I need some advice on self-teaching

[danieltaller]

Hello all, I am trying to find the time to
practice every so often... work keeps me very busy. I was wondering if anyone
has any tips to practicing. My biggest intimidating factor is that I just
don''t have any good way to practice the fingerings. I have a chart which
lists the finger arrangements for all the notes in all three octaves, but I find
myself looking at a staff, reading a note, thinking for a few seconds until I
determine which note it is, then going to the chart and looking up the finger
arrangement! Are there any cominations of songs that are simple and only use a
few notes so that I can practice a few at a time? What methods should a total
novice use to start remembering the finger arrangements? I don''t have time
for classes, and I want to do this on my own. I started out with a beginner
video but that was only about 1 hour lesson and that is it! They only did a few
notes, and that was all. Any advice? Thanks.

[sssteph]

Hello! First I'd suggest if you are a
complete beginner to try and fit a lesson or two in. Beyond that, I tend to
still rely on the old music I used as kid learning the flute. The Rubank system
has a good system of books, Elementary, Intermediate, and Advance that offer
basic passages like you mentioned in the Elementary book increasing with
difficulty through the series. Also, once you advance I will suggest a real old
favorite of mine if you can find it. Daily Exercises For the Flute by Andre
Maquare. This book offers a series of challenging exercises that help fingering,
scales, etc. I use this book, daily as the title suggests and have on and off
for over 10 years. Steph

[Penny]

I concur with Steph You will learn the
fingers, but there is no short cut. You will have to play them over and over
until they are second nature and dont require thought. The Maquarre book is
excellent but at least a year or two ahead of where you are at. Stick with a
recognized beginner book like the ones Steph mentioned. It just takes time,
flute isn't an easy instrument. Maybe you could find someone else that is
learning flute and get together that would help.

[danieltaller]

Thank you all for your advice. Do any of you
know the exact titles of the beginner Rubank flute lesson books? I was searching
amazon.com but came up with nothing. Thanks. PS - another person responded to me
advising a book called "Essential Elements" That is available on amazon, but a
customer review indicates it is not really very appropriate for self-teaching.
How do you feel about that? Thanks.