Flute
Flute Re-discovery – Part 3
Re-beginner flutists. These are folk who once played flute in high school, or as a child, and would like to return to the instrument for the love of it.
Last week we listed the steps which will ease your return to fluting. Now let’s start to look at these in more detail. Here’s a breakdown of why each step is important:
4. Learn some basic fundamental exercises that will keep your flute playing skills on an upward spiral.
There are a few books that cover the fundamentals of flute playing. A particularly good one is Vernon Hill’s “The Flute Player’s Book” which has a lot of exercises on each skill up to the intermediate and advanced levels, and a CD demonstrating all the exercises. This book has great photos too. Another handy book to start with for beginners is by Howard Harrison and is called “How to Play the Flute”. There are fun cartoons and great tunes to play with all fingerings given etc.. Here are some other adult beginner books. And if you need pointers right now, check here for beginner skill articles.
5. Get a few re-introductory flute lessons that cover the basics and give tips on how to reinforce the best and quickest flute exercises.
This is the most important thing you can do to speed up your flute playing skills.
Finding a good flute teacher is the smartest thing you’ll ever do. Your new flute teacher will help in all the areas from one to ten in this list, including helping put you in touch with other flutists and musical groups to play with. Don’t just think about it. Do it. There is nothing revealing than to finally go to a flute lesson and find out that the very problem that was holding you back could have been solved in less than 30 minutes. Don’t bother muddling away on your own if you’re willing to admit that you’re wanting lessons. Great flute advice is only $20-$30 and half an hour away. You’ll save loads of time and frustration by going to the experts. After all, if your pipes burst, you don’t try and teach yourself how to fix your own plumbing; you call in an expert. Then you watch THEM fix the plumbing, so you’ll know more next time.
6. Find a duet player to play duets with each week, or find a musical group where the musicians are at the same stage as you or at a higher level
Your new flute teacher will put you on to these two items. If you have to prepare to play with a duet partner or group each week you will naturally accomplish the following things:
a) you will want to practice so as to be ready
b) you’ll want to find the time (!) to do fun things like this
c) you’ll be happy to meet others in the same musical boat as yourself
d) you’ll get such great feedback from the activity of actually playing music, no matter how simple, no matter how basic, it will be MUSIC IN YOUR LIFE!
These things are all aided and abetted by the enthusiasm that comes from being with like-minded allies. Go for it.
More next week.