How a Failed Audition Led to the Piccolo
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- Опубліковано 29 сер 2024
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playing piccolo has helped my confidence so much because there is no way to hide and its so exposed
yes my band director never mentions my mistakes on piccolo either!! also so many people come up to me after rehearsals and concerts and tell me they liked my piccolo playing which is really nice. in orchestra rehearsals I get so distracted because when I'm playing certain high bits they all turn and look at me
I started Piccolo at a weird time. I never had any instructions on how to play flute (so I self-taught myself about around 8th grade). I play Trombone. You can tell how much different the two are! Anyways, at the end of my sophomore year, I would always sneak out the first chair flute player's piccolo and play it at lunch, and I learned very quickly the embouchure and such. My director heard it, and loved it, but I was his first trombonist, so I didn't play until my junior year. We had a low end talent for flutes at the time, and I became principal chair and had to switch between piccolo for solos or harder parts. Now, I'm a senior in high school and I am back on first trombone, but I got put on piccolo for my county's honor band (my instructor picked the piccolo player based on someone who had the best audition W/O private lessons), and I piccolo in orchestra (since no one else wants to tackle the little demon). It's improved my confidence, flute playing, ability to switch embouchure and air stream on the spot, and even improved my trombone playing. I recommend any top flute player to give it a go, if given the chance! I ended up being a better piccoloist than a flutist, and playing the piccolo really well will land you better placement results and (if out of college) better job offers.
I started playing piccolo as a freshman in high school because my sister played as a senior and absolutely loved it. The flute section at the time was freshman dominant with about 5 sophomores and a single junior and I remember that every older flute hated me (except one thank god) and made sure I knew it. When it came concert time, we were playing English Folk Song Suite 3 and only 5 flutes could sit in front row. Since we didn't have seat placements and no section leader, all sophomores tried pushing me into back because of seniority. I ended up getting to the concert hall first and taking where first chair flute would sit, which angered the other flutes but my band director said I had a right to sit there since I was the piccolo player. It was amazing seeing them so shocked that a band director, who I had known since I was in seventh grade, had sided with me on the subject.
I feel bad like why would they do that
The Hello Kitty keyboard before she spilled tea on it
I started playing the piccolo when I was a Junior in high school while I was in marching band. The other flutists in my high school did not really know how to play the flute so my high school band director had me play piccolo because at that point I had been playing the flute for five years. I started the piccolo with a 30 some year old beat up Armstrong piccolo that was the school's. Then, I started college at Miami-Dade College and my college band director had me play second flute until my last year there and at that point I had gotten my own piccolo which is a Gemeinhardt. Since I was the only one who owned a piccolo he gave the piccolo parts. Then, I graduated and I transferred to NWSA(New World School of the Arts) college division which is where I had my first orchestral experience. Within my first year, I played piccolo for Wagner's Rienzi Overture and Prokofiev's 5th Symphony and my piccolo chops got a lot better. I've been playing for almost seven years and I'm a better flutist
+Kiara Eijo i just started flute about a year ago and better than most of the high schoolers and i play clarinet and oboe. My piccolo was the schools but its mine now. It is a Gemeindhardt 4W pro piccolo. but its broke now because someone SAT on it
hah me
When I was invited to audition, my teacher (who is the principal) saw the face I couldn't help making after she mentioned it was 3rd/picc. opening, and said if I wanted in, it would have to be on picc, because nobody else wanted the parts. I should mention that though I owned a picc, I never took it out of the case. Ever. The first time was AFTER the audition results were in and I found out I got the part. I had to go and BEG the director of a concert band I was playing in to let me try a couple of parts. After all, a Symphony performance is not a good place to play picc for the first time ever. The band director said 'no'. So I went and talked to the picc. player (she played in different orchestras for years before retiring and joining this particular Band). She heard me out, and then calmly handed me half of the picc. parts for that season and told me she will answer any questions I had. Then SHE went to the Band director and informed him we would be splitting parts from then on. I am so grateful for all she's done for me!OMG, I thought it was me, the conductor NEVER corrects picc! Flute? Oh, yeah! Piccolo? Not ONCE! Even when intonation is so out of whack, it hurts my own ears. I did wonder more then once, if he just thinks I am hopeless, therefore why waste the breath. It's nice to know, they are just generally intimidated by piccolo players. Hehehe.
