will need some advice ... and encouragement

[teacherless]

Hi all,

I can't recall when exactly I decided that the flute was the best tool for me to express myself, but it was rather late... as I'm an adult who first touched a real flute 4 years ago.

I had never done any music before so the learning process has been quite traumatic (that patience thing!)
I stopped for 2 years because I travelled a lot and was not allowed to make any noise where I lived.

I can't have a teacher because of my hectic timetable so I've started practising at the gym early in the morning, or in my car in the evening.

I am sure I can learn, play well and all that, but I've wasted two years and I believe that I am learning too slowly and I'm afraid of getting bad habits. Now I play like Mrs Palin on the video posted on this forum and that's just sad! But I'll persevere.

So now the practical questions:

1. Long notes: Should I play one note until I'm breathless or should I play 3 notes at distant intervals in one long breath? The latter seems to work better for me, but I'd like your view

2. The quality of my flute: the brand is Intermusic. It is the cheapest flute I found (on Ebay). I thought that if I could play a bad flute, I would be able to play any other flute (the low C & the Eb midrange sound terrible compared to other flutes I've tried in shops). What do you think?

3. Practice schedule: I have the Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute Book 1-5. I find it marvellous, but I tend to spend more time doing the "technique" exercises for dexterity.To my surprise, I can play a tune that I have in my head without reading the score and making very few mistakes. I don't think this does much for the tone. Do you think that I should focus on those exercises and do them very very slowly then as fast as I can, so as to improve tone, dexterity, and hearing?

4. Scales: I haven't got a clue how to practise my scales. I was told I should play from bottom to top. The problem is that my highest register is a torture, so I stop where it gets squeaky and go back down. What do you think?

5. Breathing: A sax player told me that I should inhale air so as to have a big belly. A flute player told me that I should inhale air so as to have my my rib cage expanding. What is your view?

6. Tuning: Do I always need to ensure that the tuning is right before I play anyting? What makes a tuning right? Slightly turning/pulling the head piece? or adjusting the embouchure?

7. Vibrato: I tend to regard it as the icing on the cake and I avoid using it, because I would like my tone to be good and expressive without anything added to it. Just like Sade when she sings. Her voice is so rich but it's just plain... Do you think that's a good idea or is vibrato something that I should get used to quite early?

8. Embouchure: do I really need to relax my lip muscles when I play high notes? According to the online video lessons, the air stream strength and direction do the job.

9. Throat pain: Does any of you have throat pain when playing. I was told this could be due to my asthma. I think it's my style. But maybe it's normal. It's the same pain that I have when I try, as an alto, to sing soprano.

10. Rhythm: I have quite a good sense of rhythm and when I use the metronome, I usually use my feet at the same time for the beat. Most of the time, I do the beat myself. Should I stop this and use the metronome until I'm advanced?

11. Rhythm again: I have issues reading music when it comes to quavers, semiquavers etc. I was told to say "one and a two and a 3..." This doesn't work with me. Any suggestion?

Thank you very much in advance for your invaluable advice

[Phineas]

I started out self taught, but found that 6 months of lessons were a big help.

1. Long notes: Should I play one note until I'm breathless or should I play 3 notes at distant intervals in one long breath? The latter seems to work better for me, but I'd like your view

Both. Also, work on changes in dynamics while doing the long tones. Volume, vibrato, etc....

2. The quality of my flute: the brand is Intermusic. It is the cheapest flute I found (on Ebay). I thought that if I could play a bad flute, I would be able to play any other flute (the low C & the Eb midrange sound terrible compared to other flutes I've tried in shops). What do you think?

Either get the flute looked at, or buy another one. More than likely, I would just get another one.

3. Practice schedule: I have the Trevor Wye Practice Book for the Flute Book 1-5. I find it marvellous, but I tend to spend more time doing the "technique" exercises for dexterity.To my surprise, I can play a tune that I have in my head without reading the score and making very few mistakes. I don't think this does much for the tone. Do you think that I should focus on those exercises and do them very very slowly then as fast as I can, so as to improve tone, dexterity, and hearing?

A combination of all of those things. The best advice I can give you is do a lot of listening. One of the biggest hurdles for my students when it comes to sound is knowing HOW you want to sound. A good tool to estabish this would be listening to flute players you like, and trying to imitate them. The better musicians are the ones that listen to a lot of music. Be sure you get a recorder of some kind so you can record and listen to yourself. This will definitely give you a a baseline on what you need work on. Do not worry about speed! Tone and dynamics are what is more important! It is always better to sound great slowly, than to show that you can play a lot of notes.

4. Scales: I haven't got a clue how to practise my scales. I was told I should play from bottom to top. The problem is that my highest register is a torture, so I stop where it gets squeaky and go back down. What do you think?

You just have to keep doing them until you get it! Your flute could be part of your upper register problem. Just know that the part of the flute register is not easy for anyone...lol

5. Breathing: A sax player told me that I should inhale air so as to have a big belly. A flute player told me that I should inhale air so as to have my my rib cage expanding. What is your view?

