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NEW: Altus Flute Range A9-A12 Models
7th May 2024The new Altus Flute range continues on the legacy of excellence created by the Japanese company. In this blog we discuss some of the new features of these stunning professional flutes.
NEW STOCK: Open Hole Flute Pads
19th March 2024We’re delighted to now offer a full range of open hole flute pads to our customers. This means no more punching holes into standard pads, you can simply buy the size and pad type you need in the open hole configuration. Check out the video and text below which explains the different models we are stocking in 17mm-18.5mm sizes.
Piccolo Probe Attachment (The Flute Ferret)
22nd August 2023In this short blog we take a look at the Piccolo Probe for use on the Flute Ferret device. This combo can be used to diagnose pad leaks on piccolo flutes and help you resolve them. It’s a ‘must have’ for any discerning Woodwind Repair Technician.
How Much Do Flutes Cost?
20th June 2022As with any instrument, the cost of flutes can depend on a few factors. These can be split into features like playing level, keywork styles, age and silver content. We’ll break down the features of a few highlights at different playing levels to help you understand the differences of prices on the market!
Repair Materials Spotlight: Mini Woodwind Repair Kit
15th March 2022If you play Flute, Clarinet or Oboe this is a perfect small repair kit for minor fixes and diagnosis of your instrument. This combination of a small screwdriver, our smallest spring hook and Yamaha cleaning papers (useful as a feeler gauge) is small enough to fit in most instrument cases or outer bags.
Perfect for taking to band practice when your playing colleagues ask you to “just have a look” or you have a sudden playing fault on your own instrument – the ideal kit for the gigging repairer.
The Best Accessories for Yamaha Woodwind Instruments
25th August 2021If you’ve invested wisely in a quality Yamaha Woodwind instrument such as a Clarinet, Flute or Saxophone it’s a sensible idea to keep it well maintained. Choosing and using the best accessories for your Yamaha instrument will help maintain its finish, keep it playing better and support a stronger resale value.
In this blog we’ll take a look at the best accessories for your Yamaha woodwind instrument…
Auxiliary Woodwind Instruments
19th February 2020This is a term you may have heard before, but what exactly does it mean? In short, an auxiliary instrument is any ‘non-standard’ version of the common members of an instrumental family. They’re often used in orchestras and other ensembles by the specialist players. Today we’re looking at the auxiliary instruments in the woodwind family, as well as a few that we sell in store!
Flute Upgrade Guide
1st February 2020In this flute upgrade guide we’re looking at everything you need to know. When to upgrade, why to upgrade, what the spec differences are and much more. Read on for more info…
Lightweight Legends! Beginner and Student Woodwind Alternatives
9th January 2020Musical instruments are complicated pieces of technology. In recent history (well, the last few hundred years) woodwinds in particular have seen huge shifts in design. Often the design of instruments make them unsuitable for young beginners, or people with physical handicaps – this could be due to the weight, the stretch required to reach keys, or the complexity of maintaining a wood or metal instrument and mechanism.
But as much as technology has created complexity of design, it’s also allowed for simplicity! We stock a number of plastic instruments designed for younger players, or indeed anyone else who may struggle with the stretch or weight of ‘standard’ instruments.
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Five Flute Maintenance Essentials
28th November 2019Playing your instrument is even more fun and rewarding if the instrument is working at it’s best! Here are a few flute maintenance must-haves to keeping your flute looking good and working perfectly.
Flute Masterclass: Elizabeth Walker
24th October 2019We were delighted to welcome Elizabeth Walker to Dawkes recently to host a FREE evening Flute masterclass. We had a great turnout and diverse audience from advancing teens (and younger) to adults, all of varying abilities from around Grade 4 upwards…
Pearl 665 Flute – Special Editions
8th October 2019The Pearl 665 flutes remain a staple step-up flute with the added interest of a solid silver headjoint. Exploring their own tagline, Tradition of Innovation, Pearl have produced two interesting additions to the existing 665 range, all around the popular £1,000 upgrade price point…
LefreQue Part 1 – Introduction and Flute
1st October 2019Musicians of all abilities, new learners to professionals, are endlessly hunting for that ‘perfect’ tone and intonation. Of course the most effective way of achieving this is through hours of practice! However there are a number of products on the market that may be able to help you in this journey. We’ve been looking at the LefreQue, the ‘acoustic bridge’ that could get just get you one step closer to that dream sound.
Flute Features – B Footjoints
28th February 2019Many flutes have the option of adding a number of different features, one of the most common being the B footjoint. As well as exploring what this does and how it affects the instrument, we’ll be demonstrating the differences in a video with a pro Flute player.
Flute Features – Open Hole Keys
24th January 2019A major factor to consider when upgrading your flute is whether or not to buy an open or closed hole flute. Most student flutes are only available with closed holes, whereas intermediate and professional models can be bought with either closed or open holes. Is one option inherently better than the other? Today we take a closer look at why the open holed flute might be right for you.
Flute Videos: Krzysztof Kaczka in Conversation
22nd January 2019Our ninth and penultimate video in this Flute Technique is a little bit different…This time we chat with Krzysztof about his life as a professional Flautist. We chat about the dedication required to make it to the top level, and some of his inspirations and motivations. Hopefully this is a useful (and entertaining!) glimpse into the life of a Pro Flautist…
Flute Playing Videos: EXTENDING BREATHING CAPACITY (8/10)
17th December 2018Our eighth video in this Flute Technique series discusses some top tips for extending your breathing capacity. This is the eight of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Woodwind Instruments in the Orchestra
15th November 2018The name ‘woodwind’ for this family of instruments refers to the wood from which these instruments were once exclusively made, as well as the need to blow air – or ‘wind’ – into them to produce a sound. Woodwind instruments in the orchestra are no longer solely made of wood, with metal and plastic also now being used.