I feel the same way about the piccolo and how the conductor talks to you. My director will always tell me to try to fix the tuning unless it's anything above a G#.
I started piccolo playing regularly this year because no one in Wind Ensemble wanted to play picc. The hardest part about playing picc this semester is the outrageous parts to the song Hosannas by Maslanka. The picc part is super high and it is ridiculous but rewarding
Regardless of tuning issues, the combination of piccolo and low brass is an amazing blend of sounds
I started on the piccolo during my sophomore year of high school. That year I was the only sophomore flutist in the top band so the piccolo part was thrown on me because I was the youngest in the section. I really liked the piccolo part and was good at it according to my band director, so during my junior and senior years I also played piccolo (along with first flute). Now some 20 years later I am still playing piccolo (and still loving it).
I have become a better flutist because I play piccolo
Same
same
Same
Kiara Eijo really!!!
Oh no....
Now I'm interested..... WHY DO I TRY TO PURSUE IMPOSSIBLE GOALS!
Same
Yes preach! 😂 so im 1st flute and the only piccolo player at my high school and my direction literally never singles me out in rehearsals. I actually had a really bad cold one day and didn't play at all and he literally came up and told me "nice playing today bud" like what even?
I had a really bad audition for my first audition in music school. The reason was my friend lost my good clarinet so I had to play on an instrument that wasn't mine, a plastic reed, and a broken mouthpiece. I told the director who auditioned me my situation and it all ended up okay. I ended up in a good spot.
I would of been mad
StormieTheDark well they wouldn't be my friend anymore
I felt that same thing with the conductor basically ignoring me when I played the Eb clarinet. I don't know what it is. Maybe they just figure if you're willing to play the more evil version of your instrument, you can fix the problem on your own 😂
im in my high school's wind ensemble, and i volunteered to be piccolo and it really helped me as a flutist. i march piccolo as well and it's such a great experience, even if im going half deaf bc of it 😂
Please use ear protection... If you can afford musician's earplugs, get them - they're perfect; effective, and not very noticeable. If not, get regular foam earplugs, get them - they're inexpensive - clunky, but they help out a lot.... The piccolo has a very high register, so high that since it's such a small instrument held so close to your ears, you can get hearing damage real quick. Praying for your ears xx
Im a new subscriber and i must say i love this, you and your whole channel girly! 你真好 along with funny and its just all so perfect. In a sea of unoriginal channels, You are the breathe of fresh air. Thank you and I hope you continue to make more!
I play flute and my conductor rarely singles me out. The only reason the conductor would single me out is if I made a horrifically terrifying mistake.
I was slowly introduced to the piccolo starting in the ninth grade (I'm a second year music ed major in college currently) when my director handed me a part and told me to play piccolo. Each year I was given one or two parts while also playing flute. Finally junior year, I was told to play piccolo in marching band since I was the only one who could play it and stayed with flute during concert. My first year in college I stayed strictly on flute and now this year I am playing piccolo in the wind ensemble and flute in orchestra. My wind ensemble director tends to do the same thing you are experiencing and I have to ask him directly to get any feedback if there is any.
Rehearsal time is always limited. If a passage is clearly too difficult for a student, then nothing is gained by drawing attention to passage or student in rehearsal. If it's not too difficult but she knows that she's goofed and how she should have played it, then also let it go.
Another factor is that the piccolo for 99.9% (rounded up to one decimal from 300) of the time is always doubling one or more instruments up an octave. So if the piccolo messes up, and the rest of the ensemble doesn't, the harmony, structure, rhythm etc. of the piece is still intact.
