Has anyone ever suggested trying to hold a virtual session or some virtual lessons?
I notice more than a few people seem to have Skype accounts, so it wouldn’t be hard to conference several people in and have a session ('though sound quality might be tough) or simply play some pieces and get real-time feedback or suggestions on how to improve.
What do you all think?
Although I am not currently set up with such as a Skype account, I commend you for such progressive thinking!
Great idea!
Edit: About Skype, et al., I have a computer, which is stationary, and then I have a cell phone, which is mobile, so between the two of these things I haven’t been able to justify the addition of Skype, or something of it’s ilk. Speaking of thrift BTW, it seems that Internet service providers have cooked up a new billing scheme, as measured by individual consumer bandwidth use, that is, bandwidth hogs might soon expect to pay more, while everybody else gets no reduction in service costs, go figure. Thereby, moreover, dynamic services such as Skype could soon be more, perhaps much more, expensive to use.
I could add, that although I am an Apple/Mac fan, for similar reasoning I have not bought into the iPhone phenomenon, not that I don’t like the iPhone, but the current service provider in the US, not Apple, charges exorbitant fees, while delivering lousy (read: slow!) service. Ah, well.
That would be a great idea. I know it would help me out.
Doesn’t work well, there are some milliseconds of latency in Skype (actually in any) connections that kill timing/rhythm.
Unidirectional lessons via Skype could work, though.
No, but I like this http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/r2music/folk/sessions/swf/folkmenu.html
..at least for entertain you for a while 
I feel the same way about virtual sessions that I do about virtual sex…
“Ain’t nothing like the real thing, baay-baaay…”
Rob
It’s not ITM centered, not at all, but online flute lessons are available: fluteland.com
At something like $39 per year it’s one heck of a deal. Private lessons, for instance, could cost that much PER HOUR, no kidding!
If ITM is your thing - which is what this forum is about, really - you could post clips on the “Posting Clips” thread, which appears at the at the very top of the flute forum. Jem and I’m Not Irish have been trading critiques, as well as Mahanpots and others. It seems to have been worthwhile for them.
Hardly Bradly offered virtual lessons as well. You can contact him at harrybradley@eircom.net. He’s an excellent teacher- very perceptive, supportive, and a wonderful fluter.
I haven’t checked those out, but it sure is a good deal unless they’re awful. FWIW, the current GB Musician’s Union minimum hourly rate for private lessons is £25.40 per hour - about U$50. Most British classical instrumental teachers with the standard qualifications charge more than that - my son’s piano lessons are £15 per half hour.
Yes, I’ve found the analytical assessments and suggestions I’ve received useful and I hope some of the others have felt the same reciprocally. Also just listening to others and considering their problems and the suggestions they receive is helpful, as is picking up new repertory (and ways of approaching it) or revisiting old familiar stuff in the course of such discussions.
I’ve found the analytical assessments and suggestions I’ve received useful
And the price is right.
How helpful would it be to take lessons from a Boehm system flute-teacher? Given that the focus here is on the wooden flute? I am seriously asking, not being critical.
Come to think of it, private lessons at 50 USD per hour likely is about right, in this area, currently.
This particular service seems legit, however, and effectively capable within an inherent Internet limit, but offers nothing in the way of ITM, and I suspect the online lessons have nothing to do with six-holed flutes, either.
Let me ask a question, as, have you ever played a Boehm flute, that is, have you ever given such a flute any serious study? Frankly, I suspect not, but that could lead to an interesting exchange of experiences, cocusflute, and in that sense I, too, am seriously asking, please.
