Do you want to up-level your flute practice? You should get your hands on some or all of the Trevor Wye Practice Books for the Flute.
These books cover different playing concepts for intermediate and advanced players. Whether you want to focus on tone, technique, or something else, there’s a book for you.
Before we get into a full review of the books, this post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.
Trevor Wye Book 1: Tone
The first book in the Trevor Wye series of practice books covers flute tone. Your tone is an essential part of playing the flute.
Whether you want to become a professional musician or not, tone matters. If you can’t produce good tone, you’ll struggle to play a lot of music. So, what does the tone book cover?
Structure
The Trevor Wye tone book starts with a table of contents and some information on the exercises inside. After that, you get a whole page of exercises on flute harmonics, which involves playing different notes with the same fingering.
You also get to work on each register of the flute from low to high. The exercises focus on playing slowly so that you can get a smooth connection between notes. Wye even includes excerpts from famous pieces, such as The Aquarium.
He then covers some variations on those melodies to help you work on your tone. The book also includes exercises for tone color, breath control, flexibility, and pitch control.
Finally, there are even more exercises you can use to practice those concepts. This book is fantastic for self-teaching but also for use with a teacher. The structure is pretty straightforward, but it’s not the best for beginners.
Unique Features
- Harmonics exercises
- Extracts from famous works
- Explanations for the exercises
- Multiple sections
- Table of contents
Pros
- Good layout
- Easy to read
- Real musical examples
- Covers the entire flute range
Cons
- Not for beginners
- Similar to other tone books
Trevor Wye Book 2: Technique
Next up in the Trevor Wye Practice Books for the Flute series is a book on technique, which is just as important as tone.
If you want to make the most of your practice, consider the features the book offers and if it can help you.
Structure
Like the first Trevor Wye book, this one starts with a table of contents. You can read through some general information on flute technique. Then, the book covers some daily technical exercises.
Some of the exercises you will find in other technique books, such as the Taffanel & Gaubert book. However, Wye includes some unique scale exercises that I haven’t seen elsewhere.
A lot of the exercises focus on repeating one measure at a time until you master it. That can help you really target one concept. Then, you don’t have to feel like you need to practice a ton to make progress.
Wye also introduces some exercises for chords and arpeggios, and he includes a few examples from the flute repertoire. That way, you can apply what you learn to music to better understand the benefits of practicing technique.
Unique Features
- Single-measure exercises
- Difficult exercises
- Examples from pieces
- Explanations of concepts
- Table of contents
Pros
- Good structure
- Easy to follow
- Progresses well
- Plenty of examples
Cons
- Similar to other books
- A little difficult
- Requires focus
Trevor Wye Book 3: Articulation
The third Trevor Wye Practice Book for the flute focuses on articulation. If you don’t know how to articulate, you may not be able to play everything.
From slurs to triple tonguing, consider how this book can help you improve.
Structure
Similar to the other Trevor Wye Practice Books, this one starts with a table of contents. You also get to read plenty of written material on articulation, so you can get a better idea of how to use the exercises.
Sections cover slurs, single tonguing, double tonguing, and triple tonguing. Each section has some examples from flute repertoire. There’s also a whole section on lifting your first finger on the left hand for Eb.
Trevor Wye also covers how to deal with nerves before and during a performance. This section is all written out, so you don’t need to pick up your flute to learn something.
The final part of the book includes some more double tonguing exercises. These come from pieces by Bach, Mendelssohn, and other composers. That way, you’ll know how to approach the music when you see it.
Unique Features
- Written explanations
- Covers multiple types of articulation
- Section on nerves
- Exercises from the repertoire
Pros
- Easy to read
- Good structure
- Unique exercises
- Useful for practice without the flute
- Great for advancing players
Cons
- Not for beginners
- Not a ton of exercises in each section
Trevor Wye Book 4: Intonation and Vibrato
Next up in the series of Trevor Wye Practice Books for the Flute is a book on Intonation and Vibrato.
While these concepts aren’t as popular as other topics, they’re still crucial to playing the flute well. But how can this book help you?
Structure
If you’ve used any of the other Trevor Wye books, you’ll find this has a similar structure. You get to check out the table of contents and read a forward regarding this book. The forward references other practice books from Wye.
