1. Rub your right pinky finger along side of your nose to help it slide more easily from the D# key (lower pinky) to the C# and C keys on the foot joint. 2. When approaching low C# or C from any note other than Eb/D# or High A, leave the D# key off on the note before the low C or C# so that your pinky finger has time to get to the lower foot joint key(s). This can make for smoother fingering. 3. Make sure on low C that you use both the C & C# keys. Some band fingering charts only show the low C roller as being depressed, but most flutes will leak if you don't depress both keys. 4. If you have trouble reaching the gizmo key on your low B foot joint when playing high notes, use the low B roller key instead. 5. Use your index and ring fingers for the trill keys instead of the middle finger. This keeps your hand balanced and in position. (The notable exception to this is the high Bb fingering). 6. When slurring down to high E natural from high A natural, take your D# key (lower pinky) off on High E. The high E will respond much more easily. Note that the D# key must be on for high A or it won't come out. 7. Piccolo players that have a middle G - A natural trill, can "cheat" and cross trill, using the right hand index finger instead of the 3rd finger on the left hand. It gives a more even trill. This generally works best on a sustained trill. |
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