Kemahiran Belajar Yang Cemerlang

Dalam buku rujukan “Kemahiran Belajar”, diterbit oleh Penerbitan Multimedia Sdn. Bhd, tertulis kemahiran belajar merupakan kemahiran seumur hidup. Kemahiran ini perlu dikembangkan kepada semua pelajar supaya mereka peka dengan teknik-teknik pembelajaran yang berkesan. Dengan kemahiran ini juga, pelajar dapat mengenal pasti kekuatan dan kelemahan dalam proses pembelajaran mereka dan seterusnya boleh mengambil langkah-langkah yang sewajarnya untuk memperbaiki sesuatu kelemahan.

            Dalam menguasai kemahiran belajar, terdapat beberapa eleman yang perlu difahami dan diteliti. Yang pertama, penetapan matlamat diri dan akademik. Kita boleh merujuk kepada perkataan ‘SMART’, untuk memahami tentang konsep penetapan matlamat diri dan akademik. Menurut pakar, matlamat SMART ini merupakan ciri-ciri yang perlu ada dalam matlamat kita dan matlamat ini diamalkan oleh kebanyakan organisasi dan syarikat seluruh dunia sebagai panduan dalam menetapkan sasaran mereka. SMART adalah kata singkatan yang terdiri daripada perkataan berikut: Specific (terperinci), Measurable (boleh diukur), Attainable (boleh dicapai), Realistic (munasabah) dan Time-bound (mempunyai had masa tertentu).

            Kata yang pertama ini menekankan pentingnya menetapkan target yang spesifik; benar-benar spesifik. Hindari target yang terlalu umum atau kurang mendetail. Target harus jelas, dan dipaparkan dengan bahasa yang lugas. Misalnya, tetapkan target seperti ini: “tingkatkan penjualan dari 500 menjadi 1000 buah apel dalam sehari” dan hindari “tingkatkan omset dari penjualan apel per-hari”. Untuk menetapkan tujuan yang spesifik, kita harus menyampaikan seluruh harapan dan keinginan dengan spesifik, mengapa hal ini penting, siapa yang akan terlibat, dimana akan dijalankan, dan atribut apa saja yang penting.

            Kata yang kedua menekankan pentingnya kriteria yang digunakan untuk mengukur besarnya kemajuan yang dibuat dalam mencapai target. Filosofi yang melatar-belakangi poin ini adalah: “Jika target tidak dapat diukur, mustahil untuk mengetahui apakah kita telah membuat kemajuan dalam mencapai tujuan akhirnya”. Mengukur kemajuan akan membantu kita untuk tetap berada dalam jalur yang benar, menepati tenggat waktu, dan merasakan semangat dan euforia ketika memperoleh hasil yang menggembirakan di setiap pencapaian yang membawa mereka lebih dekat kepada tujuan.

            Kata yang ketiga menekankan bahawa target harus realistis dan dapat dicapai. Target tidak boleh dibuat terlalu mudah, tapi juga tidak boleh terlalu sulit sehingga terasa mustahil untuk dicapai. Target yang ditetapkan akan dapat dicapai jika kita telah menentukan apa yang paling penting, lalu mampu membayangkan langkah-demi-langkah untuk mewujudkannya. Untuk itu, kita akan mengembangkan perilaku, kemampuan, keahlian, dan kapasitas finansial untuk mencapainya. Target yang attainable akan menjawab pertanyaan seperti “Bagaimana target tersebut akan dicapai?”

            Kata keempat menekankan pentingnya memilih target yang tepat. Target projek yang ditentukan harus bersifat Realistis, jangan menentukan Target yang terlalu tinggi dalam waktu yang sangat singkat. Harus mengetahui batas kemampuan untuk mencapai target proyek yang ditentukan. Contoh Target yang tidak realistik: maintenance (pemeliharaan) rutin Mesin Solder harus diselesaikan dalam waktu 2 Jam, padahal kemampuan pekerja yang berjumlah 2 orang hanya mampu melakukannya dalam waktu 4 Jam. Jadi dapat dipastikan target tersebut tidak akan tercapai karena tidak realistis.

Kata kelima menekankan pentingnya menepatkan target dengan kerangka waktu,iaitu memberikan deadline pencapaian target. Komitmen kepada deadline akan membantu kita untuk tetap fokus menjalankan pekerjaan untuk memenuhi target tepat waktu, atau bahkan lebih cepat. Ini adalah bahagian dari filosofi SMART yang melindungi target dari serangan krisis sehari-hari yang biasa terjadi dalam organisasi. Target dengan tenggat waktu akan menimbulkan urgensi.

