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Learning to Play the Flute
One of the most widely
recognized and pleasing
instruments is the flute. It
is loved around the world,
and has taken many forms
over the centuries. With its
portability and simplicity,
many students of all ages
are drawn to the flute.
One of the attributes that
sets the flute apart is its
accessibility. This explains
why parents so often choose
the flute as the first
instrument their child will
learn. Before enrolling your
child, there are a few
important factors to keep in
mind. First, make sure your
child’s arms are long enough
to reach the holes and that
he or she has the strength
to hold the flute off to the
side for minutes at a time.
If you don’t think he or she
is ready for a full-sized
flute, a small plastic
recorder can offer a similar
sound and introduce your
child to the joys of playing
an instrument even before
taking on the challenges of
the flute.
As a new flute student, one
of your greatest
difficulties lies in getting
the embouchure or lip
formation correct.
Consequently, a strategy
often employed by
instructors is to have the
student begin by imitating
the teacher’s embouchure.
Sometimes, they recommend
that only the mouthpiece
portion of the flute be used
until the student can
reliably produce a sound,
after which the flute is
assembled. The other
challenge to be mastered is
breathing. Proper posture
and drawing air up through
the diaphragm will help you
to create a beautiful,
sustained sound on your
flute. Breathing and lip
position are nothing,
however, without fingering.
Over time, you will learn
how to correctly play the
entire range of notes on the
flute’s spectrum. Doing so
involves ongoing practice
and patience.
Although this instrument can
be played by virtually
anyone at some level,
learning its secrets and
perfecting your sound can be
the source of a lifetime’s
worth of pleasure. Setting a
strong foundation of
practice is a great way to
integrate the flute into
your daily life. There are
some suggestions that may
help you as you put together
your practice schedule. Most
important, be realistic. Ask
yourself how much time you
can devote to daily
practice. Of course, you
always have permission to
lengthen that time, but you
should strive never to go
below it. Next, be
consistent. Many teachers
believe that fifteen minutes
of dedicated practice each
day is better than an hour
one day and nothing for the
next four. Finally, scales
and exercises are necessary
and important, but give
yourself time in each
session to have fun. If
there is a piece you like,
play it. Remember, you
picked the flute because you
loved its sound and wanted
to create it for yourself.
Beyond all the scales and
etudes, playing the flute is
about joy.
As you begin to gain
confidence in yourself as a
flutist, you will discover
that there is a tremendous
world of musical styles with
which you can experiment.
Perhaps you might prefer to
focus on the classical
genre, which contains some
of the most challenging and
beautiful works of art for
the flute player. Another
avenue for exploration is
modern folk and sacred
music, where countless
woodwind arrangements are
available. Modern performers
have demonstrated the
flute’s flexibility and have
made it an integral part not
only of the orchestra, but
also of many popular and New
Age music ensembles as well.
As you become increasingly
comfortable with your first
flute, you might also choose
to play other types and
styles, including Native
American wooden versions
that create a unique and
hauntingly beautiful sound
that cannot be replicated on
the traditional concert
flute.
Musicians of all skill
levels love the beauty and
versatility of the flute.
They are attracted to the
purity of sound, the endless
opportunities for challenge,
and the joys that come with
gaining skill. So if you are
considering learning to play
the flute, listen to
recordings and see if the
instrument speaks to you. If
it does, take that leap and
you will be a flutist in no
time.
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