Double Tonguing
Interpretation
Intonation
Performances
Technique
Tone
Vibrato
Braces
Braces are a big pain, but it is possible to have great tone and braces at the same time- I promise. When you first get them on (or off) you will have to adjust your embouchure because your mouth is moving. Be sure to practice tone exercises (see my tone page) every day. Your tone should return with time. Your private teacher can help you with this, too.
Flutist or Flautist??
Personally, I have to go with flutist. First of all, I play the flute, not the flaut, so that would make me a flutist, not a flautist. Also, I have found that most flutists prefer "flutist," while most non-flutists use "flautist" because they think it makes them sound smarter and more informed.
Heat
In the summertime, the heat and humidity can cause some problems for flutes. First, the heat will often make a flute go sharp. You may need to pull out the head joint a little more than normal to stay in tune. Also, the pads on your flute's keys may become sticky in the humidity. To solve this problem, you can clean the keys with pad paper or cigarette paper- but no dollar bills. Just put a piece of the paper under the sticky pad, close the key, press down, open the key, and pull the paper out. You might want to check the cork in your head joint, too- they can expand in the heat. Just put your cleaning rod into the head joint with the "needle eye" part facing out, and make sure that the line lines up with the center of the embouchure hole. If it does not, unscrew the headjoint cap a little bit and gently tap the flute against your hand to move the cork. Your teacher can help you with this. Keep cool and have fun this summer- and oh, yeah, don't take your flute on long car rides with you or leave it in the trunk.
Recordings
Occasionally, it's a good idea to record yourself practicing so that you have a record of your sound. Listening to the recordings will also give you a ton of new ideas of what to work on in your practice- I always find that it's amazing how different my playing sounds to me on the tapes! When recording yourself, make sure you stand far away from the tape recorder, otherwise you can get a lot of feedback and a very distorted sound.
Stolen Flutes
No one wants to think that their flute could get stolen, but it could happen to anyone. Make sure your flute is covered by an insurance policy, and memorize your flute's serial number. Always watch your flute if you have to set it down somewhere. If your flute does get stolen, there are many good websites that list stolen flutes so hopefully they can be found.
1) Masterclass Notes- Playing tips from various masterclasses. From Flutes are Fabulous.
2) Tips- Tons of playing tips. From Flute and Piccolo Place.
3) Flute FAQ- Answers almost every single question a flutist could possibly have. From Larry Kranz Flute Pages.