            Seterusnya, pengurusan masa. Secara ringkasnya, perancangan jadual belajar melibatkan kemahiran mengurus masa. Pelajar mestilah berupaya menjadualkan masa untuk belajar, beriadah, bergiat dalam kegiatan kokurilkulum, menonton televisyen, dan sebagainya. Zulkifli et. Al. (1993) menyatakan bahawa jadual waktu merupakan arah tuju dan panduan pelajar belajar dengan lebih bersistematik. Tedapat beberapa kebaikan dan kepentingan serta keutamaan pelajar akan perolehi sekiranya pelajar menyediakan sebuah jadual waktu pembelajaran.

            Antaranya ialah mereka akan dapat menilai kembali apakah yang telah mereka lakukan. Mereka dapat menilai sama ada aktiviti yang mereka lakukan itu memberi faedah atau tidak. Mereka juga dapat menguruskan masa yang dipunyai dengan cara yang berkesan dan memberikan faedah paling optimum. Kebanyakan aktiviti yang dirancang setiap hari juda dapat dijalankan. Jadual masa yang ditetapkan dapat melatih mendisiplinkan pelajar dalam menepati masa. Keadaan ini membolehkan merekan mengamalkan  cara hidup yang lebih sempurna. Mereka juga boleh mempelbagai aktiviti yang perlu mereka lakukan.  Hal ini perlu dilakukan bagi menjamin mereka menjadi orang yang serba boleh.

            Dalam pada itu, penyediaan jadual waktu pembelajaran yang sistematik akan mendorong ke arah pencapaian kejayaan yang cemerlang dalam bidang yang mereka ceburi, baik kehidupan dunia atau akhirat. Amalan suka bertangguh untuk melakukan sesuatu tugas atau aktiviti yang lebih digemari dan mengabaikan pula aktiviti lain yang berguna dapat dielakkan. Penyediaan jadual waktu dapat menyedarkan diri pelajar cara mengurus masa yang berkesan. Pelajar turut dapat mengimbangkan pembahagian masa terhadap pelbagai jenis aktiviti yang akan dilakukan melalui jadual masa yang disediakan. 

            Selanjutnya, mengenali gaya pembelajaran kendiri juga amat penting dalam kemahiran belajar. Kajian lepas menjelaskan untuk membolehkan seseorang pelajar belajar dengan lebih berjaya. Pelajar berkenaan perlu didedahkan dengan pelbagai model dan teknik pembelajaran. Malangnya, Sarena Abdul Karim ( 2003 ) menyatakan bahawa sistem pendidikan di Malaysia masih kurang menekankan aspek teknik belajar secara formal . Menurutnya lagi, kebanyakan pelajar mempelajari teknik atau kemahiran belajar seara kebetulan, tidak langsung atau terikut-ikut dengan rakan sebaya.

            Padahal, setiap pelajar belajar dengan cara dan gaya pembelajaran yang berbeza antara satu sama lain. Kesemua perbezaan tersebut boleh dilihat dalam beberapa gaya pembelajaran yang telah dikemukakan oleh para penyelidik sebelum ini. Berikut adalah diantara model pembelajaran yang menyatakan perbezaan gaya pembelajaran antara setiap individu, iaitu Model gaya pembelajaran Dunn dan Dunn. Selain itu, Model gaya pembelajaran Honey dan Mumford. Akhir sekali, Model gaya pembelajaran Kolb.

            Menurut Dunn dan Dunn(1978), perbezaan atau variasi seseorang individu dengan norma kumpulan, sama ada dalam sifat kognitif, emosi, fizikal, moral, tingkah laku, sosial atau bakat sememangnya wujud dalam sesebuah kumpulan. Perbezaan dalam diri individu boleh dikesan berkait dengan aspek perkembangan fizikal, mental, emosi, dan sosial. Akibatnya setiap pelajar mempunyai kepelbagaian dan kecenderungan gaya, strategi belajar yang berbeza dan kadar pembelajaran yang berlainan. Ada pelajar mempunyai gaya pembelajaran yang dominan, ada pula yang menggunakan gaya belajar yang berbeza dan perlulah disesuaikan mengikut persekitaran.

