Low G dizi - challenging hole coverage?

[xindi]

Jan 17, 2012 13:31:06 GMT Blue said:

Lip balm before playing the flute . . . . (Allen rolls his eyes and decides to say nothing further).

Well yes, I know it goes against being a stud-muffin, but when stalked by gifts from female fans, how can I refuse?

[Flolei]

Dear Xindi,

Thanks for your good advice for my performance. It was much better than when I performed before (twice last year). Now I think it will be better and better each time. For the first time I got the feeling that the audience is not a monster who wants to “devour” me, but kind people I would like to tell something to.

As you will hear on the recording (only the last 0,99 MB of the piece), it was not perfect, of course not. The long notes were shorter, some notes were trembling, hesitating. But anyway, I DID IT! The funniest thing is that I forgot to play a part (about 30 seconds), but I noticed this only at home, when discovering the recording. The next time I will be more careful when I’ll play by heart.

Thanks again, tomorrow I’ll write some other comments for the forum and post a sample of my playing with the new low G dizi!

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[edcat7]

Well played. If I didn't know better I would have thought that Xindi played it.

[Flolei]

(Well, well... Thanks a lot, but I'm really not sure that our colleague will appreciate this comparaison...

[xindi]

That's lovely Flolei! I like slow pieces (more than fast pieces) ...if I could read chinese, I could probably figure out which piece it is from several of my books.

I'm so pleased it went well - I certainly enjoyed hearing it and I bet the audience did too - the majority, not being flute players, wouldn't even notice things which you've detailed.

I wouldn't fault the 'trembling' - I know it's not a standard dizi technique, however vibrato, especially pulsing, using the throat, is something I try to do, partly because the fragility of the flute's tones become more pronounced in slow music, adding texture and distinctiveness to a note, which could otherwise just be exposed as a shortened long note. Personally I like it when done sparingly like this. I've noticed when I listen to flute players who use some vibrato, suddenly I become more attentive to the character of the tones in the melody, rather than just blandly listening as if each note was just a plateau.

In any case, Ed's being nice to me lol. He knows that I often burst out giggling or laughing before I even get to the end of a piece, or gasp like I've got emphysemafor air, because the low G dizi completely drains my lung capacity

[Flolei]

Dear Xindi,

Today I keep my promise and close this topic with a sample of my playing with the beautiful DXH low G. It is only a first recording after one week practicing. I hope that Mr Tan won0t think I make a bad advertising for his flutes.

As you can hear, you are right: the hole coverage IS NOT challenging at all. The only problem is the breathing or air capacity I have to make bigger. It is the main point I have to improve if I want to play this flute.

If I speak about recordings, last week I was on holidays and posted two videos on Youtube. Here they are:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JELTBsI9rDo&feature=plcp&context=C3f86048UDOEgsToPDskI98KhcOnVZlCQE0lu8Hzq-

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpwf3Iup5_s&feature=related

If I knew before that it was so funny to make such videos, I would have done it! Of course it is not perfect, but anyway I think it isn't unpleasant for ears.

For a future performance I will start to improve and make more "sure" "The little cowherd" with the D dizi. I like the idea to concentrate myself to one piece and make is better.

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[Blue]

You play *much* better than I can. I'm just an engineer who plays horribly on the rooftop of the company to cope with the stress of work instead of those who go into the smoking area and cope with nicotine!

[Flolei]

Thanks for your kind feedback.
You know, I am a lucky player for two things:
- For my job, I have to work a lot at home. So, each rest in my workday at home is devoded to flute playing. If I would be every day at work in a company, I would have rests in a pub or in a room in the company, probably with colleagues. No flute playing in this case.
- I live in a nice house at the countryside. The first neighbour is about 100 m from our house. So, when my husband is at work, I can play as loudly as I want (and as false as I want).
So, I can say that I am very very lucky.

[xindi]

They're both lovely pieces, and it's fantastic to hear you play so fluently on both dizi and xiao flute! Never mind the little blips...they're very minor.

What are you using to record? It's way better than the junk I'm using lol. Actually I was given a digital recorder, and I haven't figured out how to turn it on yet :eek:

I don't think I have ever succeeded in finishing a low G piece, without expiring...the air shift is quite something isn't it. I tend to play, standing up (better diaphragm control) but in winter, I feel like curling into a ball due to the cold, so I only play xiao falling asleep lol.

Great to hear you've got the perfect practice studio too....I have neighbours, about 10 metres away. With the doors and windows closed, I think I'm okay. Otherwise, I just try and head out to the woodlands.

[Flolei]

Dear Xindi,

Thanks for your kind comment.

I must confess I don't play always the both instruments. I follow my mood. At home I really like to play xiao, but if I want to prepare something for a potential performance, I play dizi. It depends also on music. Xiao is darker and "wilder", but dizi has deep low tones, lovely light high tones and beautiful capacity of expressing dynamics... Two very different instruments. Now, with the low G I like to compare how sounds a melody I played before with xiao in G.

For recording I use a digital recorder Handy recorder H2 by Zoom corporation and Audiacity for amplifying the recording and cuting the beiginning and the end. The little device was quite expensive for me (about 200 EUR), but I bought it when I began to play witj my Chinese friend who plays guzheng. I knew that it was an exceptionnal luck to know her and play with here, so I wanted to keep a souvenir of this interesting experience.

[xindi]

Your playing is very relaxing to hear! Unlike mine

I've been travelling a month and since coming back to my Boehm flute, my embouchure is all messed up. At least I hope it is, otherwise I will have to get my flute serviced which is no small fee. That's the great thing aboutthe dizi flutes!

The xiao flutes do have a greater range of overtones which makes them very rich - it takes some practice to play as smoothly as you've done here, particularly with attention to the rhythm of a piece, no matter how slow. I think my rhythm is inherently idiosyncratic from solo playing - fantastic that you have a guzheng colleague, whom you can pair up with for duets. Perhaps she can play the dance of the Yi people (Grade 6 on guzheng?) as you do the flute part?

That's a great little recorder - it gets some fantastic reviews. Got to get one on my shopping list....

But for now, I'm reminded that I haven't written a review of Francois de Villier's plastic modern ethnic flute yet...!

[Blue]

Yes, you have been reminded about writing that review. The audience--including yours truly-- is waiting.

[xindi]

I've errr...almost started!

Only to discover my Microsoft Word no longer works.

Hardest thing is trying to get a decent recording device for it.

Actually, the hardest thing is trying to play it lol

[Blue]

What type of challenge do you have with playing it, maestro Xindi?

[xindi]

Well you know that err...Imelda Marcos collection of flutes that I have (before you cribbed that epithet from me ) .. it's getting in the way, so that my embouchure is all over the place.

Coupled with my new discovery of baroque fingering for the guanzi (these reed instruments are a sure way to destroy embouchure consistency by numbing the lips for most the evening), and mostly, because I've ditched all my Grade 8 classical flute pieces to try and master 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' on the pipa....there just isn't enough time in the day to devote myself to the xiao flute ;/

In any case, I just bought a new microphone, and it's incredibly quiet, even at the highest recording volume. Is there anything I can do to improve it?

Apart from buying another one that is...