...
In the film of Thomas Hardy's Far from the Madding Crowd, the main theme - very romantic - was played as a piccolo solo against a lush orchestral background. The composer was Richard Rodney Bennett and the piccolo player, Jimmy Galway.
Audition
Galway was three hours late for his audition for principal with the Berlin Phil. When he arrived, the panel told him auditions had finished and they had already made their decision. In real life Jimmy is a leprechaun so he easily charmed the panel into letting him audition.
I imagine Karajan later regretted the panel's change of mind: whenever Karajan was dissatisfied with the way the orchestra played a passage, he would emphasise his points with numerous slaps of his thigh. After a few months with the orchestra, Jimmy began to imitate the great K by also slapping his thigh in time with the maestro.
I'm the only flutist/piccolo in my band and I rarely get 'singled out' at rehearsal. If I do have a difficult part the director just tells me to work on it before the next rehearsal. I think he does this so he doesn't keep the rest of the band waiting to help one person.
My worst "experience" wasn't an audition...I had a horrible head cold the week before a concert. Usually when I'm sick I skip rehearsal, but this one we were trying a piece that had a big flute solo in it. We did well in previous rehearsals, but I kept sneezing and coughing, and my ears were so plugged that I couldn't hear the rest of the band so I was coming in at the wrong time so the director just scrapped that piece. I almost cried.
Tuning a piccolo...can you do a video on that (if there isn't one already). I have a Korg tuner and I still can't get my piccolo in tune. It actually reads flat most of the time, but even with a very slight adjustment will have it reading super sharp. I'll get it where it's pretty close, then when I'm playing with the rest of the band I think I sound sharp. When the band is tuning, they don't even try to tune the piccolo (and there have been times where it's taken ten minutes just to tune two flutes)
10 minutes?!??? For 2 flutes?!?!!? That's insane! The most time should be like 1 minute or 40 seconds ×∆×
I play piccolo in my band😝 we all call the piccolo the devil, Satan, super Demon, etc. It's fun tho. I like playing piccolo. But the whole band, including myself, love calling it an evil instrument😂
The piccolo I have is oh so shrill and I just spent all of my money on a solid silver flute ):
Catie Monroe? I call it silver satan
Next year I will be playing the Piccolo and Bass Flute. ._.
@@mr.spockchap1345 😂😂😂
Ah yes tuning the piccolo was also a constant struggle. Especially when I had to play a high C >.
+musicrase66
Like high high C or just high C? b/c if its high high C i'm so so so very sorry for you and your band and whoever had to listen to that...
+Guilty Vengance no it was just a high c. It would just be cruel to have it be a high high c
Im dying of laughter from that placement audition story and my non musical family members ask why im laughing so hard and it was soooo hard to explain
Lol the last part "obviously I did not do that way" 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I play oboe and my conductor never singles me out! It's so weird because you think that piccolo and oboe are pretty important parts, but I feel like conductors just don't know what to do with us so they just don't say anything! Haha😂
Oh my god, I thought I was the only one where a band director wouldn't really call u out...I still love piccolo to this day :D, it honestly makes me a better flutist, but picc is my preferred for band class in high school.
Bonus: this was a joke for marching band: how do you tune two piccs? Shoot one XD
Ok so I started in 8th grade when they took the 8th graders to spend a day with the high school marching band. And I just really felt a pull towards picc. So I rented one and started practicing and my band director in 8th grade always said "No John, you can't play piccolo until high school because the tendency is that you rush your learning abilities" or something near that. So I just kept it until 9th grade where the band director asked "Does anyone wanna try the piccolo part?" I stood up pretty quickly XD and that's how it all started basically.
I ended up playing the piccolo because I'd really been considering if I wanted one, so I asked and my director if I could try one. It took him weeks, but when I got one, he asked if I was going to play it for marching band. I only planned on trying it out for a week, but I took it as an offer and kind of just got it.
