Getting Back to Playing Flute

SingDanceRunLIFE · Post by **SingDanceRunLIFE** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:09 am

I played flute for about 5 years (2nd through 7th grade),but I quit because my private teacher was annoying the crap out of me (always comparing me to all her other students and whatnot) I really hated the band teacher at school.Now,I'm in 10th grade,and I miss playing.I've occasionally taken out my flute and played,but I'm really bad and don't really remember much.So,my question is,how should I go about going back to playing?I've got at least one beginner book,and 2 intermediate books around,and I've got my 2 flutes (both beginner/intermediate that I got used,one from a friend,and one from my aunt...One has an offset G key,and the other has a bad cork...),but I'm not too sure about how that'll work out.Any suggestions or tips would be great!

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 12:43 pm

Get a teacher again. Well, in my opinion. Just get a /different/ private teacher. In my opinion, the teacher doesn' sound like a great teacher. Comparing to other students? That's something a teacher should NEVER do! Of course it'll make a student /mad/. I'm pretty sure you'll restore some things with some private instruction. And don't let the teacher make you lose the desire to play flute! I'm sure you'll get a better teacher. I've honestly never heard of a private teacher who compares with other students.

If you really don't like band just don't go. Take the flute as a hobby or something. I, personally, don't like band too much either.

SingDanceRunLIFE · Post by **SingDanceRunLIFE** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 1:38 pm

I don't know if my parents would go for me taking private lessons again...I'm already really busy,and I quit before....Any book suggestions?

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 4:23 pm

So you're teaching yourself?

You can't always guarantee yourself that using a method book by yourself can dramatically improve your ability. But, Give it a shot! Teaching yourself isn't that bad, that's what I did before I took lessons

. which book do you use?

SingDanceRunLIFE · Post by **SingDanceRunLIFE** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 5:11 pm

I'm not teaching myself...I already know how to play.I mean,seriously.I played for 5 years!And if you guys know anything about NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association),I was a level 4 out of 6.

The books I have are Essential Elements (the first one,from when my younger sister played flute for 3 weeks - ha),Breathe Easy Method 2,and one other,but I'm not sure of the name,and it's an intermediate one.Then I've got a book full of NYSSMA solos,a book of other songs,and a book of duets (but I'm not sure where those are).

fluttiegurl · Post by **fluttiegurl** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 7:13 pm

Trevor Wye, Marcell Moyse, Rubank (though it is not for everyone) to name a few. There are hundreds of methods out there, some are better than others. If you are looking to play for your own enjoyment, why not just stick to pieces? Play some that you learned previously, then go from there.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 7:14 pm

I recommend getting any books by Trevor Wye [ his Omnibus book is particularly good]. Studies by Marcel Moyse are also quite good. More importantly though, get music that you like. If you like irish tunes, then go get a book with Irish music. If you like hyms, go get a hymnal etc. etc. If you arent going to do music as a career [or even if you are] you must remember that you have to enjoy music. Play music that you like. If you are in music for a career [ like myself and several others on this board] we do have to sometimes play music that we hate, but we also make sure that we play things that we enjoy.

Just get music that youlike, along with study books to work on tone, articulation, vibrato, etc. etc.

But whatever you do, dont give up. I have heard far too many stories of people who have given up an instrument and regret it. Also, have the flutes you have repaired[ the one with the bad cork]. I would take the intermediate flute[or whichever flute is your favorite] you have to a tech, have it looked at, and have any needed work done. If it is in good repair, it could drastically affect your response to being a player again.

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:33 pm

I'm not teaching myself...I already know how to play.I mean,seriously.I played for 5 years!And if you guys know anything about NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association),I was a level 4 out of 6.

The books I have are Essential Elements (the first one,from when my younger sister played flute for 3 weeks - ha),Breathe Easy Method 2,and one other,but I'm not sure of the name,and it's an intermediate one.Then I've got a book full of NYSSMA solos,a book of other songs,and a book of duets (but I'm not sure where those are).

Oh, sorry!

NYSSMA?? Wow...I used to live in New York, so I know what you're talking about.

Breeze Easy Method isn't really that bad because I have used it as well. I agree with others, Trevor Wye is a good one to use. (Well, in my opinion). And play a fun piece afterwards! A duet, previous piece, etc would be great.

SingDanceRunLIFE · Post by **SingDanceRunLIFE** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 8:42 pm

remnantpark wrote:
I'm not teaching myself...I already know how to play.I mean,seriously.I played for 5 years!And if you guys know anything about NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association),I was a level 4 out of 6.

