D.M.A. Document
“Flute Articulation Pedagogy: The Effect of Language-Specific Consonant Pronunciation on a Flutist’s Articulation within the French and English Languages.”
Available HERE on ProQuest.
Abstract
The major linguistic differences between the various stop-burst consonants found within the vast multitude of languages of the world have an extensive impact on the articulation employed by the modern flutist. French and English alone have contradictory linguistic features that may largely impact articulation on the instrument. It has been shown that these syllables are produced by fast changes in the vocal tract muscles and movements of the tongue, lips and jaws and thus may have an impact on the way flutists of both the French and English languages have learned and applied their articulative practices. Additionally, the amassing of treatises and tutor literature in both languages over the past four centuries has documented the changes in teaching of mnemonics to aid the articulation of students. Since there is a difference in the way that a student pronounces the syllables that are found within the innumerable trove of pedagogical flute literature, it is speculated that the execution of those syllables may also be impacted. Therefore, the concept of teaching multiple styles of stop-burst consonants in various languages may have a profound impact on the ability and flexibility of the modern flute player’s articulation. This document investigates the validity of this question by exploring the limited research that has been conducted in this specific field of flute playing, specifically Linda Lamkin’s work. Additionally, specific mnemonic references used to aid a flutist’s articulation within the oeuvre of pedagogical flute materials dating back to Hotteterre’s treatise are annotated and catalogued. Finally, parallel vowel anticipation in tandem with common stop-burst consonants in the French and English languages that are commonly found in the flute literature (such as /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/ and /g/) are compared and contrasted with spoken syllable production through basic spectral analysis with Audacity 1.3.12 (Unicode) software. This experiment was conducted in Dijon, France, in March 2012 and simply serves as a basic foundation for the application of language-based articulation pedagogy for flutists. Previous research in this subject was confirmed in that there was a correlation between spoken syllable and articulation on the flute. Furthermore, the application of foreign language in articulation pedagogy for non-native speakers was found to impact the participants’ articulative production. Appropriate federal government permission protocol for use of human subjects was applied for and granted by the Ohio State University Institutional Review Board.
Available HERE on ProQuest.
Abstract
The major linguistic differences between the various stop-burst consonants found within the vast multitude of languages of the world have an extensive impact on the articulation employed by the modern flutist. French and English alone have contradictory linguistic features that may largely impact articulation on the instrument. It has been shown that these syllables are produced by fast changes in the vocal tract muscles and movements of the tongue, lips and jaws and thus may have an impact on the way flutists of both the French and English languages have learned and applied their articulative practices. Additionally, the amassing of treatises and tutor literature in both languages over the past four centuries has documented the changes in teaching of mnemonics to aid the articulation of students. Since there is a difference in the way that a student pronounces the syllables that are found within the innumerable trove of pedagogical flute literature, it is speculated that the execution of those syllables may also be impacted. Therefore, the concept of teaching multiple styles of stop-burst consonants in various languages may have a profound impact on the ability and flexibility of the modern flute player’s articulation. This document investigates the validity of this question by exploring the limited research that has been conducted in this specific field of flute playing, specifically Linda Lamkin’s work. Additionally, specific mnemonic references used to aid a flutist’s articulation within the oeuvre of pedagogical flute materials dating back to Hotteterre’s treatise are annotated and catalogued. Finally, parallel vowel anticipation in tandem with common stop-burst consonants in the French and English languages that are commonly found in the flute literature (such as /p/, /b/, /t/, /d/, /k/ and /g/) are compared and contrasted with spoken syllable production through basic spectral analysis with Audacity 1.3.12 (Unicode) software. This experiment was conducted in Dijon, France, in March 2012 and simply serves as a basic foundation for the application of language-based articulation pedagogy for flutists. Previous research in this subject was confirmed in that there was a correlation between spoken syllable and articulation on the flute. Furthermore, the application of foreign language in articulation pedagogy for non-native speakers was found to impact the participants’ articulative production. Appropriate federal government permission protocol for use of human subjects was applied for and granted by the Ohio State University Institutional Review Board.