Ever since, I've been working to get the part in my concert band, You know my story of last years incidents (with the favoritism and all that jazz), but we just had our first concert this year and I got the part! I'm hoping to get it again, but I'll have to put in some serious effort for it. I can do it. I know I can. I believe I can.
So today's story that I have to add to this wonderful post of yours. Seriously, I just need to start doing my own vlogs... Sorry to be posting these long messages on your page. But, I thought of this exact post today, when I just so happened to go to my very first in a very long time rehearsal with my LDS stake! I was asked which instrument I played, when I told the conductor I played flute, he humbly asked if I by chance played any other instruments because he has quite a few flutists already. I told him. I do play the clarinet and Tenor Saxophone too. He asked if I could please bring my clarinet too, because his clarinet section wasn't very big at all. So, I did. However, no one had brought their sheet music for the clarinet parts. So, I tagged along with the flutes. I figured, since he already had two flutes, I would pull out my piccolo. Not thinking like you mentioned here in this video, that it actually qualifies for it's own parts. The first chair flutist immediately handed over her piccolo sheet music. I had to laugh, because I felt so... I don't know... Like I was screaming at everyone. We only had about 7 other players in the room. I was told not to worry about that, and by the time of the events there's always about 20 other players. But, right now, it may seem small. So, I held back allot of playing, because I just felt... OUT THERE!!! Any suggestions, as you also mention that you're better paired for chamber music... And as you can see I really was in a chamber setting... How does a piccolo fit into chamber music?
omg I had the exact same thing XD got thrown in the deep end with a broken bad piccolo without any previous experience on it. I was so nervous for the first like 12 weeks because i knew everyone could hear me all the time, yet my conductor never really picked on me. Personally I think he had felt sorry/given up :') but hey practice makes perfect
Thank you for all the situations you discribe to us! It helps a lot!!!
I hate playing when I'm sick, and this winter I felt like I had a cold the entire time, so about every 10ish measures, I needed to just take a few seconds and breathe because my throat was really.. Bad. Your story is awesome though! :3
So in my school there are 5 flutes, and one day the first chair decieded to play the piccolo, it didnt go so well, then it was the second chair at the time who tried and it also didnt go well and finally it comes down to me since the other two didnt want to try and i did the best so my band teacher told me to practice the piccolo and this saturday we have our final parade so Im proud of myself since im the one who was chosen to play the piccolo
I started the piccolo sophomore year in high school for marching band and in the concert season I had to play a piece called Arabesque by Samuel R. Hazo and oh my god that piece is hell to play on the piccolo
I actually started on piccolo before flute because I found a bundy piccolo in instrument storage. Then my dad bought me my fav piccolo of all time a buesher 400. It is 110 years old and sounds waayyyy better than the bundy.
Also idk if this is normal but I naturally do vibrato in emotional or sweet parts when I play flute. Love your channel!
I'm only in 8th grade but my band director let me play piccolo for a football night where Jr. High students get to perform with the marching band and then after that he let me play my piccolo for pep band because he decided to let 8th graders join pep band early. Ever since I started playing piccolo, my embouchure has improved on my flute.
I first started playing piccolo in 8th grade, when my friend and I discovered two old piccolos in our band room and our director let us take them home to play around on them. I decided I wanted to march piccolo in high school, so I convinced my parents to help me pay for a cheap picc off amazon (it actually surprisingly wasn't a terrible piccolo for marching). I ended up marching piccolo my freshman year, and I loved it.
I started playing piccolo in symphonic band my freshman year, in part because I marched it, and also because I placed as as first chair (that's a wild story). I remember the first song I played on piccolo, Rocky Point Holiday by Ron Nelson, and that was a very wild ride. I still play piccolo on most of our concert songs, and I agree that I defiantly faked it until I made it. In just under two years I've grown so much on piccolo, way ore than I ever imagined, and it has had an immense impact on my flute playing as well. I recently play piccolo on Persichetti's Psalm for Band, and that was honestly one of my favorite pieces to play picc on. La Fiesta Mexicana by Owen Reed was a lot of fun too.