The books I have are Essential Elements (the first one,from when my younger sister played flute for 3 weeks - ha),Breathe Easy Method 2,and one other,but I'm not sure of the name,and it's an intermediate one.Then I've got a book full of NYSSMA solos,a book of other songs,and a book of duets (but I'm not sure where those are).
Oh, sorry! NYSSMA?? Wow...I used to live in New York, so I know what you're talking about.

Breeze Easy Method isn't really that bad because I have used it as well. I agree with others, Trevor Wye is a good one to use. (Well, in my opinion). And play a fun piece afterwards! A duet, previous piece, etc would be great.

It's all good.Yeah,so as I said,I'm definitely NOT teaching myself.I had 5 years of private instruction that brought me to level 4 NYSSMA standards.Trevor Wye...OK.I'll check those out.I actually personally really dislike the Breeze Easy books.I stopped using them for my lessons.Essential Elements is much better IMO.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 10:48 pm

*raises an eyebrow....*
you did say that you did not remember much, so it was a natural assumption.

In any case, to a certain degree we all teach ourselves.

As to the rest, I agree with fluteguy18.. play things you like as well
as methods, etc.

SingDanceRunLIFE · Post by **SingDanceRunLIFE** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:00 pm

Well,I've been playing out of my books...And I've gotta say - Playing flute is like riding a bike.It's hard to actually forget.I've now remembered pretty much all fingerings,the chromatic scales,and stuff like that.Reading the music is something that I've been doing consistently because I also sing.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:15 pm

SingDanceRunLIFE wrote:And I've gotta say - Playing flute is like riding a bike.It's hard to actually forget.

I've heard this comparison a lot, and I have to say that I don't really agree. You can stay off a bike for literally years and come back one day and successfully ride. You can't step away from flute for years and just come back expecting to play like you used to. This is because flute playing requires you to maintain your muscle strength for proper embouchure formation, and maintain your muscle memory through constant use of the fingerings, tonguing, etc. You may be able to remember the fingerings, but that's not really flute playing. That's part of the technical basis. There are so many different things you have to think about while you play, such as breathing, tone, articulation, fingers, dynamics, phrasing, tone color, etc... When you ride a bike, you have to think about not falling over, steering where you want to go, pedaling, and possibly messing with gears. I don't suppose the aptness of such a comparison really matters here, though, so I'll end my ponderings at that.

I would suggest some etudes (depending on where you are as a player, you might look at anything from Berbiguier to Kohler to Andersen) to help get your technique back up to par, and some tone work from either the Wye book on tone (included in the Omnibus Edition) or De La Sonorite. Some work from T+G wouldn't be a terrible idea either. From there, you should find some pieces of an appropriate level that you enjoy playing. If there is a university nearby, you might scrounge some stuff up in their music library, or you could purchase from somewhere like fluteworld. Make sure you work on the basics before you try to get too advanced though. It's great to be able to play the Carmen Fantasie, but it doesn't mean much if your tone and technique aren't up to par.

SingDanceRunLIFE · Post by **SingDanceRunLIFE** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:39 pm

Well,with flutes as bad as mine,tone and such wouldn't be that good even with the world's greatest player.

As for breathing,embouchure,tone color and whatnot...I know how to breathe properly,form vowels correctly (which is actually much like correct embouchure),and I have a very trained ear,all because I've been singing for years.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Wed Dec 27, 2006 11:46 pm

SingDanceRunLIFE wrote:Well,with flutes as bad as mine,tone and such wouldn't be that good even with the world's greatest player.

The player is far more responsible for the tone than the flute. Your flutes should be repaired, but if they are quality, name brand instruments, the limiting factor as far as tone is concerned is almost certainly the player rather than the instrument. I play a gold flute most of the time, but my tone doesn't automatically decrease in quality when I go back to my silver plated student flute. Of course it doesn't play as well as my gold (not as full sounding, fewer colors, slower mech, less dynamic range, etc.), as it's not built as well, but the basic tone still sounds like me. It's a matter of learning how to get the best out of your instrument, whatever you may play, and putting in the work to improve.

As for breathing,embouchure,tone color and whatnot...I know how to breathe properly,form vowels correctly (which is actually much like correct embouchure),and I have a very trained ear,all because I've been singing for years.

All of that may be true, but there is always room for improvement. A good player will constanly be striving to improve themselves, even if they've reached the "proficient" level in any of these facets of playing. These are the types of things that require years of work and constant maintainance to do well. Professional flutists work on these types of things on a daily basis, as these are the basics that you can never escape from.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:24 am

Double post.