Is there hope for me?

[ComeThouFount]

Greetings to you all!
This is my first visit here, and I have quite a story to tell.
My music beginnings have been pretty ignorant, rough, and poor.
I managed to even learn music on an un-tune-able guitar where I believe I really set back my hearing.
I think this is where teachers that I have had said I had the ear, but it needed training. GRIN That is until these past ten years when things really changed.

Way back -- I was able to borrow a flute in a summer band program when I was in Junior High and was greatly complimented by the teacher, who was astonished at my lung power and holding a note.
Today, I could never say what instrument that was.
But going to High School the next year, I took the band class for new students and was able to borrow a flute--when it was there...for it was shared with another person as well...well, you can imagine how ridiculous that was. And as it turned out, this class, even the teacher was hardly there! It was a free class, which I never anticipated.
But to shorten this story, later I had some flute stories, but overall I never got off the ground with a flute, but had a lot of dreams.

But here is the thing, in these past years, I truly believe that the Lord helped me in the world of music. I started to understand a lot about music, and of course a lot has become available in the world of music via CD's, internet, etc. Especially, if one lives in an area where there is truly a lack of teachers.

So, here I am at a much, much older age, having the time of my life learning a flute, and it all seems at this point so very amazingly productive and I certainly feel I am going through easy days and rough hard days with it...which are heavy indications that I am advancing.

Now you might be wondering, why am I asking, is there hope for me? When I know full well there is HOPE! But here is my question. I go to a small church where people who want to participate in the worship are definitely welcomed, and talent is not a heavy requirement...I am being sincere about this.

But here is the thing...I am a sheet music type of person, and while I am now understanding all about this "playing in a certain key" thing, I can't help but wonder...how can one really play sheet music and be among people who just play mostly by ear in a certain key, when the sheet music is geared for "one" key...the way it is written. But most people are playing chords in the various keys. I certainly understand about scales and that it is those notes that one plays, but how can one really play flute like a melody line on the spot when people are changing the keys on the spot??? Like sometimes for example, they will start playing a worship song, and before they get going, they will stop and say, oh, let's play this in "B" or "G" and then they just crank it up and go.

How can a flute player like me, just pick it up from there and go with it? Let alone be presented with a one page sheet of lyrics with chords on top of some words? And be able to "go" with it?

Perhaps, I feel deep down, I get it, sort of, but it makes me extremely nervous to feel like I could offer anything but random notes when I think I got it right here and there?

I heard years ago, elsewhere, another flute player was kind of in that situation too. And you could hear the flute randomly play a note or two or three before the song was over.

So, my question, with the goal in mind to have a goal of playing "somewhere" preferably in my church, how do I go about it to go in this direction? Obviously, I need to untangle my mind, but what is recommended for such playing?

Is there such a thing as "chords" on flute? Or is it a mastery over scales?

I sure would like to know how to achieve this and know how to get there.

Can I ramble or what?

Thanks ever so kindly for any advice.

[fluttiegurl]

First off, welcome. This is certainly the place to ask questions about the flute. Unfortunately, you would probably get much better answers from a live teacher, but I will do the best I can to answer what you have posted.

A flute does not play chords. It is designed to play one note at a time. There is a technique that you can use to play more than one note, but that is not exactly helpful to you at this time. I think you are on the right track with scales because knowing how to play in various keys should be extremely helpful.

I think I understand that you are basically asking how to play by ear. My suggestion is to talk to the other musicians and see if they can tell you what songs they will be playing and in what keys. You can then take a hymnal or song book and free software like Finale Notepad and arrange the pieces in the keys you need them.

I serve as a minister of music in a church. I guess my approach is quite different than in your church, but I plan for worship about a month out. By the time the rehearsal before the service arrives, I pretty much know what songs will be used and in what keys. With that information, I can take the top line of basically any song (hymn or contemporary) and create a flute part for whoever is playing that day. Since music is so expensive, I find myself doing this a lot.

A little music theory training will help wonders as well. You can learn to transpose in various keys and have no problem with this. There are some very good theory books out there. But again, these cannot replace the valuable information that a live teacher can give.

Hope this helps some. Good luck!

[Phineas]

Greetings!

Anything you practice, you should practice in as many keys as possible. After a while, all you need to do is know a song, and play it in any key by ear. Often, when playing jazz, I have ran into situations were 2 players on a set will know the same song in 2 different keys. Everyone just picks a key, and starts playing. It is not magic, it is just that everyone is familiar with the tune/song, and well versed in playing in ALL keys on their instrument. Memorization is the key.

Phineas

[ComeThouFount]

Thank you both ever so kindly for your kind and helpful advice.
I really appreciate it.
I believe the reality of what I am dealing with in our small church is that when people are playing instruments and singing for a church on a small level and those in the church who play by ear and are just kind of winging it week to week, create a situation where the rest who play an instrument (at home) never assist because they do not know how to combat the sheet music versus play by ear situation.
I totally admire people who can play by ear.
It does however have its drawbacks, for most people end up playing chords on chord playing instruments. Melody lines are rare but do happen on these instruments.
That's about it.

But I am not at that point where I can play for example Amazing Grace in any key. I have about three different versions of it in sheet music, but I don't honestly know if I could mentally transpose any given sheet music on the spot. But maybe one day.

It all seems so mentally challenging at this point to know what would become a sharp or a flat, let alone trying to play them on sheet music that have a lot of them already, like a lot of piano music!!! Grin.

But I do believe I have come a long way, and playing flats and sharps are a lot easier mentally than ever before.

And my hearing has much improved.
By the way, have they made clip on tuners for flutes? Just curious...I mean for checking intonation?

Thanks so kindly for everything, and I so very much appreciate it.
God bless you.

[jsb]

any chromatic tuner can help figure out if your are in tune. that has nothing to do with the flute itself. my advice as a musician (haven't taken my first flute lesson yet though i just bought a yamaha 461 to start next week) is to learn your intervals. no. master your intervals and hear the next note of songs in your head. sort of like visualization ... hear it before you play it and you will get there as your brain already knows the tune. it is now up to your fingers to simply find the right fingering.

a mistake is simply a learning opportunity. if you make a mistake and realize it by what you have heard ... you are on the right path. just keep moving forward and master those intervals ... both playing and hearing.

there is no substitute for knowledge of music theory ... everything else is simple another part of the bigger picture. playing by ear and transposing is only half the insight. reading (and listening on a deep level) is the other half. one without the other is only half of the art. the complete musician draws from both skills without separation.