            Dunn dan Dunn mendapati gaya pembelajaran boleh dikategorikan kepada lima iaitu persekitaran, emosi, sosiologi, fizikal dan psikologi. Beliau menyatakan bahawa gaya pembelajaran merupakan kaedah seseorang menumpu, memproses, menyerap, dan mengingat maklumat dan kemahiran yang baru dan sukar. Model gaya pembelajaran Dunn dan Dunn adalah berdasarkan prinsip-prinsip berikut: Kebanyakan individu mampu dan boleh belajar. Setiap individu mempunyai gaya pembelajaran tertentu. Gaya pembelajaran individu akan bertindak balas dengan iklim, sumber dan pendekatan pengajaran dan pembelajaran yang dapat diseseuaikan dengan gaya pembelajaran seseorang itu akan dapt mengoptimumkan proses pembelajaran.

            Berikut ini dibincangkan aspek pembelajaran dari segi persekitaran yang dikemukakan oleh Dunn dan Dunn. Yang pertama, Cahaya. Menurut Dunn dan Dunn, terdapat invidu yang memerlukan persekitaran yang terang semasa belajar. Seterusnya, Bunyi. Menurut kajian Dunn dan Dunn, terdapat individu yang memerlukan bunyi seperti muzik di persekitaran mereka semasa belajar. Yang ketiga, Suhu. Setiap individu mempunyai tindak balas yang berbeza terhadap suhu persekitaran. (Dunn dan Dunn ) Akhir sekali, Reka bentuk.  Menurut Garger (1985), gaya pembelajaran individu ditentukan oleh personaliti individu yang berbeza.

            Selain itu, dibincangkan pula aspek emosional yang dikemukakan oleh Dunn dan Dunn. Yang pertama, Motivasi. Motivasi merupakan daya penggerak utama yang menjamin kejayaan seseorang dengan kecenderungan menyeluruh untuk bertindak pada masa tertentu. Seterusnnya, Kecekalan. Kecekalan penumpuan yang tinggi bagi seseorang pelajar akan dapat membantu pelajar berkenaan dalam masa tempoh yang panjang. Yang ketiga, Tanggungjawab. Setiap individu yang ingin berjaya dalam belajar perlulah tekun dan bertanggungjawab. (Bell, 1972). Akhir sekali, Struktur. Arahan yang jelas dan berstruktur dapat mendorong pelajar untuk belajar dengan lebih berkesan, namun terdapat juga pelajar yang suka belajar dengan gaya bebas.

            Selanjutnya, dibincangkan pula aspek pembelajaran dari segi ransangan sosiologi. Rangsangan sosiologi terdiri dari elemen-elemen seperti diri sendiri, berpasangan, berkelompok atau dengan rakan sebaya atau orang dewasa. Segi ransangan fizikal pula terdiri daripada elemen- elemen seperti persepsi, makanan, minuman, waktu belajar, dan pergerakan. Akhir sekali, rangsangan psikologi. Rangsangan psikologi terdiri daripada elemen – elemen yang berikut, iaitu analitik/global, impulsif/ reflektif dan dominan otak kiri / dominan otak kanan.

            Model gaya pembelajaran Honey dan Mumford (1992) mendefinisikan gaya pembelajaran sebagai penerangan ke atas sikap dan tingkah laku individu yang mengamalkannya. Honey dan Mumford membahagikan gaya pembelajaran kepada 4 kumpulan iaitu aktivis, reflektif, teoris dan pragmatis. Aktivis mempunyai sikap tidak sabar, perasaan ingin tahu yang tinggi, bergerak pantas dan capat membalas, gemar pengalaman baru, penuh semangat, fleksibel, model intrinsik dan KBKK.

            Individu yang berjenis reflektif pula suka mentafsir dan menilai sesuatu perkara, suka mencari hakikat sebenar, sikap berhati-hati, pendengar yang baik, kerja yang sistematik dan tidak terburu-buru membuat keputusan. Individu yang berjenis teoris memiliki fikiran rasional dan logikal, sikap berdisiplin, kurang kreatif, suka bentuk hipotesis, suka mengesan sebab dan akibat serta suka mengkaji fenomena yang berlaku. Akhir sekali, individu yang berjenis pragmatis. Mereka yang berjenis pragmatis mempunyai sikap praktikal, pentingkan bukti dan hakikat, percaya perkara yang dapat dilihat, utamakan kegunaan dan penggunaan, lebih bersifat ekspresif daripada kreatif serta suka membuat perbandingan.

