I am literally brand new to the flute though I can play a sax and read music. I got a Hamilton practice flute a fortnight ago. Since then I have been busy trying to get some notes from it. I can now get the notes from it fairly consistently in the lower octave and not quite so consistently in upper octave B and C natural.
I am now seeking some advice from you kind people as to what I should now be doing in order to make the most significant improvement relative to the time invested in making the improvement. I should add that the only teachers near here appear to be classical flautists.
All advice gratefully received but I would like to ask in particular -
now that I can sound notes should I now be concentrating on playing long notes and using a tuner to ensure I am sounding them correctly and consistently rather than trying to play tunes. I want to be able to walk before I run so I am anxious that I start off correctly rather than seeking to go too fast and develop bad habits.
Long tones help no matter your proficiency because they help to train both your ears and your lips, so go ahead and play them. Remember to strive for good tone while playing long notes, and not just sit there on whatever tone color and quality you land on.
When you’re first getting started (i.e. before you can play the full range of the instrument at will) classical flutists can still be of some help. They themselves may not be able to play your simple system flute, but the basics and theory behind the instrument is identical. They can give you a lot of tips in terms of breathing, embouchure aim/shape/size, etc.
For second octave you don’t want to blow any harder at all, in fact second and third octaves should use less air then the first octave. What you want to do is to thin the embouchure aperture in both thickness and width, and aim it up higher so you’re blowing across more than you were (you mostly blow down for first octave). It is normal that once you figure out how to sound second octave you become unable to sound a good first octave, and vise versa. It takes time and practice (i.e. repetitious memory formation) to switch between the two embouchure positions on demand. Later on as you get better you’ll find each note has it’s own embouchure feel, and from there you can work on tuning each note and affecting it’s tonality and color.
You’re right though, walk then run. So, walk up and down your D major scale. Practice first octave, long tones, nice and slow, be sure to work on tonguing each note and legato, getting a good strong full tone on each note you can. Try to bring the strength to every note that needs it. Venture into the second octave as best you can, even if just one note at a time. Often second octave A is easier than D-G or B-C since it is the third partial in the harmonic series of the fundamental note (d). So when trying to get the second octave don’t just try D’’ and sit there if you can’t do it, find what note in the second octave you can play and branch out from it.
Your first goal is to play every note in the two octave D major scale. Then, play each note with a full strong tone. Once you can do that, the rest falls in line in front of you as if it were the only path to take.
I’ve been playing the flute for over thirty years. My advice to you is to ignore advice that you get here. Better yet, don’t ask for it. And do let us know where you live. There may be a player closer to you than you know.
Many people know how to post here, and are able to talk about playing the flute. They pretend to know how to play the flute but unless their post is accompanied by a clip of their playing I think it best to assume they aren’t really qualified teachers. On the internet people can pretend to be whatever they want to be.
For instance, this is just plain wrong: be sure to work on tonguing each note. Nearly all accomplished players who play Irish music on the simple system flute use a glottal stop rather than the tongue to articulate a note.
So listen to a lot of music and try to take a workshop with a good player. Take your time and enjoy the instrument.
Yes, I apologize for not giving ITM specific suggestions, tonguing isn’t really appropriate for ITM, it is more of a classical and non-ITM folk technique. Ms. Delaney is correct and her advice supersedes my own (she’s well known to be of exceptional skill), I was just trying to pass on some general helpful info to a newcomer that I would have liked when I was new.
It should be noted that I only play ITM occasionally, and mostly play simple system flutes for classical and period music.
@Denny, hehe those masterclass videos helped me out tremendously when I first started. “The smiling embouchure really is NO GOOD.”
Just put it down, now, there’s a sensible lad, very slowly and gently, then back off a little, turn quietly, walk slowly and calmly away for at least 50 paces, then… run! (And don’t look back or…)
I’m with Julia Delaney on this one. Your best bet is to find a local teacher if at all possible and spend a lot of time listening to recordings of historical and contemporary top-level players, seek out videos of those same players on YouTube. If you can’t find a local teacher, there are several excellent player/instructors on the board who offer remote lessons via Skype, which can work out very well.
There is a broad range of skill sets, opinions, and personalities on this board. For someone new to the instrument, it can be difficult sometimes to sort out the sometimes contradictory suggestions made, and there are times when the contradicting facts are both true. It can be very confusing. Consider everything you read here as a possibility to explore, but don’t take anything you read as absolute gospel, including this message.
Well, patience is important. It is likely to take quite awhile (e.g. months) to get a consistent tone.
I continue (after a number of years) to struggle with impatience. Long tones certainly don’t hurt!
Practicing basics, like holding the flute properly. That isn’t any single particular way, but the flute
is steady and solid without the hole-covering fingers doing any work. Aint’ nothing the matter with
scales and arpeggios, especially to warm up. Play slowly. Listen to music, lots of listening.
Also, did I mention patience?
2 weeks is hardly enough time to gauge progress - please play around with your new flute for a lot longer having fun with it before you start critiquing your performance.
yes, playing long notes is always good but only if it is fun for you to do it.
With all due respect to Julia, (who is, indeed, one of the highly advanced players here), I advise pretty much the opposite.
A lot of foolish things get said here, as on any internet forum. But there’s also an ongoing exchange of good information that you’d be hard-pressed to learn on your own, particularly if you’re not immersed in the culture. My experience has been that bad information is quickly challenged, and usually beaten down. You soon come to know whose words are worth your time and consideration.
If nothing else, you’ll learn who the admired recorded artists are, who the esteemed makers are, and which flute is loudest. (Strike the last part).
Fire away with your questions, but take the responses with a healthy grain of salt.
Cheers!
Mmmmm what a diverse set of responses -thank you all. I appreciate your input.
Julia - my view is that if you don’t ask then you never learn or at least it may take a lot longer . The suggested link to the Galway videos in itself was worth the question. The illustration of embouchure in particular is very useful at my stage of development.
So we are suppose to ignore what we see here, but doing so we are taking the advice here, then it is suggested to take the advice here which includes not to.
