My Favourite Exercises from the Trevor Wye Practice Books

Hi everyone,

In todays post I will be talking about a few of my favourite exercises from the Trevor Wye Practice Books.

Tone Exercises

Low Register & Middle Register Exercises

I really like this exercises, as they really help to focus on developing your tone within the different registers on the flute. When I first started to use these exercises it really highlighted how not so good my tone was on the flute was at that time. These exercises also seem really easy, but the reality is that they're not easy and they do push you to develop your tone on the flute and to also produce a nice, smooth tone on the flute. 

  These tone exercises are brilliant to use if you have just upgraded your flute, as it will enable you to get used to your flute and to at least give you an insight to what tonal colours your new flute will be able to produce.

  The key to these exercises is to definitely work through them slowly, and to focus on what tonal colours you would like the flute produce.

Breathing & Scales Exercises

Expressive Scales & Arpeggios

I really like the expressive scales and arpeggios exercises, as its a completely different way of practicing your scales and arpeggios. 

  With these exercises you will start of playing the standard scale or arpeggio, and then they will go up/ down half a step as you progress through the exercise. In some cases the scale or arpeggio will do something a little different and then finish on a variation of the relative minor scale.

  These can be a little tricky at first for you to get your fingers round, but in time with practice they should hopefully become easier.

Technique Exercises

Machiavellian Exercises 1 & 2

These exercises can be a little tricky at first, and it does take a while for you to figure out what it is that you are supposed to be doing with the Machiavellian exercises.

  The aim of the Machiavellian exercises to get your fingers to work independently on the flute, and across all ranges on the flute.

  It took me a good few attempts to actually get used to working through the Machiavellian exercises, but even now as I'm used to playing them and working through them; my fingers still get tripped up.

  I would recommend working on these slowly, and a few at time as these exercises can easily become overwhelming; especially if your not used to them.