            Yang terakhir, Model gaya pembelajaran Kolb. Kolb telah membahagikan gaya pembelajaran yang digunakan oleh pelajar kepada 4 kategori, iaitu imaginitif dan kreatif, teori analisis, praktik, dan intuitif dinamik.

            Strategi meningkatkan ingatan juga penting dalam kemahiran belajar. Kita boleh meningkatkan daya ingatan dengan mengetahui prinsip asas otak manusia dan bagaimana manusia ingat dan lupa. Ingatan bermaksud kebolehan memanggil balik atau menyebut dan menulis fakta dan kejadian yang berlaku selepas beberapa lama. Jenis ingatan terbahagi kepada dua bahagian iaitu ingatan jangka pendek dan ingatan jangka panjang. Mengingat ialah proses pembelajaran yang berkaitan dengan kefahaman dan penggunaan deria dengar dan deria lihat dengan baik.

            Teknik mengingat ini boleh menolong membaiki ingatan. Teknik ingatan merangkumi beberapa kaedah. Antaranya, mneomonik. Mneomonik berasal aripada perkataan Greek mnemon yang bermaksud berfikir. Mneomonik ini dibahagikan kepada Mneomonik kata gentian, Mneomonik anekdot, Mneomonik lokasi dan Mneomonik rantaian. Seterusnya, lokus turut merupakan salah satu teknik mengingat. Perkataan lokus ini bermakna tempat. Kaedah lokus adalah mengaitkan bahan ingatan dengan suatu tempat yang dikenali. Akhir sekali teknik mengingat Chunking. Teknik yang mengumpul beberapa butir maklumat yang tidak berkaitan menjadi satu kumpulan mengikut keseragaman tertentu.

            Akhir sekali. kemahiran belajar juga merangkumi perancangan jadual belajar. Penyusunan jadual waktu yang sesuai akan membantu pelajar  mencapai tujuan mereka belajar. Elemen-elemen yang perlu mereka pertimbangkan adalah berikut: Tentukan tujuan dan objektif penyediaan dan kegunaan jadual itu. Fikirkan aktiviti yang dilakukan sesuai dengan tujuan dan objektif yang dinyatakan. Berikan keutamaan kepada aktiviti yang akan dilakukan pada pagi, petang dan malam sebagai seorang pelajar. Utamakan mata pelajaran yang dianggap susah atau kurang diminati. Susun mata pelajaran yang perlu diulang kaji sebaiknya supaya tidak mengelirukan. Jangan lupa masa rehat. Jenis jadual waktu perlu disediakan.

            Jenis – jenis jadual termasuklah jadual waktu semester (rancangan untuk aktiviti satu semester ), jadual waktu mingguan ( rancangan untuk aktiviti seminggu ) dan jadual waktu harian (rancangan untuk setiap hari). Antara bahan utama yang boleh dijadikan panduan untuk menyediakan jadual waktu semester ialah takwim IPT. Bagi menyediakan jadual waktu mingguan dan harian, aktiviti yang dimasukkan mesti sesuai dan selaras dengan aktiviti pembelajaran pada minggu tersebut. Dalam penyediaan jadual waktu, masa lapang perlu dimanfaatkan. Biasanya, lebihan masa disia-siakan sahaja padahal dapat dimanfaatkan oleh seseorang pelajar.   

            Menurut buku rujukan “Kemahiran Belajar”, diterbit oleh Penerbitan Multimedia Sdn. Bhd, belajar bukanlah sesuatu yang mudah tetapi bukanlah sesuatu yang terlampau susah. Seandainya kita dapat menguasai kemahiran belajar dengan cemerlang iaitu melalui penetapan matlamat diri dan akademik, pengurusan masa yang baik, mengenali gaya pembelajaran kendiri, mengunakan strategi meningkatkan ingatan dan perancangan jadual waktu yang sesuai, pasti kita dapat mencapai matlamat belajar kita seterusnya mencapai kejayaaan dalam kehidupan kita.

