Newbie just registered from the UK

nasxxx · Post by **nasxxx** » Fri Aug 03, 2007 1:17 am

Hello everyone, I'm NAS from England (Bristol SW UK). Complete novice to the flute. Bought the "Odyssey Silver Plated Flute Outfit" from Argos over here couple of weeks ago as a basic flute to teach myself, as I can't afford lessons at the moment. Working my way through the Abracacadabra FLute book, which I have found a godsent in its methods to teach simply, I know it doesn't cover alot of things or can possibly replace what I could learn from a tutor, probably picking up some bad habbits, but have found it very imformative. Have also purchased Learn as you play flute and A new tune a day so I can also practice other songs and read new material.
I have found the fingering chart on fluteland a marvious tool to remember the keys and notes, also the fingering test is a good way of remembering bits so who ever constructed that well done its very helpfull.

One method i'm teaching myself when it comes to new sheet music and songs that I don't know or not familar with is to use a piece of software called "Sibelius 5" I can copy musical scores into it and play back at the correct speed and hear how it should be played. I recommend this methods of learning new songs to anyone unsure of what a song sounds like or the speed it should be played.

I'm not too sure about taking grades later on, as i'm learning the flute for my own pleasure. I can at the momoent only play basic songs like "Greensleeves" and similar as I need to build up speed - somehow master double tonguing and a whole variety of teachings. I have found that youtube also is a great palce to listen and watch other flutists perform one example is a woman from the US called "Nina Perlove" who has a fantastic way of explaining her teachings well recommend viewing her work, fantastic, also a whole host of other flutists on there.

Been reading many threads on this forum and it is a wealth of information and very helpfull persons, I look forward to progressing with my flute playing hopefully picking up some usefull hints and tip ref playing.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:28 pm

Hi nasxxx, I'm a new member too. It's a great resource and I've learned a lot from people on here. I found Nina Perlove through someone on here. She's great. Very friendly and helpful. I'm also self taught, just started playing again after a few years and now trying to develop better practice habits. There's a lot to learn, but it's worth it, and I think my playing is starting to improve quite a bit now. Good luck with your playing and welcome to the Fluteland forums.

fluteguy18 · Post by **fluteguy18** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:20 pm

Nina is a lovely woman. I met her at a Kentucky Flute convention two years ago, and came across her again last year. There is a chance that I will be playing in a masterclass of hers in January.

Her videos on youtube are wonderful. If you are a self taught player, I HIGHLY recommend her videos. I myself have learned a few things from her [some of which were on her youtube videos, others were from masterclasses I have sat in on with her].

nasxxx · Post by **nasxxx** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 1:16 am

Thanxs for the welcome Anne, Have to admit this forum as really opened up my eyes with its members and information. For example I never knew about the different types of flute before open / closed also that B-Foot extra keys on the bottom which, I wish I had purchased for a slightly deeper tone of play after hearing more vids on you tube ref the differnt flute types and sound but more is to do with the player really.
I've been purchasing alot of Flute books from the net to help teach myself.
so far have:-

A New Tune a Day for Flute bk 1 (with CD) - Ned Bennett
Abracacadra Flute - Malcom Pollock
Abracadabra Flute Duets - Malcolm Pollock
Learn AS you PLay Flute - Boosey & Hawkes
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Fifty for the Flute bk1 - Alan Bullard
76 Graded Studies for FLute bk1 - Paul Harris & Sally Adams

The Ned Bennett book and CD is fantastic can play basic tunes + listen to how it should be played to develop correct timming and also a good tone. When I 1st started to play songs from that book I didn't listen to the CD, when I listened to it for the 1st time it really did open up my eyes as to the correct sounds which have helped alot.
I've read also on other threads that scale books are a great way to quicken up the fnigers and off by heart notes. Something I need to look into at the moment can only remember F major (1 octave) - G Major (1 octave) A Minor (1 octave) and E Minor (1 octave)
I'm assumbing you have to remember every one ? Also Chromatic scales ?.
I've been playing for almost a month now slowly but surely getting there. Like most people i'm finding the lower scale easier than the higher register but that will come in time still having problems with my Embouchure higher register but I guess over time will even out.
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Totally agree with you Anne and fluteguy18. Nina's work is absolutley fantastic, a real joy to listen to. Have saved all of her vids and converted into .avi format so they can be played full screen. Have found also another female flutist on youtube user "fluteloophost" Is also very good for teaching basics also, she has a great method of convaying the "French" embouchure way of playing which I do kind of (lol) need alot more practice, but even her flute cleaning techniques are very good, have to get a verticle flute stand and cover made up.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:08 am