My director doesn't ever really point things out to me in front of the band, but if I mess up bad sometimes he just shoots me a slightly disappointed glance.
Piccolo is really the reason I launched so far into music so fast my freshman year, and was the beginning of some of my greatest accomplishments. It's something I think all flutists should experience.
I played flute for years, and fell in LOVE with the picc. Prefer it now as an adult playing for pleasure . Don't need a pricey one either☺️
tbh i discovered piccolo in 7th grade when my band teacher was talking about it and i just fell in love then when i came into 8th grade i joined marching band and i saw a piccolo for the very first time and i asked one of my friends if i could try so i played and they got super impressed because i could actually play it, and now i play piccolo in concert band only sometimes
I'm a non-music major in the non-music major university band. I'm playing piccolo for my last performance of grad school in a few days on May 4th! (May the Fourth Be With You.) I hadn't cracked open my piccolo case in around 8 years and hadn't played the flute in 2 years, so I was back at square one. I also didn't realize that the piccolo would have 3 VERY EXPOSED solo parts for the whole concert. My conductor actually would notice if I was playing off and would point it out for me, in a constructive way, of course. When he did, I really appreciated it because I'd rather fix something than play it wrong for the concert. I think I was singled out more because my parts were so pivotal to the pieces (finished the song, the only part playing, etc). I hit a lot of challenges with embouchure, hitting the high registers and keeping up with breath support since the thing is so tiny and uses up SO much air. The repertoire, I thought wasn't so hard -- on flute. But the piccolo part was up there hitting Bb4 and C4. I never played that high in high school and it was like O_O when I tried playing it. We're playing The Klaxon March, it's half=140bps 4/4 cut time and in the trio, there are these awful C3-Ab3 and Eb3-Bb4 runs that were DEATH. I would get light headed trying to register all the notes at that quick of a tempo for high-note runs. T__T I learned a lot about breath support, blending, etc.. But I think the hardest thing for me as piccolo was feeling very isolated from the flutes. I didn't really feel like I was part of them. It was always "Flutes and picc". Sometimes I would have to ask the conductor if he wanted piccolo to play when he didn't mention my instrument on flute melodies he wanted to run that I also had on piccolo. I do like playing the piccolo and I learned a lot from it. OH and my favorite was playing 4th flute in the Star Wars suite. The 4th flute part was glorious and sooo beautiful playing the lower registers. I loved that I'm ending my college performances this way. I plan on auditioning for local symphonies in San Francisco to continue playing after graduating in a few weeks!
I had a recent shady situation where someone who wanted to go on tour with the band, basically stated (I am not kidding) that she would bring her piccolo and take over the part. and they had a discussion- which I was privy to, but wasn't allowed to input my opinions or defend myself- about her going. My friend who invited me was angry at the group for everything and said she would talk to them about it.
I love playing piccolo, but i keep getting overlooked for parts. and my bandmates have stood up for me because they state i am a good piccolo player but conductors never give me a fair try at playing...
I play piccolo on a merch for concert season called La Fiesta Brava and I have to somehow blend in with baritone s
Today I had my audition in band I had memorized 8 scales and when I got there I was so scared that I forgot 6 scales and only played to 2 scales to move up to symphonic band you have to play 8 and I only played 2 so I probably going to fail
That is an amazing story. I feel better already. Thank you for sharing.
I was stuck with a piccolo.
Now I'm not a professional and stuff, so I have this issue where my piccolo is horrendously loud. Our band wasn't very good but honestly, I should've played MUCH softer, but (and I have this problem with my flute playing) I can never play high notes soft....and Piccolo was very very high.
As a result....yea I got slightly deafer on my right ear, and my band usually goes like "NO DON'T PLAY IT NOOOOO"
In sam hazo's "Arabesque" the piccolo part was an absolute nightmare.
I love that song!
Omg my high school just played that piece and my friend nailed the piccolo part I don't even know how she did it!!!
