Review

David Vining
Flow Studies:

Flagstaff, AZ, United States
Publisher: Mountain Peak Music
Date of Publication: 2009
URL: http://www.mountainpeakmusic.com
Language: English

Primary Genre: Study Material - etude
Secondary Genre: Study Material - method

David Vining presents yet another great book with his Flow Studies. Similar in concept to Vincent Chicowicz‘s work in long tones with movement, this book helps a player take the knowledge of air flow and apply it directly to musical passages. Divided into three sections, slow, medium and fast exercises, users are encouraged to play from at least two sections each day, and a suggested rotation is given involving all three. Tempo is left completely to the player allowing great adaptability. Five editions of this book are available, which enable many brass instrumentalists to use the etudes without transposition or adaptation: trumpet, tenor trombone, bass trombone, euphonium, and tuba.

Flow Studies is intended as a companion to Vining’s The Breathing Book. Used together (or separately), players can spend 10-15 minutes a day with the exercises from Flow Studies to improve their abilities. My students who have tried this book truly enjoy it. We have found it does help with breathing through phrases and also helps strengthen the embouchure. The book was donated for review by Mountain Peak Music and can easily be purchased at mountainpeakmusic.com.

-Donald Babcock
Eastern Michigan University