(ok, this time I searched first)
I’m looking for a book to learn itm from, using low D flute.
Wife has Geraldine Cotter’s ‘Traditional Irish Tin Whistle Tutor’, but the very first exercise has notes switching between octaves. I’m finding that a bit hard to start on.
I’ve see mention of a book by Grey Larsen. Would that be ‘The Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle’?
Yup
Much better tutors are out there- June Ni Chormiac’s books are very good. http://www.draiochtmusic.com/fliuit
So is Hammy Hamilton’s book, as is Vallely’s Timber, which is the least expensive.
I thought Larsen’s - by no means “Essential” – book was too thick and too academic for a beginner’s tutor.
Other books would include Hammy Hamilton’s Irish Flute Player’s Handbook http://homepage.tinet.ie/~hammie/ and Timber- The Flute Tutor by Fintan Vallely. These will help get you started, but the best way, IMHO is to learn by ear.
a great resource if you haven’t found it already is Brad Hurley’s web page: A guide to the Irish Flute http://www.firescribble.net/flute/index.htm
This has should help you, he has sections for the Beginner, as well as a lot of other useful information.
I see that Julia beat me to the books mentioned.
Consider learning the techniques and concepts on a whistle and then moving to flute unless you are not easily discouraged.
Another way of putting it is you will sound better and feel you’re “getting it” sooner without the additional learning curve of the embouchure and air requirements of a D flute.
I don’t agree with the whistle first approach. If you hear the flute and that’s what has taken your heart then you should play the flute. You don’t learn one thing in order to learn another thing. I never learned to play the whistle. It’s a different instrument. The whistle has its own technical demands.
The fingering is similar, granted. But learning fingering on the whistle won’t make it much easier to play the flute, if at all. Fingering is the easiest part of it. If you want to play the flute, then play the flute.
Thanks for the encouragement.
I actually don’t have much worry about embouchure any more. I’m ‘learning’ on a bit of plastic pipe I drilled out myself, and can run and down the first octave ok. I have more trouble sealing the holes with clumsy fingers!
This tutorial has it all, it even teaches you how to learn sheet music. There’s videos, exercises on ornamentations, mp3 files, the whole bunch.
The digital version is very cheap and the book is on it too in digital format.
If you want the book aswell, you’ll have to pay extra.
http://www.whistle-flute.com/?Shop:CDR_Whistle_Basics_Digital_Edition
One thing to note… When you DO switch to a wood/delrin conical-bored flute (as opposed to your current cylindrical), the holes will be easier to cover as they can be closer together. I have to use a pipers’ grip on Tipple flutes but use fingertips on most everything else.
Pat
Bill Ochs’ Clarke Tin Whistle Handbook was the bible of my generation of whistle newbees. Amusingly, the blurb on Bill’s page begins: “The best whistle tutorial on the planet,” writes Dale Wisely of the Chiff and Fipple website…
Everyone knows it’s whistle, flute, and then Uilleann Pipes. Flute isn’t even a real instrument. It’s just a trainer for the pipes.
Oh, made myself laugh 
Someone actually said that to me once. He really meant it…poor bastard.
But to be fair, the whistle first approach is something I’ve heard from a lot of teachers. I think it’s because you learn more from the whistle than just fingering. Intonation, air pressure and speed, articulation, breathing, phrasing, etc. All of these concepts are transferrable to the flute.
Those who have played the whistle first know this. Those who didn’t, are free to disagree.
Just because Mr. Julia D doesn’t have the benefit of classical training doesn’t mean the Grey’s book isn’t of great value.
If you have no Trad background and can read music its a very good book to begin.
It doesn’t take the place of listening to good players and learning from them though.