I started playing piccolo a few years ago because my friend got a new piccolo and she offered me her old one. I'd been wanting a piccolo for a while so I jumped at the chance
This was a funny video; I loved your story :)
Last time I tried to play the piccolo it was in High School and I couldn't even get a sound out of it. It was terrible. However, your video gave me confidence to try again
I started the picc again after years. It's like riding a bike😉
I play bassoon but I love playing piccolo on my own time
I'm a freshman in high school and my marching band only has piccolos instead of a combination of flutes and piccolos. It was my first time playing piccolo and in my concert band (because wind ensemble isn't for Freshman) we didn't have any piccolo players. I had only been playing piccolo for a week and he threw all these piccolo pieces at me. I sound better now but then I sounded terrible. He never pointed anything out to me either and idk why.
I play piccolo as an upcoming freshman and also have the 3rd flute part but as the piccolo player I am always singled out.
My conductor calls piccolos "Satans train whistle"
I play the flute in our school concert band, I would like to play
the piccolo, I like how small it is. Good Story, its interesting how
everything happens for a reason and fall into place.
I love my flute and never thought I would ever play piccolo, but our band played Stars and Stripes Forever this year. As a senior/section leader, I didn't want an underclassman to play the piccolo solo, so I learned piccolo. LOL. And I have noticed that my band director never singled me out.. Why is this?!
Similar thing happened to me. I placed last in orchestra auditions on flute and so the conductor put me on picc. Just my luck too - we played Tchaik's 4th.
I don't think the way my daughter went about it was right. She was invited to an honor band for high school students out of state. The director asked if anyone played piccolo (she is a freshman in high school). She said she did (not). The director told her ok since you are the only one you are playing all the piccolo parts. Her own band director was there. She didn't tell HIM what she did.
This video was awesome! :) Keep it up.
Have you ever join a band that can not find an oboe for themselves so they asked their flautist to play the oboe part with a piccolo? I volunteered to play piccolo because apparently my band does the seat placement by age order (by how long they have been in band) not by audition, so as a freshman, I have to play flute 4/5, which is a suffering because I probably have as many part as percussion (okay this is a joke, I am not trying to downgrade percussion, I sub for it twice) that is the same note the whole song. So I asked to play the piccolo and kind of self taught it (it is totally different than flute). And then one day my conductor gave us a new song (On the Top of the World) with no piccolo parts and just two flute positions. As a band freshman and knowing nothing, I got persuaded by the marimba player to play his parts why he enjoy his life with the symbols and drums (he love those more than marimba). For a few weeks of practice I enjoyed playing it and improved on my hand eye coordination greatly. Then one day, my conductor came to me and asked me to play the oboe parts... We don't even have an oboe in our school. Then conductor was probably crazy she asked me to play the part with a piccolo...That is the end of my story with a lot of run on sentences. I hope you never be in such conditions
me as a piccolo player is kinda different. i have 1st flute and piccolo parts and I never get pointed out for anything I'm guessing because I'm the most experienced I fix things immediately most of the time. i got started in 8th grade and am now in 10th
that piccolo playing was earrape but sounded really good
Long piccolo related story ahead, proceed with reading glasses and patience:
My freshman year in high school, I picked up (picc'd up HA kill me) the piccolo b/c the concert band director actually decided to include it. I was super hyped and I ended up being really good at it too, but then he cut out the song because concert band (which is mostly composed of freshmen) SUCKED SO MUCH (and this was for the end of the year spring concert). The song I am referring to is "Reverberations" by Brian Balmages and I'm not even kidding when I say each instrument played 5 different notes unless you were picc (I had 72 measures of rest anyway so :P). Then, the next year in CB, which was full of all the talent my freshman year was lacking, we slayed Reverberations for the winter concert but he didn't let me do picc on it because..... I still don't even know -____- Then, when I finally got into wind ensemble for this year, I made 1st chair which is awesome on so many levels, but the WE director at the time gave picc to the 2nd chair even though both directors knew I had my own picc at that point and knew how to play, and the 2nd chair had no idea how to play at all and she likes flute better. We agreed to switch out for one or two of the songs in the spring concert, but we haven't put it past the WE director (who is the old CB director cause the old WE director left), and since we're doing The Rite of Spring and other music at that level, idk if he's going to let me switch over cause I'm practicing flute more than picc now.