Tugasan 1-WeiHan

Rujukan

Beginner Flutes | Amro Music, Memphis | Flute rentals, sales, and service. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://www.amromusic.com/beginner-flutes

BERBIGUIER, B. T. (n.d.). Benoit Berbiguier: Eighteen Exercises Or Etudes Sheet Music By Benoit Tranquil Berbiguier (SKU: HL.50259650) - Sheet Music Plus. Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/title/benoit-berbiguier-eighteen-exercises-or-etudes-sheet-music/3145418

ESTRELLA, E. (n.d.). Types of Flutes & Instrument Descriptions. Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://musiced.about.com/od/beginnersguide/a/typeofflutes.htm

Flute - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flute

MORATZ, K. E. (n.d.). Basic Flute Fingering Chart - For Dummies. Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/basic-flute-fingering-chart.html

OFFERMANS, W. (n.d.). For the Contemporary Flutist Online | Whisper Tones. Retrieved September 21, 2014, from http://www.forthecontemporaryflutist.com/etude/etude-06.html

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KEMAHIRAN LITERASI MAKLUMAT

KEMAHIRAN BELAJAR YANG CEMERLANG

Kiss The Rain (Yiruma) by Bevani Flute

In Dreams (Lord of the rings) by Bevani Flute

Some Nights (Fun)/ Waka Waka (Shakira)  by Bevani Flute

Inhalation

Breath control for flutists may be broken into the same basic steps as singers use: inhalation, suspension, and exhalation. Flutists must make use of every body cavity during all three steps, keeping inhalation and exhalation of breath unimpeded except at the lip. Keeping these cavities open is crucial while playing.

We fill up everything. You look at some of the good players--look at their [chest cavity] size....That's where the resonance is. It's enormous what they use there. It's a wonderfully well-kept secret that nobody tells you about. And that is resonance, and [it is] important to fill and open yourself--to make use of every little pocket of resonance you can find in your body.

The throat and mouth cavities must also be held open, for free breathing. Open your throat. Drop the back of your tongue when you articulate and really feel the openness there, just like a singer has to. Imagine the air coming from low down. It's coming through an almost equal sort of column, straight through the mouth and out into the flute.

The big problem is that you get used to playing with the throat closed....The thing is to get used to opening. I know it's hard, because you've been playing for five or ten years, and when you've got a particular habit it's very hard to change it. But I do think it's something you need to have. There's loads of sound in there, and you've just got to somehow say, "Right," and start to work at it.

Once the flutist's stance is relaxed and free and the body cavities are open, the flutist must take a full first breath. Controlled breathing has been a lifelong pursuit for Lloyd.

As do many other flutists, Lloyd advocates breathing "low." The object is to think of the lower rib cage as a bellows opening, sucking air through the open mouth and throat cavities and taking in the maximum amount. He also cites "back breathing" as a useful visualization for flutists. This concept, from William Kincaid, involves spreading the lower ribs away from the spinal column.

You're losing color, losing sound, because you don't breathe low enough. [Breathe into] an enormous barrel--right down into your ribs. Fill all the way around the rib cage.

Lloyd stresses that the first breath of any work is the most important, because it may be the only full breath the flutist is allowed for some time.

Take the time to get a good first breath ....The point of filling up hugely at the beginning is so that, when you take a breath [later]...you're only topping up. You don't need to go all the way down...and re-start, because you've not often got time to do that.

"Think of the Midsummer Night's Dream 'Scherzo'," he advises. Logically, the more breath one starts with, the more will be available to add to the shorter "topping up" breaths.

In many playing situations flutists are tempted to take a fast first breath during the pickup beat before actual playing starts. This habit hearkens back to early band training in which students are taught to take a breath during the preparatory beat. Peter Lloyd advocates taking the first breath slowly. The logic is that with a slow relaxed intake, the flutist is able to stretch and get more air in than with a tense, quick breath.

Don't breathe in fast when you have time. I said slowly. That doesn't mean too soon and freeze. You must always, with these big breaths, do everything in a rhythmic cycle with the music. A few years ago I did a class in Britain alongside a singer and I happened to know the woman who was running the thing, and I got her to give us a class on breathing....At the end of all that we came to the conclusion that the parallels are just about complete. The only thing different was that the singer said that they can't breathe as far as we can. And I know there are [flute] people who say don't breathe to your full capacity because you can't really start sound like that. That was from singers. But we can, pro-viding that you breathe rhythmically with the music. So never hold it. The whole thing is in a relaxed cycle.

