Thanks Kara for the inspiration! I had a few tracks I had recorded on my computer that I would like people to hear. Some are flute, Some are clarinet, some are mixed, all are me with my computer (My computer only plays the background so pieces like Bagatelle, a clarinet quartet, all the parts were recorded by myself). You'll find a few surprises along the way also! Just don't knock it too much, I AM an amateur at the moment. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing Dennis and great job! I really like the Rhonda Larson piece. I have that one too, but have yet to get around to perfecting it. How long did it take you to? Just curious, how long to you practice a day on the flute if you don't mind me asking? I am quilty of not practicing much anymore. It depends on what I have coming up to play for and then I go to town on it. I used to play a LOT more when I was younger, but not as much now, though I will never quit entirely.
Though be aware about doubling... the flute's tone and intonation are the first casualties. If you listen the Beauty and the Beast notice how the end of almost every phrase becomes flat, but some of your other recordings don't have that issue at all.
Simply dedicating some major warmup/etude time to your flute before you record something will alleviate that issue (unless you have been really neglecting the flute... more time could be necessary).
I rather liked the Jurassic bit though, the clarinet choir reminds me of accordians.
Thanks guys! I practice a bit each day. I can't say I practice a lot. As for the tone of my flute..most of those recordings were done about 2 years ago (especially the Beauty and the Beast one). I have come a long way since then! The Rhonda Larson piece was just recorded last week I believe. As far as how long it took me to get it...well once I figured out the harmony (all the extra notes) the melody came quite easily. I think it was somewhere around a week or two of on/off practicing for that. I can also play Sweet Simplicity, and Lughnasa. What Flute piece should I do next. Solo-wise I mean. Muczynski? Mozart? Quantz? If I have it I will give it a go!
-Dennis
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P.S. about warming up also...I never used to warm up. I would also double/triple back and forth between my clarinet and sax along with my flute. I took my first flute lesson this past fall (I also only had about 5 lessons total I believe). My tone GREATLY improved after the first lesson, but I felt like after the 5 lessons that I was ticking her off too much because I was adamant about using certain fingerings for things! They still sound good in the recording eventhough I used them all over the place. Especially in that Rhonda Larson piece. So anywho, I stopped lessons because I didn't want to keep making her mad! Those have been my only 5 lessons in 13 years of Flute playing...HAHAHA I SOOO need more! Now I use the Galway warm-up sheets. OH MY GOD! They are great! You work on crossing the breaks, and scales and tone all at once. I think I might try Mozart 1 tomorrow. See if I can get that to sound ok. Tah tah!
I don't have mercadante yet! I love it too, but I can't seem to find the Concerto in D anywhere!!!
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Maybe I will do Sweet Simplicity without the piano of course! Do you really like the Celtic/Folkish flute music also Kara? What country do you live in BTW?
I really like Celtic music too! We have the same taste. I live in the US. Little Rock AR. email me privately at kara_kay69@yahoo.com and I will help you get the Mercandantes piece.
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I have the Concerto in E minor, that was the one I was referring to.
That's great Kara! I love the Concerto in e also, but the Polacca from Concerto in D is fabulous!
In regards to "page cannot be displayed": It is not working for me right now either. Either the server might be down or there might be a problem. Try back later, and hopefully it will be done correctly.
Wow that was awesome! I wish I could play like that... I feel so inspired to do some different things now. Maybe start a little clarinet quartet or something. I've been thinking about selling my trumpet and getting a flute. Personally, I think I could increase my playability range if I got lessons too. Right now would be the best time. I feel that I play better at my school than I do at home. I play by myself at school when our band room is empty so I won't be disturbed and I get way more satisfation than when I play to myself at home. Dennis, you are the man! That was excellent!
Thank you very much Toni and AnneMarii (I think that was how it was spelled since I can't see it while I am writing this!)!! I have a Music recording program on my computer. Along with that and a good microphone you can make pretty decent recordings onto it if you have a computer that is pretty stable and has some speed to it. I have a (very amatuer) recording I did of Rhapsody in Blue for an entire clarinet choir...that I played every single part of! I am trying to cut it into two parts right now so that I may post it. I wish it wasn't such a big file! I will put a link on this message when it is ready. I am almost done writing out the parts now for it. This version recorded doesn't have the "extra" piano solo found near 75% of the song. I recorded it only from the score, and transposed as I played. Thank the heavens that wasn't a disaster. It DID take me about a month to record it, though. Tah Tah!!
Here we are. I have chopped the Rhapsody in Blue into two pieces. Please be patient with the downloading. One is 10Mb and the other is 18Mb. They might take a bit to download. Please keep in mind that this is very amateur recording. I was quite impressed when I recorded the first 5 measures that I just kept going! This was the beginning of my "choir" recordings. I don't own a bass clarinet so I think some parts weren't as hearty as they could have been. It still turned out great, though. With the rhapsody #1...please adjust your speakers....The first recording was done with a horrible microphone just to play around. Well, my roommate sliced the microphone cord when he ran it over with a chair! So I went out and bought a new microphone, and that would be the second recording. The first recording gets LOUD with all the parts playing at one time. Enjoy!!!!!
I can find the Mercadante in e, just not the D....I wanted to purchase them at the same time. I might have to go to like Sheetmusicplus.com or something. I also wanted to let you know I have a friend who lives outside of Little Rock, AR. He was born in Conway. He's very cool...a vocalist also. Maybe we will have to go visit him and then visit you also! HAHAHA!!!