Just curious. My wife is on a major home renovation kick, I’m still working hard to get better on my new Dixon (and just ordered the Finton Vallely flute tutor), and my wife seems to want to kill me if I practice more than 1/2 hour per day.
Is it better to do 1/2 hour once per day or split it in half for twice daily 1/4 hour practice sessions? Naturally, I practice more if she goes out…
[ This Message was edited by: Jayhawk on 2003-03-01 21:46 ]
My vote’d be for the 1/2 hour. You’re barely warmed up in that time, anyway – in a quarter hour, you’re not at all.
Once you’ve got everything under your belt (or lip, as it were), a fast lil’ practice is great, just to keep your chops up, and you’re out the door. But practice is focus, and you can’t focus for only 15 minutes.
My real vote is for 1/2 twice a day, or more, but then, I don’t have to deal with your wife… 
[ This Message was edited by: Gordon on 2003-03-01 21:24 ]
Thanks Gordon. I do plan to slowly increase the time practicing, but for personal safety reasons I need to wait until later this spring… 
Hey Jayhawk what is the Finton Vallely flute tutor? I was just about to order the flute tutor they have on the Mad for Trad website which is a computer disc.
Tom
Tom,
I’m not real sure, but I did a search on the board and both the MadforTrad and the Vallely tutor came up with good reviews. The difference for me was about $30…and the cheaper one won. I think one of the posts mentioned an audio tape with the Vallely tutor, but I’d just take a good book right now on wooden/Irish flute.
I ordered through Melody’s Music:
http://www.folkharp.com/winds/flutes.htm
The book is at the bottom of the page. If you get the MadforTrad tutor, let me know what you think of it.
Eric
Thanks for the info Eric. I think I will go for the mad for trad disc. Ill let you know how it turns out. Boy Ill tell you I have never tackled an instrument like this here flute cridder. I havent felt this helpless since I started playing golf. My elbows hert, my fingers hert, my lips hert and still everyday I pick that stupid thing up and start again. In my next life Im going to be a hamster.
Tom
Apparently there is a companion audio tape for the Valley book, but I’ve not been able to track a copy down. Has anyone heard it?
Eddie
Looove this new forum format!
I ordered the Mad for Trad tutor after stumbling about for six months. It was well worth the money and time. Seamus Egan covers the rolls, cuts, taps, etc. very well. You get to see him do each one very slowly. Then when he does it at speed, his fingers move so fast that you miss most of them.
The tutor covers about 15 tunes, with and without embellishments. Most of them are regular session tunes, but with Seamus’ particular style. The beauty of the cd tutor system is that you can play it over and over(and over and over) until you get it more or less right. The biggest shortcoming of that system is that there is no feedback, as there is in the Scoiltrad method. One of the best parts is that you are treated to a track where Seamus just lets it rip for about five minutes. It’s beautiful and depressing at the same time. Makes you want to give up the flute and take up something like plumbing.
Thanks for the info Ronbo. Merry Bergin did that to me with the whistle. I just thought no way. But now I listen to her just for the joy of hearing what the lowly whistle can do. Joanie Madden as well. As for the flute I am still in the embochur stage. I can pick up the flute and start in on say the low D and it sounds great. Then move up the scale and start to think hey Ive got it. But then of course I have to take a breath and the bubble bursts. I spend the next half hour or fourtyfive minutes trying to figure out what I did to get the enitial tone that I magicaly got at first. I would sure like to be able to at least play a scale before my real flute gets here. (I hope Mr. Dixon doesnt see this)
Tom
Well, I got my Fintan Vallely flute tutor today, and I’m impressed. Lots of information to read, good practical tips, and I think it will definitely help me out.
I’d consider it a good bargain at $13.95 (even with $5 S&H).
After I tackle this book, I may have to look into the MadforTrad tutor, too.
So much to learn, but as per this thread, so little time…
I have the Vallelly tutor and tape.
This is a great tutor, the tunes are played with great rhythm and with a harsh, earthy, strong tone that I like.
It was the tape that came with this tutor that first inspired me to spend the time to learn to do rolls properly.
Best,
–James
Shoot for at least a 1/2 hour a day if you can. I feel your pain when it comes to scheduling, but 15 minutes barely seems like enough time to get settled in and warmed up.
John Harvey
“Timber The Flute Tutor” by Fintan Vallely ( book/tape) also got me rocking and rolling on the flute. Great stuff - some tasty tunes too.
Happy Tooting - rama
‘Timber;The flute Tutor’ is very helpful(unfortunately,I haven’t heard the tape),but it’s also highly entertaining-Which other tutors cover topics like 'smoking and flute playing(I love the photo of the smoking nun! 
),‘Drinking’ and ‘Flute playing and disease’(I thought it WAS a disease!