The basically said the same thing in a differnt way. One way to practice this is to lay on your back, put a book on your tummy, and breathe. As you breathe in, the book should move upwards, out downwards. At first, you will feel a little dizzy, but you will over come this. Make sure you take is as musch air as fast as you can, the let it out slowly. After a while, this will automatic.

6. Tuning: Do I always need to ensure that the tuning is right before I play anyting? What makes a tuning right? Slightly turning/pulling the head piece? or adjusting the embouchure?

Tuning is only important when you are playing with other people, or playing with a CD. I may get flamed for saying this. I cannot tell you how many times I have played with a group, tuned with a tuner, then had to re-adjust my tuning to sound good in a group. If anything, I would suggest developing a good ear, and a technique for do quick tunign adjustment. Another thing a good teacher could help you with.

7. Vibrato: I tend to regard it as the icing on the cake and I avoid using it, because I would like my tone to be good and expressive without anything added to it. Just like Sade when she sings. Her voice is so rich but it's just plain... Do you think that's a good idea or is vibrato something that I should get used to quite early?

Another reason to take a few lessons! There are a lot of flute players out there that over do it! However, it can be nice if it is applied properly. Again, listen to flute players you like, and try to imitate how they use it.

8. Embouchure: do I really need to relax my lip muscles when I play high notes? According to the online video lessons, the air stream strength and direction do the job.

The key with higher notes in the speed of the airstream, and how focused it is, not ow tight your embouchure is. So yes, it is best to loosen up when playing higher notes.

9. Throat pain: Does any of you have throat pain when playing. I was told this could be due to my asthma. I think it's my style. But maybe it's normal. It's the same pain that I have when I try, as an alto, to sing soprano.

Are you breathing correctly, and are you drinking enough fluids? Dry air will do it to you every time!

10. Rhythm: I have quite a good sense of rhythm and when I use the metronome, I usually use my feet at the same time for the beat. Most of the time, I do the beat myself. Should I stop this and use the metronome until I'm advanced?

98% of the time, I do not use a metronome. I only use one when I am trying to learn a difficult passage, or sometimes when practicing in a group. In my opinion, they are mostly useless. When you play with a group, you have to be able to follow the group, or even the conductor. Niether of which have perfect timing. (I know I will get flame for saying that!)

11. Rhythm again: I have issues reading music when it comes to quavers, semiquavers etc. I was told to say "one and a two and a 3..." This doesn't work with me. Any suggestion?

The key to sight reading is memorization of common patterns. This is the reason we practice scales, arpeggios, etc... To get them into our heads so we do not have to think aobut them when we see them on a sheet. It is the same for Rhythm. After a while, after you start a vocabulary of rhythm patterns, you will be able to recognize them on the fly! The 1-e-and-a-2-e-and-a methods are just tools to help you to learn/analyze new rhythms. Once you memorize the rhythm pattern, you will not need to keep that kind of count going in your head, you will just play it.

Hopefully these suggestions will help, however I would like to see you get a better instrument, do more listening, and take a few lessons. The things you do at this stage, will help you to be a better self taught musician in the long run, and will help you learn at a faster pace!

If you have not done so, read the FAQ here
http://www.fluteland.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=2411

Good luck.

Phineas

[teacherless]

Thanks a lot for all the advice.
I'm going to buy a new flute! As to finding a professor, I think it's impossible because I only practise in the morning (7am to 8am) or late in the evening. But I'll keep on reading the info you've posted. The 2.0 recap was very useful!

Take care

[Tonight8]

Learning a new instrument is like a diet. There are ups and downs, and all the habits and choices you make will affect the person you are striving to become.

Key things: Smart Practice is better than hours of thoughtless practice. Spending five minutes a day working on a specific goal and technique will benefit you more than the quantity of practice.

Patience: If you are constantly becoming frustrated with yourself, you will not progress. Enjoy the journey and relax. A relaxed mind is more focused and energized to tackle the challenge.

I recommend you read a new online magazine that will be coming out in March called Late Starter Musician. Over the next few months, it will cover such topics and provide encouragement for teen and adult learners! www.latestartermusician.com

I think Phineas answered all of your questions quite nicely. Just remember to hang in there and don't give up! Patience!!!!!!!

[MissyHPhoenix]

I agree with the above statements! Kudos to you for teaching yourself, and always remember that you are doing it for fun -- if you get stuck, instead of getting upset, go back and play something that you really like so that you can remind yourself why you are doing it in the first place!

Tonight8, thanks for the link to the new magazine! Late Starter Musician will be wonderful for those of us who are trying again later in life, as I am. I can't wait to see more of it.

[Tonight8]

Yeah Missy. It looks great! It was supposed to come out on the 1st, but I didn't see it, so I tought--oh no, what's going on with my computer? And then I woke up and saw it this morning.

[MissyHPhoenix]

Oh, thanks for letting me know! I'll go look at it now ...