What’s in my flute bag?

Have you ever thought about which items in your flute bag are the most beneficial for your practice? As a flute player, there are various items and accessories that can help make your practice sessions more productive. While every flutist’s list may differ slightly, here are some of my personal must-have practice items:

Pencil

A good practice motto to uphold is that you cannot have a productive practice session without access to a pencil. It's essential to use a pencil, not a pen, because as you work on exercises and pieces, you'll want to be able to erase and edit markings that are no longer relevant. I always keep a pencil on my music stand to quickly jot down notes or markings. Personally, I like to include the tempo I can currently play in the top left corner of my music, and I'll make sure to edit it as my speed changes. Other things I might mark with my pencil include dynamic changes, phrase lines, and brackets to help visualize note groupings.

Practice Journal

A practice journal can be a life-saver for a busy flutist. When you have multiple rehearsals and practice sessions per day, it can be difficult to remember exactly what you practiced and how you practiced it. Keeping a practice journal is a smart way of logging all of your practice steps as well as small details such as tempi, duration spent, progress, and personal notes. I use different colors to code specific details of my notes, such as titles, tempos, and measure numbers. I include the fastest tempo that I can play the entire piece at, as well as note the goal tempo to track my progress. For solo pieces or anything I can't tackle in one session, I include the specific measure numbers that I practiced. Some other great journals are The Practice Note by Gina Luciani and It's Performance Day! Success in the Spotlight by Cathy Herrera.

 Flute/Piccolo Stand

Always avoid placing your flute on unsteady surfaces such as your chair or music stand during breaks, especially during a rehearsal where others may walk by and knock over your instrument. Investing in a sturdy flute stand and keeping it in your flute bag is best for practice sessions and rehearsals.  My favorite brand that I have been using since high school is Hercules - they even offer a triple stand that has three pegs for flute, piccolo, and another flute (or clarinet if you are a doubler).

Pad Cleaning Paper

As you practice, you may notice water getting stuck under some of your keys. Instead of using dollar bills or random paper corners to clean the water, it's better to use pad cleaning paper or a BG Microfiber Pad Cleaner. Keep some in your flute bag, so you won't have to continuously ruin the corners of your sheet!

Metronome

While most flutists know to have a metronome handy, having multiple types of metronomes is helpful. I have both a physical, digital metronome and a metronome app on my phone. The app is helpful when I'm without my flute bag, and the digital metronome is best for longer practice sessions that involve rhythm grouping or "woodshedding." Practicing with a metronome engraves the correct tempo into my mind and body, so I usually decide to work with a metronome for a certain period of time before playing the music without one. Playing without a metronome before warming up increases my ability to execute the music most accurately on the first try.

Ear Plugs

If you are a frequent piccolo player, it is very important to protect your ears. To ensure you are always protected, keep a pair of ear plugs in your flute bag! Ear plugs can range from the cheaper, disposable type from your local drug store, to the more high end types of reusable ear plugs and cases. Extended piccolo practice without plugs can do a lot of damage in the long run, so it is important to invest in some type of protection.

Flute/Piccolo Cleaning Swab and Polishing Cloth

Flute care is especially important after a day of practice. That is why most flutists keep both a cleaning swab and polishing cloth with their flute at all times. It is critical to clean both the inside and outside of your flute, and doing so can help eliminate a need for maintenance or repair in the near future; as well as maintain the overall appearance of your flute! A cleaning swab or wand is helpful for drying the moisture out of the inside of your flute so that you may avoid the pads absorbing it; resulting in your pads wearing down quicker. The Valentino Flute Wand is a great option and really helps to grab all of the moisture from inside of each flute part. Polishing the outside of your flute can seem a little tedious in the moment, especially if you are hurrying to a rehearsal, but a little polishing of the flute’s headjoint, body, and foot joint with a cleaning cloth will greatly reduce the risk of the metal becoming tarnished.

Flute Bag

The last, and most important item to make sure you bring to every practice session is your flute bag!  A separate bag that you only use when you are practicing or rehearsing where you can keep all of these items in one place.  There are so many different kinds of “gig” bags on the market, but my favorite that I use everyday is the Roi Backpack. This backpack has a place for everything - secure pockets for your flute and piccolo cases, a tall pocket for your sheet music and books, and ample space for other bulky items like your flute stand.  And, with all of this space, it is still incredibly slim, so it does not feel bulky on your back!   

By keeping these practice items in your flute bag, you'll be more prepared for productive practice sessions. Remember that every flutist's list may differ, so be sure to personalize your list to what works best for you!