A flutist who has enough breath is much more relaxed than one who does not and is panic-stricken about finishing a phrase. This relaxation enables the secure flutist to take in more air even with short intakes.

Lloyd emphasizes that one must strive to relax, even when taking short breath intakes during a piece. Players tend to try to "make the phrase," rather than using spaces within the music to take several small "snifters" of air.

Remember that we always use breathing to make music--we can't make music from the breaths we need. It's not only in order to get from the beginning of a long phrase to the end of a long phrase. And even if that's the case, you're going to get nervous sometimes and it's all going to go wrong. So, try to always make breathing part of the music. I think that's terribly, terribly important.257 Try to feel that all breathing has to be within phrasing....If you're going to be nervous [about the breath]...change the phrases accordingly....You have to anticipate....If you're going to have a breathing problem, always anticipate it so you've got enough time to re-think your phrase. Never, never...let yourself get to the state whereby you think, "Oh, God, I've got to take a breath!" because then the music's gone.258

Whenever a breath occurs, Lloyd encourages players to take as much as they can, not just what they think they will need.

When you've got a short phrase, take a big breath because usually it's leading somewhere else afterwards.259 Not only that, you get far more control of color and dynamic with a full breath, however quietly you're playing and however short the phrase.260

This is a situation in which flutists often find themselves. A relatively short phrase with, say, a bar's rest before it, is followed by longer phrases that do not allow a full breath. Flutists who take only what they need for the first short phrase will find themselves without reserves as the music continues. Then, panic, tension, and restricted intake [because of tension] ensue.

For practicing relaxed, full intake breaths, Lloyd advises using etudes.

When you practice etudes, you've got a long, long way to go. It's quite easy to play through 2/3 of an etude very well indeed. It's the last third that gets harder and harder, both from the breathing point and stamina point.261

An etude he finds particularly useful is the Paganini Perpetual Mobile. Beginning with a full, relaxed breath, the flutist should play until they have used about half their breath. Then, they should stop, relax, fill again, and play until that breath is halfway gone; then repeat the process.

You've got a lot of lines, miles and miles of [notes]. You can never let your breath get down to the bottom, because you can never recover it....You must breathe earlier, and I say about halfway--unless of course, you can see the end and you know that you're going to make it. Then of course, you can go to the end.262

By practicing taking breaths before they are actually needed, flutists will have enough air to use for color, control, and projection. Plus, they will be more relaxed and confident because they (and the music) will not be at the mercy of their lung capacity. This practice converts easily into musical phrasing.

Mostly, people tend to look at a phrase and say, "Oh, I've only got to get from there to there for the first phrase." And then [when they get to the second phrase] you think, "Oh my God, now what am I going to do?" And then you're sunk. You have to remember to...get ahead.263 For most of those sorts of places [for instance]...a Bach sonata...try to find ways by which to breathe when you still have plenty of air in.264

Stance

Without proper stance, full and free breathing is difficult. Slumping forward, hunching the shoulders or raising them while taking a breath, and holding the arms either too close or too far from the body all make a relaxed, full breath an impossibility.

Peter Lloyd advocates the "Gilbert stance." The Gilbert stance includes the following: (1) standing at least a flute's length away from the music stand, (2) placing the feet about twelve inches apart with the left foot forward and the right foot back, with the flutist's weight resting on the right foot, and (3) turning the body slightly to the right [at the waist] and keeping the elbows lifted a bit and held away from the body.

Geoffrey Gilbert taught students to balance more on the right leg than the front, which keeps the flutist from hunching forward. Lloyd modifies this aspect.

One should balance oneself on both legs equally. Weight needs to be strong on both legs, because otherwise tension comes in if you don't balance properly.

Both agree that flutists should stand back from the music, which eliminates the temptation to raise the stand to head height [muffling the sound and looking ridiculous in performance--i.e., the headless flute player] or the temptation to crook the head down in order to see the stand, impeding the flow of air coming through the back of the throat. The latter is a problem even with advanced flutists.

Peter Lloyd also advises a slight rotation at the waist, settling into a comfortable position facing toward the left. This relieves a great deal of tension in the left arm.

What happens when you play directly in front of the music stand, you're pulling that left shoulder across and that is going to cause you muscular problems. If you start trying to practice for long periods of time....and you've got any pain back there at all, as the years go by, it'll get worse.

