How can I improve these techniques on flute? (vibrato, double tonguing)?

Question:I have been playing for about 4 years, yet I feel that my vibrato and double-tonguing could be better.

When playing with the TKTK pattern while double-tonguing, the K sound tends to be louder, more accented than the T sound. So I've been working on the KTKT pattern to balance this yet it's still developing. Any other tips?

My teacher told me to practice vibrato with a metronome using various beats. I'm doing that, but are there any other things I need to keep in mind? (other than good support...)

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I have been playing for about 4 years, yet I feel that my vibrato and double-tonguing could be better.

When playing with the TKTK pattern while double-tonguing, the K sound tends to be louder, more accented than the T sound. So I've been working on the KTKT pattern to balance this yet it's still developing. Any other tips?

My teacher told me to practice vibrato with a metronome using various beats. I'm doing that, but are there any other things I need to keep in mind? (other than good support...)

For vibrato, it really helps to listen to another person do vibrato well. You can try to copy them. Sometimes you just need to hear it done to know exactly how it is supposed to sound. What part of your body are you using for vibrato? If you are using your diaphragm, you can practice waves. I use my diaphragm, and I think I use a little of my throat too.
Practice different sized waves, but never let them get too small. If it gets too small, your vibrato will become shaky, and this is very obnoxious to listen to. You'd be better off with no vibrato than shaky vibrato, because it's easier to learn something new than to fix something you're doing wrong. Have somebody listen to your vibrato(a teacher or band director who knows what they're talking about) and ask them to tell you how your vibrato sounds. Many flute players develop this shaky vibrato and play for years like that because nobody told them it was wrong. I've seen it happen. *shudders*
Practice slow, lyrical music. It might be easier if you are actually playing something expressive. However, make sure you practice something easy, because you don't want to have to concern yourself with technique and such when you only want to practice vibrato.

Your vibrato should not be obvious to the listener. It should be within the tone, not on top of your tone. It's hard to explain. But if it sticks out it can be obnoxious. Your vibrato and your tone should be one. It should enhance the tone.

Vibrato style tip: For lower notes, use larger waves. For high notes, use smaller waves(but not shaky). This stylistically sounds better most of the time.

Now for double tonguing, you should be practicing a TON without your flute. Practice while you are walking between classes, walking here or there, at home on the couch, whenever. Just practice the motion with your tongue. It's good to practice the KTKT method. You should keep doing that.

You really shouldn't practice double tonguing slowly like you would practice everything else. You don't start practicing at top speed, but don't start really slow. It is somewhat of a reflex reaction of your tongue(I have actually read this in a flute book), and you just need to practice making it even and making your tongue react more quickly. Strive to make your tonguing light too. This will make it much easier in the long run.

Well, good luck, and happy fluting. =)

I use the taka double tounging pattern ta-ka-ta-ka. double tounging takes alot of practice so keep working on it. As for vibrato I use my the fluttering of my diaphram. Like I have really fast hicups or somthing. hope that helps :)

My teacher in college taught me to double tongue by starting out slow and basically ta-ka-ta-ka etc... I would practice saying it in my car, in the shower, whenever I thought about it and each time I would say it faster and faster and apply that to my playing skills.

For vibrato, that same teacher taught my to drag out the vibrato with my diaphram. It's pretty much like blowing little puffs of air into your instrument and doing it continously until it sounds like a beautiful sound. This process is kinda hard to describe but I hope it helps.

Double tonguing:

I have all of my students start REALLLLLLLLY slow, and on repetitive notes. The goal is to make both syllables sound EXACTLY the same before moving on to a higher speed. That is the first step that needs to be taken, and it is difficult to do. It is important bc double tonguing does not mean that you are tonguing harder--it is just a different motion with the tongue that takes practice to get. It also takes different air speed than regular playing (faster air). Once you really get this, you can speed up gradually, keeping in mind that you need to keep the sound even.

the exercise I have them do is this:

1&2 1&2 1e+a 2 1e+a 2
TTT KKK KTKTK TKTKT (start on C2, repeat exercise chromatically up to C3 )

To smooth out, you can think a smoother articulation such as "DUGU" or "Duh-guh" Once you can do this at about m.=110-120, start working on double tonguing w/different notes (again, starting fairly slow), while continuing to increase the speed of this exercise.

For vibrato---yes, listen to other people's vibrato. I recommend that for tone as well. If you are good at imitating people you should be able to emulate the sound somewhat. But you still have to know what to do. For vibrato, the style the music is in as well as register is of utmost importantce. Generally you will use slower vibrato for low notes, and you will also use slower overall vibrato for gentle, adagio pieces. Your higher register should always use faster vibrato than your lower register...so even if it's slow and you're using slow vibrato, your higher register's vibrato speed should be faster. You can also put more vibrato on notes that you want to emphasize. Don't put vibrato on all notes, only longer ones (like don't use vibrato on sixteenths).