Instruments

Brr! If you’re reading this from anywhere in the Midwest, I sure hope you’re somewhere warm–the mercury is dropping as we speak! I thought this would be a pertinent time to talk about how to care for your instrument during the cold months. By following just a few simple rules of thumb, you can avoid any winter snafus with your flute […]

Are you shopping for a favorite flutist in your life? The IFS carries several accessories that range from simple to stylish! For more ideas, just read on…
One of the most popular accessories for flute players who are looking to improve their hand position is the Thumbport. The Thumbport attaches easily to the body of the flute, directly […]

With only 2 days to go until An Evening with Fluterscooter, we just received word of some BIG news: at 3pm at North United Methodist Church (38th and Meridian), Fluterscooter will be giving a very special performance of her very own flute and organ duo! A million thanks to Karen Moratz for helping to make this possible! Hear from Flutersc […]

Over the past couple of months, I have had several questions about adaptive mechanisms for keys, usually related to making the Ab key easier to reach. We all know that the flute is not the most ergonomic instrument, and many players find at times that some keys can be harder to reach, especially those with small hands or arthritis or othe […]

Happy October to all! This week’s blog post compiles some great resources for trill fingerings, from the simple to the complex. Many thanks to Jen Cluff, flute teacher and blogger extraordinaire, for this list!
1. A free “how to get fast fingers” pdf by Jen, that includes an enlarged version of the Mark Thomas one page t […]

If you ever thought that flutes and piccolos were the extent of the flute family, think again! From high to low, the flute family is a very full one, though some are much more common than the others. Here is a rundown of a couple of the most popular auxiliary members of the flute family.
The alto flute is the next extension downward of th […]

Let’s get right to it–learning how to properly tune your instrument, whether you are a beginner, an intermediate player or a professional–is one of the most important things to master early on as a flute player. It may seem like a complicated process, but it all boils down to this: the longer a tube is, the lower it will […]

Hot off the presses, here is some new information about the brand NEW grenadilla wood piccolo by Lyric flutes! Lyric flutes have been known for many years as a great option with a hybrid of makers from around the world, crafted in the finest Japanese traditions with parts and technology from America, Asia, and Europe brought together for […]

These storms in the Indy area this morning got me thinking about the age-old problem that flute players must deal with: how do we keep flute pads in good condition? As you probably know, a flute overhaul and repad is the most expensive maintenance cost for our instruments, and unfortunately, at some point it is inevitable on all flutes, f […]

Last week we went over the procedures for turning your instrument if you or your student is no longer going to be playing. This week, let’s chat about what to do with your instrument if you are going to continue playing! Of course, we hope your summer plans leave you lots of time for practice, but it’s also a great time to cat […]