An orchestra’s wind section can consist of various combinations of such instruments as the piccolo, oboe, flute, clarinet, cor anglais (literally French for ‘English horn’), bass clarinet, E-flat clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon and saxophone. Below, we have sought to answer some of the most common woodwind orchestra queries that our customers here at Dawkes Music have.
Flute Playing Videos: Tips For Good Posture (7/10)
3rd November 2018Our seventh video in this Flute Technique series discusses some top tips for good flute playing posture. This is the seventh of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: Practicing Good Technique (6/10)
11th October 2018Our sixth video in this Flute Technique series discusses some physical and practice based pointers for improving your technique. This is the sixth of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: AIR SUPPORT pt.2 with Krzysztof Kaczka (5/10)
16th August 2018Our fifth video in this Flute Technique series focusses on another exercise to improve your breathing and air support. This is the fifth of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: AIR SUPPORT with Krzysztof Kaczka (4/10)
10th August 2018Our fourth video in this Flute Technique series focusses on an exercise to improve your breathing and air support. This is the fourth of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: PRACTICING STACCATO with Krzysztof Kaczka (3/10)
20th July 2018This is the third of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: TONE EXERCISE with Krzysztof Kaczka (2/10)
23rd June 2018This is the second of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Flute Playing Videos: WARM UP with Krzysztof Kaczka (1/10)
1st June 2018This is the first of a ten part video series we recorded with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. Throughout the videos Krzysztof will talk about various techniques and exercises to help improve your flute playing, whatever your level.
Upgrade/Pro Flute Offers – December 2017
4th December 2017
We’re delighted to be offering an extra 5% discount off any upgrade/pro Flute (or Piccolo) over £1,000 until Dec 31st 2017.
Pearl Flute Masterclass with Krzysztof Kaczka
27th October 2017We had a great event last night with top international flautist Krzysztof Kaczka. It was a full house, so many thanks to all for attending, and especially those who performed. It takes some guts to stand up in front of a room full of strangers and perform a piece for public critiquing! It was especially heart warming to see that 5 of the 6 playing volunteers were teenagers as one of our main goals with these events is to support and inspire the next generation of musicians.
Flute Masterclass – 6th October, 2016
14th September 2016Together with Pearl Flutes we’re delighted to be supporting a Flute Masterclass with top European flautist Krzysztof Kaczka in Oxfordshire on October 6th…
Details:
Where: Oxfordshire County Music Service, Centre for Music, Bayswater Road, Oxford, OX3 9FF
When: Thursday October 6th (5pm – 7pm)
Suitable For: Any advancing flautist from Grades 2/3 onwards
Cost: FREE (Parents & Pupils all welcome)
Booking: Direct through OCMS: (Tel) 01865 816 999 (Email) paul.bruce@oxfordshire.gov.uk
More Info: If you’d like any more info please contact events@dawkes.co.uk or call us on 01628 630 800 (Contact Name: Karen or Linda)
NEW Yamaha YFL-212 Beginners Flute…
11th April 2016Wow, even writing YFL-212 feels very odd! Ever since I’ve been in this industry (1996) the premium student flute on the market has been the Yamaha YFL-211. Sure, it’s had the odd roman numeral II or lettering after it but fundamentally the 211 has always been a 211. It’s become synonymous with quality and a safe bet for any student starting out. Why? Well, it’s surely been the best engineered model in production since the early 1990’s and the headjoint cut has been especially easy for new players to strive on.
Madejski Academy Music Trial Day
6th October 2010Thursday 30th September, John Madejski Academy, Reading- Matt Sanders, Brass Dept
British Flute Society Convention – Day 4 FINAL
23rd August 2010[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59ZX5qdIEB0[/youtube]
Day 4:
I must say that despite barely playing a note over the past few days I am totally fluted out! Today started with a brilliant beatboxing session with Greg Pattillo (SEE VIDEO ABOVE – COURTESY OF YOUTUBE).
British Flute Society Convention – Day 3
22nd August 2010After a good nights sleep I managed to make it to Trevor Wyes early
session on practising efficiently followed by the brilliant Alexandra
Grot, the hong kong flute centre flute orchestra, another piccolo
recital and the fantastic Katherine Bryan who has inspired me to dig
out the Hue fantasie when I get home.
British Flute Society Convention – DAY 2
21st August 2010Well, needless to say I didn’t make it to the warm up this morning at 7am but I did manage to catch an early lecture on performance anxiety with Mary lee Cochran from the psychology department of Kansas State University. This was followed by a recital by two horribly attractive and talented flautists, Kayoko Minamino and Zsuzsa Vamosi-Nagy, titled fresh faces – fresh music.
British Flute Society Convention – Day 1
20th August 2010
Julia Bentley Dawkes is a local flautist and flute teacher specialising in the suzuki method of teaching music. She is attending the British Flute Societys seventh international convention at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Bass Flute – Have a sit down!
1st May 2010Well, we waited eagerly (at least the flute players here did!) for the arrival of our Jupiter Bass Flute – 1125ES…seen for the first time last year ‘stood up’ at a trade show.
NEW! Pearl Flute Info Videos
15th April 2010
Hi all. We’ve just uploaded 2 new videos on the splendid Pearl 695RBE CODA and 795RBE Coda Flutes.