmonies, and the overall structure of nearly all classical compositions. Let’s take a look at two short technical passages that most flutists will encounter and analyze them for scales and arpeggios (chords):
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The above excerpt is from Mozart’s Concerto in G Major, first movement.
Highlighted yellow = D Major Chord
Highlighted green = A Dominant Seventh Chord
Highlighted orange = D Major Scale
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This is from Hindemith’s Symphonic Metamorphosis, Andantino movement.
Highlighted yellow = b flat harmonic minor scale fragment
Highlighted green = b flat minor seventh chord
Highlighted blue = f harmonic minor scale fragment
Highlighted pink = d flat major seventh chord
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Let’s say two different flutists are sight reading these excerpts. Player A has all arpeggios and scales memorized, while Player B does not.
Player A will (upon first glance) immediately recognize each of these chords and scales. They have practiced these everyday and have the muscle memory of playing them correctly hundreds of times. Therefore, they will most likely play these lines with minimal effort on the first attempt.
Conversely, Player B will have to use much more brain power to read and process these notes, and will most likely have to play the measures over and over again to develop the muscle memory of these arpeggios. On their first attempt at tempo, they are much less likely to play this with zero mistakes and will most likely have to learn this at a slower tempo and speed it up gradually.
So- what scales and arpeggios should you be practicing?
All major scales
All natural minor scales
All harmonic minor scales
All melodic minor scales
Full range chromatic scale
All major arpeggios
All augmented arpeggios
All minor arpeggios
All diminished arpeggios
All major seventh chords
All dominant seventh chords
All minor seventh chords
All half diminished seventh chords
All fully diminished seventh chords
Once these are mastered, you can mix in the following:
Major thirds
Minor thirds (natural)
Minor thirds (harmonic)
Minor thirds (melodic)
Perfect fourths
Tritones
Perfect fifths
Minor sixths
Major sixths
Minor sevenths
Major sevenths
Congrats- you’re done! Just kidding- add these too:
Two whole tone scales
Major pentatonic scales
Minor pentatonic scales
Modal scales in all keys
Okay, you’re good... for now! Phew! I know it’s daunting looking at all of the elements of music we need to work on (and memorize), but once you do, I guarantee you will be able to play mostly all tonal music you encounter with ease.
Conclusion
Mastering the flute requires a strong technical foundation, and memorizing scales and arpeggios is an essential part of this process. By incorporating these elements into your daily practice routine, you will develop the finger dexterity and musical understanding needed to excel at your instrument. Remember, the journey to technical command is a marathon, not a sprint. With patience, persistence, and a passion for the flute, you can achieve the technical prowess that will allow you to express your musicality to its fullest. This is the secret (not really) to having good technique.
Need PDFs of these exercises? Check out the resources page in the teaching section of this website.
Happy practicing!
<3 Steph
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