TL;DR=> Piccolo senpai has yet to notice me.
Oh woah we're playing festive overture now in my Highschool band ^~^
I never started with flute. I started with Piccolo and started playing the flute 2 years after that
#thefaceofregret and #cringefest is when I look at on my old stories that I wrote..oh god..
Amazing as always! I always have to drop anything to watch your videos! Where did you get your jacket? It looks amazing!
LOLOL SO TRUE!!! My band director NEVER picks on me. Even if I butcher an excerpt. He probably trusts that I'll learn the part eventually
I've always been a fan of playing the piccolo. I hate to toot my own horn, (pun intended) but I'm pretty good at it. I've had the opposite problem as you, though. My director picks me out veeery often. It's usually articulations and not tuning, but it can be frustrating.
Can you play any other instruments other than flute or piccolo? I'd really like to know.
+Eli Gelsinger I think that she also plays the piano
I was watching your graduate recital and saw a comment about trevor wye excersices, I was wondering what they were and what they focus on?
You are so AWESOME and FUNNY!!!!
I play the piccolo too in my band, and I do feel the same thing too! My conductor never has singled me out even if I mess up, and it confuses me XD
FESTIVE OVERTURE IS MY JAM and yes, our piccolo player had the same issue xd
Also i find that its the opposite in my ensemble. We have to retune the piccolo quite a bit. And rhythm is the issue.
I am a student flute player (high school) and I actually play 5 instruments. I consider piano my main but I love the flute the most. I am really interested in learning the piccolo. Any tips? What is a good semi-cheap piccolo?
+Taylor Evans I purchased a Mendini MPO-EN piccolo off amazon when I was in 8th grade, and I marched it for one year. I bought the full body silver plated version (currently $80). I wouldn't really recommend this piccolo for playing in concert, however it does work well for marching, or just playing around on.
Over summer, I upgraded to a Gemeinhardt 4P (I got it for just over $700), and I love it. My school has a Gemeinhardt 4W that I used to play on, and its very nice too. I don't notice much difference between the two, other than the fact one is plastic and the other is wood.
You can also check sites like craigslist for cheap used piccolos for sale in your area.
When I first started playing piccolo, I always kept a tuner on my stand, and payed really close attention to the tendencies of my piccolo, and just piccolos in general, and adjusted as needed.
If you have sensitive ears, you may want to invest in some musicians ear plugs to wear while practicing (I bought Earasers and I am very impressed with them).
When learning hard passages, I will sometimes prefer to learn the part on flute first, then switch to piccolo, mostly so I don't to listen the the high pitched notes while learning a technical part of my music.
My biggest tip is to have confidence, and accept the fact that, yes people are going to hear you. The best way to have confidence is to first: learn all your music, and get it as close to perfect as you can get it. Listening also helps a lot.
I hope I somehow helped you at least a little!
I saw my section leader playing piccolo and I fell in love. That summer i picked up a piccolo and have been playing it ever since. Hopefully i'll be playing it in college. As a music major would you suggest buying a piccolo right away?
I played festive overture on euph my senior year. Had that same EXACT PICCOLO PART. needless to say it was DEATH
Could you please make a video about piccolo tips? I switch off from flute and piccolo and it always takes a while to get adjusted from one to the other
Hey can you do a piccolo LefreQue video, I've been looking into it but I'm not sure if I want to get one yet. If you could that would be fantastic! :)
My band director calls the piccolo a dog whistle.
Im currently learning the flute although im a stand temor sax player
Hey, I'm a flute player learning the tenor sax - opposite!!
