Hi all, I've been playing flute for 15 years and have some teaching experience however have not taught for at least four years. I have just taken on a brand new student and would like to know what you found the most important thing was early in your learning that kept you in love with the flute. For me it was scales and arpeggios so I could really see how much I was progressing.
Any thoughts?
Beginner Basics
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
Re: Beginner Basics
well,in my ipinion teach your student well the sound balance and how to make a nice sweet balanced tone...all other will come step by step.to be more specific,the sound not to be "airy"...
Re: Beginner Basics
For me it was playing with others, and trying to play stuff I had heard that kept me at it. And the same is still true today as my improvements always tend to come from trying to play something I couldn't before...
Re: Beginner Basics
The most important things for any flutist, whether they started playing today or 5 years ago, are the VERY BASICS--which are:
Hand and Body positions
Correct breathing technique
I have just found it the hand and body positions are harder to teach than I thought they would be....at least for me. I am working on it.
After the basics (though you never stop teaching and reinforcing them), you can teach forming a correct embouchure and helping them find their "sweet spot" (different for everyone! there is not one way!), then work on keeping the air moving so as to produce an even tone.
For notes, scales and arpeggios are definitely key! Also motivate them by letting them learn fun pieces along the way
Listening and ear training will help with producing a beautiful tone. I learned how to play with a nice, beautiful tone with vibrato by listening to my teacher's demonstrations. She would play something, I would imitate it. And of course she also would remind me of things like lifting the soft pallet, keeping open teeth, etc...
I also concur with previous reply, always challenge them!! They will not improve any other way.
I am in a similar situation, I have been playing for 15 years also, and have taught before but just started teaching someone after 6 years of not teaching! So I have been doing a lot of research and soul searching...haha.
Hand and Body positions
Correct breathing technique
I have just found it the hand and body positions are harder to teach than I thought they would be....at least for me. I am working on it.
After the basics (though you never stop teaching and reinforcing them), you can teach forming a correct embouchure and helping them find their "sweet spot" (different for everyone! there is not one way!), then work on keeping the air moving so as to produce an even tone.
For notes, scales and arpeggios are definitely key! Also motivate them by letting them learn fun pieces along the way
Listening and ear training will help with producing a beautiful tone. I learned how to play with a nice, beautiful tone with vibrato by listening to my teacher's demonstrations. She would play something, I would imitate it. And of course she also would remind me of things like lifting the soft pallet, keeping open teeth, etc...
I also concur with previous reply, always challenge them!! They will not improve any other way.
I am in a similar situation, I have been playing for 15 years also, and have taught before but just started teaching someone after 6 years of not teaching! So I have been doing a lot of research and soul searching...haha.
When in doubt, trill.
--John Phillip Sousa's advice to piccolo players
--John Phillip Sousa's advice to piccolo players