Play the Piccolo
The piccolo is an instrument constructed of wood or plastic, and silver, or a combination of these materials. It is a half-sized flute, playing the higher range of notes. And while the piccolo is used mainly in orchestral pieces, there are a few pieces written specifically for it.
When learning to play the piccolo, you'll learn that although the fingerings are the same as the flute, the embouchure and other differences do require a separate effort to learn. This guide will outline the basics for getting started in playing this lively instrument.
Contents
Steps
- Learn to play the flute. The piccolo is very similar and you should learn how to play flute first. If you play in a band or orchestra, it's probable that you won't be playing piccolo all the time, depending on the types of pieces the ensemble plays, so having the versatility to be able to play the flute as well is important.
- Choose a piccolo according to where you will be using it and your level of proficiency. Plastic or silver plated metal piccolos are less expensive than wood or silver piccolos. Piccolos made of composite plastic are durable enough for marching and produce a fair quality sound. Wooden piccolos offer a more mellow timbre than metal ones. A popular compromise combines a metal head joint with a body made from wood. Two materials combined may lead to tuning inconsistencies however, as they will react differently to changing temperatures.
- Keep in mind there are different keys the piccolo is tuned in. C is most common, but many older piccolos are in Db. It is recommended you choose a C piccolo, as you can just play the flute part. Db parts aren't common, but you can find them in older pieces.
- Gather the needed accessories from the Things You'll Need section below.
- Consider paying for a flute teacher who also plays piccolo to give you private lessons. This resource will be very important as you learn to play.
- Learn the range of a piccolo. Flute fingerings will produce the same notes on a piccolo, only an octave higher. Music is written one octave below concert pitch. It may take time to become accustomed to the notes you play and the ones on the page.
- Become familiar with playing your major, minor, and chromatic scales.
- Try practicing with an electric tuner in front of you. See you how long you can hold a note steady and try to be consistently in tune. Also see what the tendencies of certain notes are on your piccolo- flat? sharp? in tune?
- Tune Two Piccolos before you play. Tune to an A. If the tuner says you are sharp (moves to the right), pull out the head joint. If you are flat (tuner will move to the left), push in the head joint. The piccolo is a small and fickle instrument, so be prepared to make constant small adjustments! Try tuning to the low and high A. Piccolos cannot tune as effectively to concert F or B flat, which is often played for tuning in large ensembles.
- Practice often. Others may find the piercing sound of a learner on a piccolo aggravating, so try practicing in a closed room. Just make sure wherever you practice is large and has decent acoustics.
- Clean your piccolo thoroughly after playing. Use a swab or string a cloth through your tuning rod and then through your piccolo to remove spit. Occasionally polish it with a cloth.
Fingering Chart
Tips
- Only make small adjustments when tuning a piccolo. Make sure it is at the temperature it will be when played, as temperature changes can affect tuning. If the piccolo is cold, the pitch will go flat; if warm, it will go sharp.
- If your piccolo is consistently out of tune, its tuning cork may be in need of repair or adjustment. On one end of your tuning rod there should be a line that runs around it. Stick the rod into the head joint so you can see this line through the mouth plate hole. It should be exactly centered. If not, ask a teacher to fix the tuning cork.
- You can also try tuning to a D. Although tuning to a D is unorthodox, it helps because it is in the same major chord as A. (You can also tune to F#.)
- You might want to have ear plugs if you are playing a piccolo in a small space (especially in the upper range). However, after awhile you'll most likely get used to it.
- If you are playing with an ensemble and sound out of tune, you should generally blow harder to raise the pitch, especially on higher notes. Try raising your eyebrows while playing in order to make yourself raise the pitch. It may seem odd, but it really helps.
- Keep your lips tight and your cheeks somewhat relaxed. This helps with tone and reduces airy sound.
- Make sure your tuner is set at 440 Hz (standard in US) or 442 Hz (standard in Europe).
- Piccolos made of wood are slightly harder to play than metal.
- Definitely play with ear plugs regardless if you get "used to it" or not. Piccolo damages your ear drums after long periods of time.
Warnings
- Though flute fingerings work for most notes on the piccolo, some notes (especially high notes) have special piccolo fingerings. Look up a piccolo fingering chart and try them out!
- If you have a wooden piccolo do not blow into it to warm it up. This can cause the wood to crack! Instead use your hands to warm it up if it's cold.
- Flute players with large fingers may find it difficult to press the smaller piccolo keys accurately.
- The piccolo is somewhat notorious for being difficult to play in tune. Its small size makes it difficult to construct completely in tune and causes what would be small pitch variances in larger instruments to become rather significant. The fact that it is so high does not help, as it is rather conspicuous when out of tune.
- The intonation for notes on the piccolo is not necessarily the same as the flute. For instance, the middle D# is notoriously flat on flute but it is sharp on the piccolo. Instead of just trusting your flute instincts, sit down with a tuner and figure out the intonation for your piccolo.
- Be careful when cleaning or assembling your piccolo. Be gentle and do not twist keys or rub pads. If your piccolo is malfunctioning take it to a music shop to be fixed.
Things You'll Need
- Piccolo
- Case
- Tuning rod
- Small silk or cotton cloth or a swab
- Electronic tuner/metronome (optional)
- Polishing cloth (optional)
- Cork grease (For piccolos with cork at the end of the body meeting the head joint)
- Oil
Related Articles
- Play the Flute
- Clean and Maintain Your Flute
- Play High Notes on a Piccolo
- Tune Two Piccolos
- Play Trills on Flute or Piccolo
- Improve Your Tone on the Flute
- Find a Flute Teacher