nasxxx: I have a couple of Learn as you Play books too. My brother bought them for me when I was visiting England a few years ago. (I'm from there originally). I recently bought Trevor Wye's Practice Books for flute so I'm starting to work through those. I have a lot of gaps in my learning as although I've had the flute quite a while, initially I didn't really practice properly. You could say I learned to run before I could walk, so I'm going back and learning to walk a bit better. I have to make myself play scales. I think I've had a problem doing that because I needed to work more on good tone production. There's nothing worse than playing scales with a poor sounding tone. Not inspiring at all, LOL. I have to be inspired by what I play, even it it's just exercises. That's where Trevor Wye is good, as he has some really nice excerpts from Debussy, Ravel, Bach, etc. to practice. He also says, don't just fall back on what you already know. That's such good advice, and I think that's why I got sort of bored with it before. If you just do that, you're not progressing.

You seem to be doing pretty well if you've only been playing for a month. A good embouchure takes quite a long time to develop, as I'm discovering. I still can't get all notes clearly, esp. the high register, but can get a pretty good range. It comes gradually.

By the way, how do you convert videos to .avi format?

fluteguy: That's interesting that you had masterclasses with Nina. I think it's great that she does video lessons, and I will certainly be watching them all.

nasxxx · Post by **nasxxx** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 8:48 am

To grab the videos i'm using Firefox with that "Videodownloader" extension once you play a clip in youtube or where ever click the videodownloader icon it gives you a prompt to save say "flutetest.flv"
Then I use a program called "Total video Converter" import the "flutetest.flv" then convert it into what ever format .avi / .mpg etc then play in winamp.

I'm gonna have to get some "Trevor Wye" books and practice via his teachings thanxs for the heads up with this.

Anne, was it the "Trevor Wye Practice Books for Flute: Omnibus Books 1 to 5" you have got, or something else ?.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:21 am

Hi nas, Yes, I have the Omnibus edition Books 1-5. They have it on Amazon.com. It's way cheaper to get the set of 5 than to buy them separately. You don't get the CD with the set though, but if you really wanted it you could just buy the Tone book with the CD as well, and it would still work out cheaper than buying all his books separately.

Thanks for that other info. I'll have to figure that out. I don't have all the necessary programs right now.

Anne · Post by **Anne** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:34 am

I should add that these books don't start at the very beginning, so it might be wise to get his beginner book initially. I haven't found it too difficult so far although I can't get all the harmonic notes yet in the first excersises in the Tone book. It's going to be fun when it gets to the high register exercises.

piccolo1991 · Post by **piccolo1991** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:17 pm

Trevor Wye actually has beginner books too...I think there are two of them. They incorporate some of the things he goes over in the omnibus edition, but starts from step one. I only use it with one of my students who hates high notes...we found that the Wye books work more in the low register. But they also have some good tone exercises and his usual commentary. Maybe those would be a better place to start as a beginner...you may be a little overwhelmed by the omnibus...they have some intense scale exercises in there!!! Hope this helps a little!![/i]

nasxxx · Post by **nasxxx** » Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:49 am

Thank you for your honnist words piccolo1991. I'm probably the same as your student ref the lower notes I do find them alot easier but am strugglying with the higher ones, I guess practice practice practice

. One thing I do find if I know a tune or have heard it before or is played to me then I kinda latch onto what I hear and try to "copycat" but when you listen to how a pro performs, like yourself the depth and feeling kinda makes me wish I could play like that. Saying that perhaps diving in at the deep end learning the higher scales be it badley stumblying upon them slowly untill I can master is what I need also more practice for my fingering and embouchure.