Next, you can read about and practice the chord of nature. This refers to the overtone series, which you can hear over a fundamental note. You also get to practice and learn about different scales, such as equal and just tempered.
This book covers more information on harmonics, which can help supplement the exercises from the first book. As with all of the other Trevor Wye Practice Books, this one has excerpts from real pieces.
It also covers the flute scale and how the pitches match up. And since “Vibrato” is in the title, there’s a whole section on that. That section includes information for you to read and some exercises to practice. Finally, there are some studies and excerpts to help with your intonation.
Unique Features
- Table of contents
- Chord of nature
- Unique exercises
- Etudes
- Musical examples
Pros
- Plenty of reading material
- Easy to read
- Great for serious players
- Covers musical examples
Cons
- Can be a little boring
- Some exercises require a piano
Trevor Wye Book 5: Breathing and Scales
Another one of the best Trevor Wye practice books is the fifth book on breathing and scales. Both of those things are the backbone of most flute music.
If you want to learn some scales and improve your breathing, consider how this book can help.
Structure
Of course, you get a table of contents to help you find what you need. Then, there are a few explanations on breathing and:
- Your body
- Lungevity
- Musical phrasing
You can learn how your breathing affects your playing. And the sections include exercises you can use to build up your air to go longer between breaths. Like the other Trevor Wye flute books, this one has excerpts from musical works.
After the section on breathing, you can practice all different types of scales, from major and minor to chromatic. A lot of the scales are similar to those found in books from Taffanel and Gaubert.
However, the fact that you also get to learn about breathing is great. You can get plenty of use out of this book.
Unique Features
- Explanation on breathing
- Plenty of scale exercises
- Labels to teach you what the scales are
- Section on improvisation
- More exercises
Pros
- Good for self-teaching
- Easy to read
- Suitable for advancing players
- Lots of exercises
- Great for practice without your flute
Cons
- Scale exercises aren’t unique
- A little advanced
- Not for beginners
Trevor Wye Book 6: Advanced Practice
If you’ve gone through all of the other Trevor Wye Practice Books for the Flute, give book 6 a try.
The book on advanced practice is great for expanding your warmups. But you should know what’s inside to determine if it’s right for you.
Structure
The book starts with a table of contents, and that covers the different sections such as tone, posture, and the top register. Within each section, you get plenty of reading material to help improve your practice.
Some of the sections, such as the one on technique, include exercises. Like the exercises in book 2, these focus on repeating one measure. The exercises look easier than they are. You can test you pinkies and other fingers.
As you go through the exercises, practice them in different keys. Then, you can prepare yourself for almost anything you might encounter in your repertoire. That can make learning new pieces go much faster.
And if you want to improve your top register, this is the book for you. It includes some exercises as well as special fingerings for the third octave. And you can learn the standard fingerings for notes above C7 (fourth octave C on the flute).
Finally, there’s a section on circular breathing. So clearly, this book isn’t for the faint of heart.
Unique Features
- Tons of written material
- Easy to read
- Great for advanced players
- Unique technical exercises
- Fingerings for top notes
Pros
- Same structure as other Trevor Wye books
- Easy to follow
- Unique exercises
- Circular breathing tips
Cons
- Requires a lot of prior playing experience
- Needs a lot of focus
Trevor Wye Practice Books for the Flute Omnibus Edition
Do you find yourself needing something from all of the Trevor Wye Practice books? Consider purchasing the Omnibus Edition.
The old Omnibus edition includes books 1 through 5, and you can still purchase book 6 separately. If you prefer to have all books in one spiral-bound edition, get the newer version of the Omnibus Edition.
Either edition is a better value than buying all of the books separately. Plus, you don’t have to worry about leaving one or two of the books behind. That can make it easier if you practice in different places.
Which Trevor Wye Practice Books Will You Use?
All of the Trevor Wye Practice Books for the Flute have something unique to offer. Whether you’re an intermediate level student or a professional, you can find an exercise or two that you can play today.
If you want to get all of the books, save yourself the trouble and get the Omnibus Edition. Otherwise, start with one or two of the books and buy the rest later.
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