Another problem with "band stance"--the stance many flutists learn in marching band--is the tendency to hold the elbows so high that they are almost parallel too the flute. This causes the wrists to become highly flexed and rigid, constricting the blood and oxygen flow to the fingers and inviting carpal tunnel syndrome due to the type of rapid, repetitive movements needed for flute playing.

When you set up, be careful that the left arm isn't higher by too much. The left arm should be allowed to drop, under normal circumstances.

If you're going to balance yourselves, try to balance the flute from the right hand first, onto the [left] shoulder. Then you hang the left hand off. [Then] come round to the right, to wherever your normal position is. This [indicates head, neck, shoulders] floats. You can float right around, you can go as far as it doesn't hurt. Don't go so far that you bring your shoulder in. [Now] you're totally relaxed without pressure on anything.

Don't put that left arm up, if only for the reason that if you go too far, the only [other] way you can support the flute is by pushing it into your lip. And once you start that, you are bringing tension to [the embouchure]....the whole thing is as free and relaxed as can be.

Then, when you're playing, think free wrists. Think relaxed wrists. If your wrists are relaxed, it's probable that the rest of your shoulders is pretty free. If you leave your left hand down [a bit], you're totally free. But if you raise that elbow two inches, you can feel the tension.

Now, usually when that happens you've tightened the muscles here [indicates chest area and back area] and that interferes with your breathing. The whole thing adds up.

The mirror is your best friend....It's going to be able to suggest, point things out. Your development is always in the practice room and the more mirror you use [the better]. [You'll see] problems of tension. If I tell you that you are moving, you don't believe me. Why should you? You can't see yourself. Seeing is believing, okay?

A stance problem that Peter Lloyd points out to many students is the tendency to move about a great deal while playing. This habit was a "pet peeve" with Geoffrey Gilbert, who felt that excessive body movements were "subconscious behaviors caused by not being sure of your ability to communicate expression in the sound." Lloyd feels strongly that too much "expressive" movement can displace the flute from the aperture hole, causing control problems and also constricting the breathing process.

Generally...the more movement and tension, the more it affects the breathing and then it affects the projection. I don't think that anyone should be stock-still. Take a lesson from Monsieur Rampal. When he moves, all this is absolutely stable [indicates flute mouthpiece/ embouchure area]. He moves here [indicates waist].

You've got to keep the stability here [indicates embouchure]. That's the important thing. If I'm moving, I'm going to do it from my body and not from my head. I'm going to move there [indicates waist] because that will keep me stable here [indicates lip] and I think that's terribly important. Otherwise, you could drop this [flute headjoint] a bit and the sound will change.

Displacing the embouchure is not the only problem of overly-expressive body movement. It also causes tension in the upper chest and shoulders, and control is considerably decreased.

When considering the aforementioned instructions and admonitions, Lloyd cautions flutists against becoming over analytical. He feels that trying too hard to be correct in one's stance only results in tension, producing exactly the opposite result intended by his suggestions.

Please try not to try. Stop thinking. Once you've gotten yourself set up well, try to relax and just play. The more tension that comes in from the brain, the harder it's going to be.

Correct Use and Affect on Flute Performance

Use of wind is the single most important aspect of flute playing. It touches many aspects of music-making besides the actual production of notes--such as dynamics, intonation, articulation, tone color, and vibrato production.

Peter Lloyd's concern with this subject began with his teaching at Indiana. Before that, he had basically passed along ideas presented to him by others. "So much had been fed into me by the wonderful teachers that I had experienced, that I was really quite confused as to the way I was teaching." At Indiana, confronted with students who had basic problems, Lloyd had to come to terms with what was important Although teachers everywhere advocate "support," Peter Lloyd believes that a well-directed, controlled wind supply is the key to achieving variety in one's flute playing. It's through the big breathing that you understand sonority and sound and what you can do with it. It's not just a question of volume...but [of] color, control of pianissimo. It all comes from free breathing. So much of this stems from observing and understanding singing; how singers use their mouths, throats, and tongue, and the amount of air needed. Try singing a note and then playing it, using the same shape in your mouth. It tells you a lot about harmonics in sound.

Answer for the Quiz

1.    A

2.    A

3.    C

4.    B

5.    B

6.    C

7.    A

8.    A

9.    A

10.  B

11.  C

12.  B

Quiz on Flute

Quiz on Flute

1.Do you use your left pinky in the middle "A" flat?