I like keyless, six-holed flutes because for much of ITM, especially the dance music, such a flute really is the right tool for the job, where I then leave my Boehm flute on its peg, at rest.
bowjest–would you be interested in having a free lesson or two? i love doing that kind of stuff, and would be more than happy to help you with your flute playing.
i take lessons via skype with a well known irish musician. it works out perfectly, i think. it costs me a lot (my last lesson was 80 dollars for an hour lesson and two tunes recorded), but it’s worth it. i think it’s a great opportunity, and i wish more musicians would spend the time to give lessons over the internet.
i learned a lot from my boehm teacher, who i took lessons from for a year and a half. i learned how to play irish music on my own, and from my classical teacher how to play the flute.
if you dont know how to play irish music, it may be difficult, because the ideal tone is totally different. luckily, however, the muscles you use are identical. if you know at least the theory of how to play, such as reedy tone (frowning) and a more legato style, taking classical lessons is one of the smartest things you could do.
my grandma taught herself the fiddle back in the day. she did it the old fashioned way… by scratching along for years until she figured it out. when she was in her 40’s and fifties, she took classical lessons with a famous, old violinist in chicago to get her technique up to snuff, and then went and re-learned all the minutiae of irish bowing patterns. when she plays now, her tone is nice and scratchy, but her bow control is impeccable.
the most valuable thing my classical teacher taught me is that you should do everything on purpose in your music. the only notes you play out of tune, or dont vent properly, are the ones you choose to. there is nothing wrong with that choice, but it must be on purpose. if you do it on accident, then it is very likely you will also stop on accident, just as the traditional ideas of tuning in irish music are being swept aside for equal temperament, except only in those players who can play both ways and choose to tune to a traditional scale.
Basically, I agree. The Boehm flute is a remarkably, tonally flexible flute, and well worth getting to know, if only technically.
However, and I’ve said it before, the six-holed flute is like a hot rod, fast.
…have you ever played a Boehm flute, that is, have you ever given such a flute any serious study?
No. And no. I’m too much in love with my simple system timber flute to even consider being unfaithful…
In this world, there are numerous other things that I have thought of doing, but likely never will.
I appreciate your response, thank you.
well, you have olwells. any olwell i have ever played felt exactly the same to me as a boehm flute (i mean this sincerely as a compliment). you dont need a boehm!
I know that Bill Ochs, who teaches pipes, flute, and whistle, has been exploring lessons via skype. If you are interested it might be worthwhile emailing him about it. I haven’t tried it myself and still stop by Bill’s place instead. But I can say first hand that he’s an excellent teacher, and he’s got the music. billochs AT pennywhistle DOT com
Daiv,
I’d be very interested in having a couple of lessons with you. Thanks for the offer!
In addition to any targeted one-on-one lessons (which I think is a great thing), my original idea was one of “playing in the round” where we get a few people together, each plays a tune with a view to asking how to either improve the song or a particular aspect of technique in general.
Knowing that latency in Skype can be an issue, the “jamming” aspect was more a wish than anything. My brother is a musician and we’ve done some virtual jamming - sometimes great, other times lousy. Just depends.
But for me, having someone there at the moment (like an in-person lesson) would be of the greatest benefit ot me because I can instantly ask why this or that, if you see what I mean.
Daiv, I’m getting a Carl Bell delrin flute next month, so if you have time then, I’d love to get some feedback on my fledgling playing. Currently I’m struggling with my Tony Dixon one-piece when it comes to tone control and ornaments in the second octave, so don’t know how much of that is embouchure/rolling the instrument forward or back or just bad technique/lack of experience.
For anyone who’s interested, maybe we could work up a list of folks and see where it goes from there. I’m sure it would be a lot of fun if nothing else and maybe cement a few friendships along the way.
What do you all think?
Bowjest wrote:
For anyone who’s interested, maybe we could work up a list of folks and see where it goes from there. I’m sure it would be a lot of fun if nothing else and maybe cement a few friendships along the way.
What do you all think?
I’ve never really used Skype but one time. Is there a way to view and listen to multiple people at multiple countries/computers?
I think it would be interesting just to see everyone’s face. I’ve given everyone a virtual face, and I’ll bet I’m nowhere near the truth. Count me in on the very first Skype session.
Michael