I want to play the Piccolo. I am currently learning the flute. Should I just go right to the piccolo or continue learning the flute?
+RememberPluto When I was ten years old and first saw a piccolo i wanted to play it. I was told that it is best to learn flute first so you learn the fingerings and get the proper embouchure. I got to try piccolo in 8th grade band (about age 13) then got to play in high school for marching band and concert band.
It depends how long you've been playing flute, but never stop learning flute, even if you do start piccolo.
I can't get the middle notes out on piccolo with a nice sound. any suggestions ???
try playing each note slowly like a scale with a really small embouchure. and try blowing down with not too much air. its always hard to get the middle notes out with the piccolo but once u use these techniques and practice, you'll get better i promise :D
Hi! I play the flute! And should I play the piccolo? It seems very unique! And most of my cousin who plays the flute usually switch to the piccolo!
I play piccolo and if you really want to play piccolo then ask you music teacher or band director because there will most definitely be some time in your flute career when there will be a piccolo part to tryout for.
Anna Mason Thank you so much! I will definitely ask my music teacher!
Hey! I'm in high school and I've been playing flute for three years and piccolo for two years and I actually tonight at 7:00 I was chosen to play with the United States Navy Band. I will be playing my piccolo. Do you have any tuning tips?
+Ciellia Rosario Tuning on the piccolo is completely opposite to the flute because the bore's are different. The top of the piccolo is generally flat and the bottom is generally very sharp. The middle is just a danger zone where each note can be different. Just listen a lot.
+Ciellia Rosario In addition to what Matthew said, keeping a tuner on your stand whenever you practice, and even when you perform is a big help! I have an actual tuner (not an app on my phone) that I keep on my stand.
Also, when you're practicing, if you notice that a note is really flat or really sharp, write some up or down arrows in your music, based on whether you need to raise or drop the pitch, to help you remember what you need to do to have good intonation when you're in a rehearsal or performing!
If you have any notes that you just can't get in tune no matter what, you can look up alternate fingerings that may help even the pitch.
Hey Joanna, my concert is in a few weeks! Do you think you can give any tips for playing in my second concert? BTW I play trombone...
OMG YES I play piccolo and my conductor never pointed me out
omg I'm sorry I cant stop laughing at that re-enactment 😂
my bd literally just was like you have the solo and i’m like , “ wut” and now i have to play without knowing what i’m doing buttttttttttt i’m getting better day by day 😪.
playing piccolo made me a waaaaayyyyyy better flute player, makes me happy!
LOL! *with -- I Live!!! Awesome! Thank you for your experience; very verifiable and reliable, too!!
I play flute is it easy to learn piccolo
Sasha2004 Dolg I think key fluidity is better on a piccolo, but getting a consistent sound?? eh. It takes a while. It took me a year to play intermediate stuff on the piccolo. But if you're a fast learner (unlike me) you could do it quickly.
Everything you said was sooo accurate
This is all true and SO relatable!!!
#cracking up on the faces😂😂😂
can please do you a video on flutter tongue :)
She's already done a video on flutter tonguing. You should be able to find it if you search her channel😊
I became a better musician when i became the only 8 th grade flutist in my school band so i was basically given a crappy instrument till i got my own and i had to learn by myself
ABOUT PICCOLO . . .IT IS SMALL AND THE CLEANING ROD IS SO BIG . .HOW DO YOU REALLY CLEAN A PICOLLO EVERYTIME AFTER USING IT ?
I use a bit of cheese cloth to clean my piccolo. It is thinner fabric that doesn't get stuck in the body of the instrument and when it gets too dirty, I just throw it away and cut off a new piece!
I'm a pro on the piccolo
I love festive overture
I messed up also!
LIFE OR death :/
My dear Lady, what if everyone said they LOOOOOOVED your piccolo playing for you to happily asume that role so they didn't get that karma? ;) . Just joking. BTW I love your videos.
I notice the same things. 🙄🤓
I play flute