Hey, brad. I’ve heard of that book and I’d like to check it out but I am wondering if there is a place where I can find a sample PDF, maybe a chapter or three on embouchure. Something to work on until I can find the book. I live in a small town and to get anything like that I have to have someone order it for me. I don’t have a credit card or anything like that and yeah, for the price of all this crap I could just get me a good flute and a teacher, haha, kidding but barely kidding. A 45$ book! 500+ pages though, I guess he deserves it, haha.
Crooked, I haven’t clicked your links but I’m about to. Thanks!
Bigsciota, yeah, give me a minute and I will post a few links. You will either love it or hate it, haha.
The late great East Galway flute player Jack Coen had all the advice you’ll ever need in just one quote: “Always play with someone who’s better than you are. That way you can only get better.”
You could twist this around and realize that you’ll never get better until you start playing with people who are better than you are. Do what you can, be it a teacher or a summer school or sessions. It doesn’t have to be just flute players. You can learn ITM from anyone who plays it the right way.
Also, you might want to limit your focus to just one type of music until you master it or at least become conversant in it. Then branch out. Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase “Jack of all trades, master of none”?
Before you watch them, I realize that neither actually play Irish flute. One plays a recorder and i know she plays other flutes not included in the videos and the other plays an assortment of various flutes and most are not in the video including the whistle, bansuri, kaval, overtone, and several other bamboo flutes that I can’t ever identify, haha. Also the second band is one of my favorites but they’ve gone far downhill since the original members left. They also used to play trad Irish tunes and songs. Down by the valley and others. The first band Faun is unbelievably talented…and my absolute favorite.
a unique style of music that really doesn’t have a name yet. It’s a big movement in Europe and although I don’t live there I am loving its style and its actually what influenced me to play flute.
Not sure about a unique style - this sort of stuff’s been played for years (going back to the Incredible String Band) not really anything to do with Irish trad but ok if that’s what you like.
Not sure about a unique style - this sort of stuff’s been played for years (going back to the Incredible String Band)
… more or less what I was going to say (having listened to some of the clips) … nice music !!
A recent find (for me), in a similar vein, http://perkelt.com/PerKelt_UK.php are another contempory “acoustic/folk/rock” band with a very competent lady on recorder
You have to sign up but it’s free for all the starter lessons from various players, probably enough there to keep you busy for a while. Steph’s lessons are good as it starts from basics and she’s a great player - check out the other free flute lessons.
You should distinguish between a “cheap” instrument and an “inexpensive” instrument.
You can learn some things here but you’d learn much more listening to clips on Youtube.
In any case, there is a huge difference between what you like and what people have recommended.
The clips you posted have some interesting moments. But not what most of us here would call exceptionally good music.
You are right though about one thing though: you don’t need to spend a lot of money on a good flute – or lessons, for that matter --to play that stuff.
@ John, not much to do with Irish trad, no but they do play some Irish trad occasionally. I see how you could associate it with the incredible string band and there are lots of similarities but there are also some big differences. The incredible string band was labeled psychedelic folk and you could throw both those bands in that label but some of the other bands that I like which associate with those two bands and their unamed genre play strictly medieval recreated music and stuff like that so yeah, I agree that those two bands could be called psychedelic folk but the other bands that i love such as wardruna typically play music from the different eras. Some of them describe themselves as medieval folk, some pagan folk, the list goes on.
Psychedelic Folk does fit them nicely though, in fact I’ve had the same thought but they’re definitely some key differences between them and the psychedelic movement.
Oh and the first band that produced this kind of music I’d say is Corvus Corax which studied medieval music strictly and really tried to recreate it although I think they played a little metal too, I’m not sure, I don’t care for them much, lol.
@brad, that wouldn’t be a bad name either. It makes sense seeing as most of the bands DO try to play as historically accurate as possible. Some are more electic like the two that I’ve shown. Maybe these two kinds deserve their own genres. Psychedelic Folk for electic bands like OMNIA and Faun and Ren-Faire for rec bands like Corvus Corax or another favorite of mine, Wardruna.
@John, I’ve been watching her on YouTube. Ill check out the links and make sure I’ve seen the may basic lessons cause I might have missed one, thanks bud! Seriously appreciate it.
@Julia, I’ve spent many hours on YouTube already. it’s always good to get input though. I like most recommendations as well. I love music in general although I’m greatly impressed by the eclectic stuff that goes out of the box. I think a lot of those guys are very talented, particularly the guy playing harp on the Karuna vid and the red headed girl in OMNIA. The guy is very humble and rarely tries to shine bright but he can! And the red head rarely shows her talent as well but that’s because the front man is always being the star but the front man is a talented flute/whistle player. Like I said, I love eclectic music. I particularly like Irish music though and would like to start a base foundation on that.
I think that the musicians in those videos are very skillful but I don’t know much. I like their sound and that’s what matters to me since I’m just a listener and I couldn’t do that at this point in time. Maybe it’s very basic, I don’t know. Sounds like it was done in high spirits with loads of skill to me but judging by Julia’s respond, I could be wrong.
If that’s so then they have me fooled.
I’ve done research on those two bands and the guy playing the harp has a highly musical bakground and so does the red head in the other band. The other guys in the second band aren’t nearly as skilled as they could be from what I’ve read but eh. I think the drummer is pretty skilled/knowledgable as a percussionist. I’m not sure about the other band, I just know how much background the lead front man has in music and from what I’ve heard they rarely ever make any mistakes when playing live.
Well, that’s still missing the point a bit. I can’t speak to that particular group. But substitute “sometimes” or even “often” for “rarely”, and you’re closer to the overall truth. The fact that audiences are mostly unaware of mistakes by accomplished performers is attributable to skill, and is part of what makes live performance very human.
Not just RARELY, but RARELY EVER (for emphasis, right?). Though I doubt either to be true when 1. many great performers make many mistakes and 2. many potentially good (even great) performances are spoiled by playing too safe.
I demand that you retract that statement - questioning/mocking the ability of hippy celtic bands is one thing but you’re talking about one of our (UK) national treasures not to mention ace bodhran players - it’s called improvising - jazz
it’s always good to get input though. I like most recommendations as well. I love music in general although I’m greatly impressed by the eclectic stuff that goes out of the box. I think a lot of those guys are very talented, particularly the guy playing harp on the Karuna vid and the red headed girl in OMNIA. The guy is very humble and rarely tries to shine bright but he can! And the red head rarely shows her talent as well but that’s because the front man is always being the star but the front man is a talented flute/whistle player. Like I said, I love eclectic music. I particularly like Irish music though and would like to start a base foundation on that.
