There have been some wonderful ideas submitted to this site and the "old" site in the past four years. Enjoy, and keep 'em coming! To submit ideas, click here.

: Your Suggestions for teaching band, voice, and strings! Please submit them, and new categories will be added!

Suggestions for teaching winds:

Who woulda thunk it,from "Phlooteach":I had a junior high private flute student who once commented "I've noticed
that when you wear lip gloss, it helps you get the low notes out better."
Actually a very astute observation!

Flute Airstream Trick from Joan DiCologero: I have been teaching group flute students and private students for several years and I discovered this trick a few years ago.
Many students have trouble directing their airstream for low Bb. Before I get into actual notes and fingerings, I give students straws from the cafeteria and have them blow as long as they can into them. This develops the concept of airstream. Another way to use straws is to have the students literally move the straw up and down without using their hands; just their lip muscles. Sometimes I will tell them to blow their bangs (hair) for the high register. This places the emphasis on airstream direction, and gets them to have a more open tone and not a pinched, tight sound. The first few flute classes can be boring just blowing into the headjoint. The straw exercise is fun and breaks the ice, too. I have had students not only practice at home, but also show me the very straw they kept as a souvenir of sorts.

Breathing exercises from Sarah Twichell: Use the method of hissing like a snake for breathing--have them time themselves (or ask mom/dad to help). Also, a pinwheel works really well--they have to keep it going steadily, not one big burst, or it's over!

Great tips on breathing gleened from e-mail lists:

• Have the student blow a ping pong ball across the floor
• Pretend to blow a candle, but don't let it go out
• Put a piece of paper on the wall, hold it, start blowing on it, then let your hand down and keep the paper up with your breath.
• (Try to put this delicately)Remind the students how they feel when they need to use the restroom, but must wait!
• Play lying down
• Blow bubbles!

Flute playing tips from Pauline Mancuso: First, I have them move the beam of air up and down their raised inner forearm, using only the lips/chin. Then, I draw a huge staff on a wall chart. The lines are about 10 or 11 inches apart, depending on the average size of the kids I'm teaching. I have the kid stand as far from the wall as they are tall. With all other factors in place (posture, hand position, head alignment, etc.) I tell that that F2 in on the top line - right in front of their lips. To get F1, back up the lips/chin (whatever you're comfortable in saying, what with all the adjustment possibilties used to get a good tone and *not* risk TMJ!). A2 is at the top of your head; low C is on the floor, and low B is under the rug! C2 (2 leger lines) is near the top of the door,and C4 is at the ceiling.

This way, the student can visualize a placement for every pitch. Although we pros know that the differences in our facial adjustments become incrementally smaller as we ascend, this does serve to instill the principle for those initial first and second octave notes. We all have students whose first notes are in the *second* octave, and we must teach them to drop down the octave without losing support, moving the head, etc. This method has helped many students to acheive this "invisible magic" and keep a clear idea of just what need to move to create the note in the correct octave.

From Jackie Robertson:

Ever have a student who over does everything and can't seem to get the embouchure thing? Well, I've solved that by having them blow bubbles. It relaxes them and its fun and shows them how easier it is to blow into the flute.

Also, when I teach at home, I can get my students to think more about breathing by using my cats. I have this sweet cat who likes to sit on your stomach. I simply have the student lie on the floor and I put my cat on their stomach. Then I challenge them to upset the peaceful sleeping kitty on their stomach, without using their hands and only by breathing. We go through the process of taking a breath by expanding the tummy and raising the kitty. Then when exhaling, you let the kitty fall. My cat makes these weird faces when its done right. I've found this a good way to help the student understand the process of breathing.

  Articulation ideas from Patricia George,teacher of flute at Ricks College and Idaho State University:

If you want to improve the quality of your articulation, may I suggest the following two exercises: