Hi Folks
I’ve been lurking around for a while, but this is my first post.
I’ll be getting a Folk Flute from Casey Burns in about two weeks. So, I have some questions. This is my first flute, but I have played whistle (and low whistle) for about a year and a half, so I’m OK with the fingering. I’ve read good reviews on the Folk Flute, and I think I made the right choice for a first flute, but I’d like to know what you guys think. How do you like the Folk Flute? Is it good for someone who’s never played flute before?
Also, I would like to find a teacher if possible. I live in Santa Paula, CA about two hours north of LA. I know of a couple down around here, but they are rather far away.
In case I can’t get a teacher, I have ordered Grey Larsen’s Essential Flute & Whistle book, and the Seamus Egan madfortrad.com tutorial. I was also thinking of getting some of Conal O’Grada’s Scoiltrad lessons. Has anybody here tried those? How do you like them? Are they a good substitute for a real teacher?
Thanks for helping me out, and I’m looking forward to posting more here in the future.
The lessons you have are also pretty good …but the one I like best is L.E.McCullough’s from Homespun Tapes (on CD of course…its for tin whistle but is still the best I’ve found…if you drop the pitch 1 octave with the slowdowner it’s for flute…DaDaaaaaa!) and get the “Amazing Slow Downer” off the web.
A real fun book is Ralph Sweet’s “The fifer’s delight”..full of fun stuff
I love the sound of my Casey Burns flute with the session head. The Mad4Trad CD-ROM expects you to already know how to play a bit. The Grey Larson book starts you at the very beginning. Its pretty in-depth, and will take a while if you follow all his steps. I expect to be practising a lot on proper position, tone and breathing before I get to actually playing, but that’s probably a good thing in the long run.
Developing an embouchure will take a while. Find a teacher, doesn’t have to be a trad or wooden flute teacher, just someone that can help you with getting sound.
Casey has updated his site… I can not find any reference on the new site for the session head. Here is a picture of one in Mopane (it shows better than the picture of the blackwood)
I went with the Ergonomic design three-piece in mopane. The session head has those grooves cut in the off-side of the blow hole, some say for volume in sessions, but I think they’re drainage for droolers.
I agree that the Dixon is . . . umm . . . challenging. Less so after I extracted a large, dangling plastic shred out of its innards.
It did convince me that, having gotten actual musical-like noises out of it, it would be safe to invest in a real flute. I’m looking forward to the arrival of a Casey Burns small-handed boxwood.
Grey Larsen’s book was very helpful. I think you’ll enjoy it. It is very detailed and includes explanations of why things are what they are. You won’t have any trouble following along. His explanations of ornamentation are much easier to understand than anything else I’ve seen.
Check out some of the online instructions, as well. By comparing them, you can get a better idea of what to do.
Grey Larsen’s instructions on holding the flute were a little scary at first, but over time have proven to do just fine. If they seem odd to you, persevere.
His how-to-blow instructions worked for me on the first try, by accident, and then never again, but I had success with Michael Cronnolly’s suggestions (www.irishflutes.net/mef/Tutor.htm). His kiss-and-roll method did the trick.
Obviously, I’m still in the rudimentary stages of this flute playing, so my advice isn’t worth poo, but if I could make headway with Grey Larsen and various internet pages, I am sure you can, too.
Let us know how it goes!
I suppose it’s too much to hope that there is a teacher in the St. Petersburg/Sarasota/Tampa area? Anyone know?
When I learned to play flute initially, (silver, Boehm) I was taught to take off the head, close the end with the palm of my right hand, and practice making a sound with the headjoint only. It’s surprisingly easy once you get the hang of it. Do you know anyone who plays (or has a kid who plays) a silver flute you might try that with? I found the switch to wooden flute from silver pretty painless, actually.
Certainly, kiss and roll.
There are several fans of Scoiltrad on this board. I’d like to try it myself.
I would think that your choice of “first” flute is excellent. Practice!!! (What a cliche!)
Don’t get too cosy with a silver-flute teacher; unless they know their way around trad, they won’t be able to help you with the cuts, rolls, taps or crans, and the tone classical flute teachers encourage is just plain naff.
Get Grey’s book; it’s an excellent resource and you can pretty much teach yourself with it. But find out where the nearest wooden flute teacher is - even if the nearest teacher/player is in another city, work out a way to go for a lesson every few months or something. Scoiltrad’s a really fantastic option too - instant masterclass with one of the top players, and Conal offers a pretty comprehensive introductory lesson package.
Do you know anyone who plays (or has a kid who plays) a silver flute you might try that with? I found the switch to wooden flute from silver pretty painless, actually.
I do have a couple of freinds that play Boehm system, I’m sure they’d be willing to do that with me.
Don’t get too cosy with a silver-flute teacher; unless they know their way around trad, they won’t be able to help you with the cuts, rolls, taps or crans, and the tone classical flute teachers encourage is just plain naff.
So, are you saying that it wouldn’t be a good idea to try to develop an embouchure with a classical flute player?
Sure, the embouchure work will help. It’s a different embouchure, but it’s quite similar, and would give yo the groundwork on that aspect of playing.
The WHOLE approach to everything else, though, isn’t anything like the way most folks play traditional music, even that oft-mentioned diva who plays trad on a Boehm flute. The articulation and ornamentation alone are enough to give people fits.
But there’s nothing wrong with starting out on Boehm if you’ve got access, and then picking up trad stuff at a later time. I’d be really careful NOT to try to steer the lessons towards trad, though. If you’re working with a classically-trained flautist, learn that technique; don’t compromise things by trying to have someone who may not be at all familiar with trad teach you trad the wrong way. I personally think you’d be better served by a firm foundation in classical flute playing.
There’s probably no better beginner’s flute than the CB.
Good choice. I think it’s helpful to find a wooden flute
teacher, even if you have to travel for a lesson.
You don’t need lots of lessons, you see; one lesson
will keep you busy for quite a while. I sometimes
drive four hours for a lesson. There is a special
angst in relearning your technique from the
bottom up after you’ve been playing for awhile.
Expect some time and frustration developing an embouchure.
Took me maybe three months before I was
consistent.
The CB flute will keep you happy for quite awhile,
and if you ever resell you can get a good price.
I do know of a couple wooden flute teachers, but they are pretty far away. If I could drive, that would be no problem, but I’m just 15, and my parents would have to drive me. They might be up for once a month though.
Casey Burns Folk Flute: You are lucky to start with such a flute.
Scoiltrad lessons: They are very good but you will need a handful of tunes down before venturing even a beginners lesson.
Grey Larsen’s book: It’s massive and is more like a manual but it’s a masterpiece for its thoroughness alone. Some find it too dogmatic to fit into traditional music but it won’t lead you astray.
Monthly lessons: Better than no lessons. You just can’t beat the effectiveness of person-to-person instruction. Even Proust or Joyce couldn’t write with enough detail to explain what a person can demonstrate.
Good luck to you. I wish I had started learning GHB with as solid a foundation as you are learning the flute.
