First steps
Once the diligent flutist has purchased a piccolo, he or she needs to study. I mean not only the three Vivaldi Concerti (originally written for sopranino recorder, the highest ancient flute) and the main orchestral excerpts required in most of the auditions. If you limit yourself to the above, you will only study important pieces of music, not your instrument.
As we have already stated, each piccolo is a unique instrument. It is necessary to let the particular characteristics of this new instrument enter in our ears, our muscles, our nerves.
Don’t be in a hurry to perform. You should look forward to studying this delicate-appearing instrument not just for a week, but for years!
Playing the piccolo well requires elimination of all tension in our lips and jaw. For piccolo beginners, it is a good idea to precede piccolo practice with a flute warm-up. Once the embouchure is flexible, we can avoid trying to play in tune by using excessive embouchure tension. This is a mistake that leads flutists to think that piccolo playing will hurt their flute-playing. This is why I do not recommend trying to focus the sound immediately. Instead, first try to find the position for good support, the best direction and pressure for the air column. When you are supporting well and have found the best air speed and pressure, the piccolo will respond with flexibility and sweetness. It is possible to obtain a small hole between the lips without tension. Remember, you will need a great deal of mobility in the lips and jaw, which is not possible when there is a great deal of tension there. Experiment with different air directions and blowing pressures. Don’t try to play in tune when your embouchure is still stiff! Playing E-B and F-C in the second octave on many piccolos (not all of them) is a good test for finding the two variables of blowing, direction and pressure. When you can play E-B and F-C in the second octave in tune, you will have found the correct direction and pressure for your air column!
Playing harmonic tones (or “upper partials”) is an excellent exercise for developing sufficient air pressure and correct blowing direction. (example1)
Play with as little embouchure tension as possible!
Play the same exercise from different fundamental tones.
Don’t worry if the high harmonics tones are hard to play. They will become easier with time.
Play some little melodies until they are sure and easy. You can find them in the first chapter about harmonics in the first of Trevor Wye’s “Practice Books for the Flute”.
Once we have determined the correct air pressure and direction, we need to address tuning.
The western system of tonality features “perfect” intervals: the octave, the fifth and the fourth. These are intervals which don’t change regardless of the harmonic context in which they are found. Other intervals (thirds, sixths, sevenths) do change, depending on their context. That is why perfect intervals are the ideal starting point for the study of tuning.
Some students will need to train their musical hearing also.
Often, flutists who are able to hear the tuning of intervals precisely on their flute cannot do so when frequencies and tone-color change, so don’t hesitate to use an electronic tuner.
Use a tuner to test your hearing by looking at the needle only to confirm accuracy when you feel that you are playing an interval in tune.
example 2: Let’s start from these intervals:
Play this exercise starting from Eb, E, F, Gb, G, and Ab also.
If you find it too hard to start from low D, you can also start from E or B of the second octave.
When you get good results, start from F# of the third octave also, playing descending intervals.
Always play with relaxed lips, throat and jaw! This doesn’t mean that these parts of our body do not move - try to only tense the muscles that you need at that precise moment.
Don’t attempt extreme dynamics - you’ll only find that doing so only creates unnecessary tension. Just utilize the piccolo’s most natural dynamics, at least for the first steps.
The relationship between the notes in the context of the melody and harmony is what is crucial to playng in tune with oneself and with others, not whether the needle is at zero for every note.
Your ability to play in tune will improve greatly if these exercises are part of your daily practice!
