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Masterclass

Nicola Mazzanti
The basics of piccolo playing
Acquire the basic technique for playing the piccolo: learn how to avoid making the most common embouchure mistakes, develop a thousand nuances, improve your overall sound quality, your ability to move from one register to another, your piccolo technique and your playing, and explore the piccolo market in order to choose the most suitable instrument for you.

Body awareness playing the piccolo

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

9 min.
Not only will proper posture make you play for decades without damage or pain: it will actually make you sound better! In this first video there are a few, simple but fundamental instructions so that your relationship with the instrument is free, enjoyable and profitable!

Piccolo embouchure

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

4 min.
“Dear friends, in this video we will talk about the embouchure: that rather mysterious thing that is about the position of the jawbone and the use of the facial muscles, paying specific attention to those around the mouth.”

On which part of the chin shall i place the piccolo?

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

3 min.
On which part of the chin shall I place the instrument? In the same place where the flute goes? A bit above? A bit on the side? In this video I shall try to answer this question.

Low notes

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

10 min.
Nicola Mazzanti in this lesson wants to explain why the study of low notes is fundamental for the piccoloist to have a deep and warm sound on the instrument. You will also learn all the correct positions for playing low notes, and you can practice with three exercises to train low notes.

Flexibility

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

9 min.
In this lesson, Nicola Mazzanti will explain you how to play piccolo without blocks and stiff positions and how to play the notes easily in the three octaves. You can also practice with two exercises to train flexibility.

Scales

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

9 min.
In this lesson, Nicola Mazzanti will teach you what to pay attention when studying scales and why some flute students fail to play scales on the piccolo, with the solution of this problem. Finally, he offers you two exercises to start practicing on scales and on arpeggios.

Sing and play

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

8 min.
In this lesson you will learn all the benefits of sing and play practicing and an exercise to do it.

The piccolo: a purchasing guideline

Course: The basics of piccolo playing
by Nicola Mazzanti

7 min.
When it is time to buy a new piccolo, there are many questions to ask: to avoid making mistakes, it is good to know very well the difference between buying in-store, online and from an artisan, which two elements to consider before purchasing and the three piccolo market segments.