Online/digital lessons

[JeffS]

Inspired by the recent post concerning Scoiltrad I have to ask, why isn't there anyone offering flute lessons online? People (myself included) would pay for professional quality feedback for our playing.

I'm particularly interested in the style associated with E. Galway/Clare (e.g Coen, Rafferty). I can't help but to think if there was a respected player from this region on line offering feedback for players interested in this style, not only would they make some money but they would, more importantly, help preserve a precious regional style.

Others would pay - correct me if I'm wrong - to learn how to play in the "irish style" generally (there IS a video out there or this...Mickey Zekeley from Lark in the Morning music).

On this forum a few players have offered sound clips for our study. These are the things that help me as a player. I see the irony of technology working to preserve tradition.

I endeavor to play the flute in the style associated with E. Galway/Clare. Given that there are books/CD's already available - scant as they may be - I welcome and would pay for the guidance of someone in the region presently to guide my playing.

Best wishes,
Jeff

[Whistlin'Dixie]

On this forum a few players have offered sound clips for our study. These are the things that help me as a player.

Best wishes,
Jeff

I salute the brave chiffsters who have put themselves in that vulnerable position.
There are a lot of accomplished players here, though, that jump right in and give advice when that happens. I pay careful attention to that publicly offered advice, too.

It's probably what's gonna work best, for now.

M

[Doc Jones]

Hmmmm, maybe I'll post something.

Maybe some lurking "Great One" would tell me if I did "such and so" I'd be less stinky.

I would also be happy to provide free web hosting for any other poor soul that wants to stick their neck out. Just email me the MP3 file.



Doc

[Cayden]

you could try something along the lines of www.whistlethis.com

I must say though, the way you end up playing should really be the sum total of your own person and your musical experiences. I don't think anybody got up in the morning and decided 'I will go and develop such and such style' and come up with something good anyway.

[brotherwind]

Others would pay - correct me if I'm wrong - to learn how to play in the "irish style" generally (there IS a video out there or this...Mickey Zekeley from Lark in the Morning music).

I would be one of the paying ones too. The nearest Session an hour driving away and through working time reduced to once in 2-3 months and meeting other fellow enthusiasts only with the same span, I would gladly welcome such an effort.

Whistle this is a nice thing, good example how it could work for the flutes.

Regards,

Moritz (brotherwind)

[Loren]

So far, the on-line business model doesn't seem to be working out for trad instruction, although I honestly don't know the inside story of what happened with ST.

Jeff, you (and perhaps others) might consider directly contacting teachers who play well in the style you're interested in, and see if they might be willing to tutor you (for a fee) via sound recordings on-line or through the mail: They record a bit of instruction and some tunes for you to learn and practice. And then, after a week or three of practice, you record your playing of the tunes/exercises and send that off to them for analysis, comment, and your next lesson. Essentially ST, without the on-line interface. Surely there are trad teachers out there willing to, or likely already doing this sort of thing, I suspect you just have to do some legwork to find out who.



Loren

[Il Friscaletto]

I imagine it would take tremendous focus to learn a particular region's style without spending significant time there. I know my style (whenever I develop it) will be influenced most by my local teacher(s), and even more so by the local sessions I attend. It's only natural.

[Blayne Chastain]

I've been experimenting with it (though haven't really promoted it as of yet). I have a "guinnea pig" student who lives near Toronto that I'm teaching.

The way it works...

1. 20 minute phone call
2. I follow up with a few mp3 and video files along with a readme file with comments) that I then package in a zip file that you can download

It's a bit labor intensive at the moment (thus not promoting it so much) but my student really likes it... I'm sure I'll get the workflow worked out so that the production takes less time but my student had the zip file to download just about and hour after our lesson. We do 2 lessons per month...

So I guess I'm kind of promoting it by mentioning it here but I'm just excited about developing this teaching medium. My friend and piper extraordinaire http://www.mikiesmyth.com/ both worked on distance learning technology during our stays at the University of Limerick... Mikie actually uses a webcam (which i don't have the patience for as even if you have a fairly high speed connection is still poor at best)...

Anyhoo... Keep on keepin' on!

Best,

[chas]

That sounds like a much better model than online-only, Blaine.

My teachers are both very busy, so I maybe get to see each a couple of times a year. I have once or twice sent one or the other of them the tune he'd tought me, a month or two after the last lesson. It beats the hell out of waiting another 3-6 months for feedback, but is no substitute for immediate feedback, including visual. I tried a few Scoiltrad whistle lessons and was underwhelmed, although I think Conal did a fine job for what it was.

I'm not a very social person, and I'm not a big fan at work of traveling just to press the flesh, but even I think there's something to be said for being there in the same room with a flute teacher -- playing a tune through, getting feedback, playing it through with bigger accents here, feedback, playing it with more lilt . . . You don't get that via email.

Speaking of which, I'm having my first lesson since (I think) February tomorrow. Yee Haa!

[AaronMalcomb]

My bagpipe instructor does long-distance instruction using a webcam with iChat or AIM.

It's not quite the same as being face-to-face but probably the second best thing.

I drive to see him for a 1:1 but he has quite a few students from as far away as Denmark.

[Harry]

Its can work like this:

1. You download Skype video/ audio internet 'phone'calls software for free.

2. You buy a headphone/ mic headset for a few quid.

3. You buy a little webcam for a few quid.

4. Your teacher has all the same stuff and he can give you live lessons over the web.

5. Payments can be facilitated by Paypal.

I've done this. It works. You need a fast broadband connection though, and a seperate mic with a pre-amp is much better than the little headset mics.

I may be offering lessons like this in the near-ish future.

Regards,

Harry.

[jim stone]

I'm game. No teachers for a couple of hundred miles.

[bradhurley]

I've done this. It works. You need a fast broadband connection though, and a seperate mic with a pre-amp is much better than the little headset mics.

I've done it too, with Apple's iChat program...all of the newer Macs have webcams and microphones built into them although as Harry said it works a lot better with headphones and a separate mic, and you really do need a fast connection. There's a bit of a delay sometimes, and the picture can go haywire if there's a lot of internet traffic, but it does work pretty well. If necessary it can also be done with sound only, using Skype or AIM or iChat voice chats, which are free and have reasonably good sound quality (about as good as a good cell phone call).

It's a very promising opportunity for both teachers and students, and the technology and availability of broadband finally seem to be coming together.

[Bretton]

I may be offering lessons like this in the near-ish future.
Regards,
Harry.

Let us know if/when!...assuming you want more e-students.

-Brett

[JeffS]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like the technology is there...or at least getting there. I'm thinking there's probably a farmer or postman somewhere in Clare who plays the flute in exactly the same style I'm interested in. Hopefully, I'll soon be able to allow that person to teach me (assuming that person is willing).


I continue to hold out hope that the regional styles will endure. I absolutely love to hear the flute styles associated other areas but I personally have been captivated by a certain style. I'll have to do some research to hook up with a good instructor. In the meantime please let me know if you know of anyone who can provide flute lessons in the E. Galway/Clare style electronically. Though far from rich, I'd bust the piggy bank open for such an opportunity.

Best regards,
Jeff