            

          A Yes  B No

2. Do you use your regular left thumb key when playing a "B" flat?

          A Yes  B No

3. What fingers do you use to play a middle "C"?

       

       A Left thumb and right index finger

       B All finger

       C Left index finger and right pinky

4. How many ways is there to play a middle and the next to the higest "B"?

        

        A One

        B Two

        C Three

        D More than three

5. When changing from a "G" to an "F" what finger do you put down?

A  Left index   finger                                                        
B  Right Index finger                                                         
C  None of these

6. What color is a normal flute?

            A White                                                                
            B Black
            C Silver

7. True or false, is there a bass flute?

            A True  B False

8. Do you play a piccolo the same way you play a flute?

            A Yes  B No

9. Is there such thing as an "open holed flute"?

            A Yes  B No

10. Which hand is the closest to the mouth piece?

                                                                                         
A Right hand     B Left hand

11. How do you hold a flute?

 A  Out to the left                                                           
 B  In front of you
 C Out to the right 

 

12. How many fingers do you use to play the flute?

A 10                                                                                  
B 9                                    
C 8                                                                                      

Overview

There are numerous types of bamboo flutes made all over the world, such as the dizi, xiao, shakuhachi, palendag and jinghu. In India, it is a very popular and highly respected musical instrument, available even to the poorest and the choice of many highly venerated maestros of classical music. It is known and revered above all as the divine flute forever associated with Lord Krishna, who is always portrayed holding a bansuri in sculptures and paintings. Four of the instruments used in Polynesia for traditional hula are made of bamboo: nose flute, rattle, stamping pipes and the jaw harp. Bamboo may be used in the construction of the Australian didgeridoo instead of the more traditional eucalyptus wood. In Indonesia and the Philippines, bamboo has been used for making various kinds of musical instruments, including the kolintang, angklung and bumbong.

Bamboo is also used to make slit drums. Traditional Philippine banda kawayan (bamboo bands) use a variety of bamboo musical instruments, including themarimba, angklung, panpipes and bumbong, as well as bamboo versions of western instruments, such as clarinets, saxophones, and tubas.^[2] The Las Piñas Bamboo Organ in the Philippines has pipes made of bamboo culms. The modern amplified string instrument, the Chapman stick, is also constructed using bamboo. The khene (also spelled khaen, kaen and khen; Lao: ແຄນ, Thai: แคน) is a mouth organ of Lao origin whose pipes, which are usually made of bamboo, are connected with a small, hollowed-out hardwood reservoir into which air is blown, creating a sound similar to that of the violin. In the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar, the valiha, a long tube zither made of a single bamboo stalk, is considered the national instrument.

Bamboo has also recently been used for the manufacture of guitars and ukuleles. Bamboo Ukuleles are constructed of solid cross laminated bamboo strips not plywood. The bamboo solid wood strips are similar to bamboo manufactured flooring. In addition to their strength, bamboo ukuleles have excellent sound & rival ukuleles made out of more traditional woods like Mahogany and KOA. Bamboo makes an excellent choice for an eco-friendly cost conscious ukulele aficionados.

10 Interesting Facts About Flute

When many people think of flute they think of  a transverse flute, which is typically used in bands and orchestras. The flute has been a part of history for thousands of years and has evolved over that time into the instrument that is often seen today. Here are ten facts you may not have known about the flute:

1        A musician who plays the flute can be referred to as a flute player, a flautist, a flutist, or, less commonly, a fluter.

2        There are many different sizes of flutes within the flute family: piccolo, alto, tenor, bass and contrabass flute.

3        Standard concert flute is pitched in the key of C, and has a range of approximately 3 octaves.

4        Alto flute is pitched in the key of G

5        Flutes have been made out of lots of different materials throughout history including: bone, wood, glass, ivory, plastic, resin, brass, nickel silver, silver, gold and platinum.

6        Theobald Boehm helped create the modern Western flute. He started improving flute design and the fingering system of the flute between 1831 and 1847. Most flutists had adopted Boehm’s changes to the design by the second half of the 19^th century.

7        George Washington, James Madison and Leonardo da Vinci all played the flute.

8        Flutes are considered one of the earliest instruments and date back to Germany over 35,000 years ago.

9        Many cultures have their own version of the flute. For example, one of the most popular traditional Japenese flutes is the the Shakuhachi.

10   The earliest use of the word “flute” was in the 14^th century