WHAT TO DO TO GET VERY GOOD ON THE FLUTE.

Flauta dolce · Post by **Flauta dolce** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:20 am

What do you do to get good on the wooden flute?
How much practise do you put in generally?

Just interested to hear what people are going about to get better in the flute.

F.D.

rama · Post by **rama** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:32 am

know yourself (abilites) and avoid bad habits

chas · Post by **chas** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:40 am

http://chiffboard.mati.ca/viewtopic.php?t=49173

tin tin · Post by **tin tin** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 8:47 am

I try to play every day. I probably get in an hour or two several times a week, some 30 minute segments on other days, and a session (occassionally two). Usually, there's a day where I don't get around to playing.
As far as practice regimen, it's not very, well, regimented at this point in my flute life. I'll do some tone work (long tones, harmonics, and the like) a few times a week, work on new tunes, play old tunes for fun or improvement, and perhaps work on a certain technique that seems to be lacking. I used to really "practice," but now I just "play" a lot more.
I also find active listening to be an essential part of learning to play Irish music.

ISU Trout Bum · Post by **ISU Trout Bum** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:20 am

I should start out by saying that I've not played all that long - just a couple of years. Fortunately, my job allows me to play a lot on certain days of the week. That being said, I really mix it up. I work on techniques (rolls, cranns, etc.) a little each time, play old tunes and try to improve them, and try to learn a new tune or two every couple of weeks. I guess that I both "practice" and "play" - more of the latter than the former. But even when "playing" I still try to concentrate on what's going on with my blow-hole, fingering, etc. I've just resigned myself to the fact that it will take years before I can even consider myself better than mediocre. In other words, for me personally, its not really about the destination, but about the ride - and a fun ride it is!!!

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:32 am

Very good will take at least a decade, if ever.

Flauta dolce · Post by **Flauta dolce** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:22 am

I heard the same about harmonics ie they work well to get the embouchure right. But as for practise, nothing can compensate for that....

Cubitt · Post by **Cubitt** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 12:47 pm

Be picky about the tunes you learn. I only learn tunes I get really turned on by. I know I'll really work on the tune if I love it. I want to get inside the tune and try variations on it. I'll play reels as hornpipes, I'll slow it down and speed it up, I'll play it like a big band tune, I'll play it very staccato, just do whatever to see how it feels when messed with. After a while, the tune becomes a part of me, and without doing what I'd call "practice," I've both thoroughly learned the tune and improved my playing skills, overall.

I also play a lot of slow tunes, where I really concentrate on tone production. I experiment alot with dynamics (not a hallmark of ITM playing), and get really schmaltzy, just to feel the thing out. Don't neglect slow tunes. I wish they were more welcome at sessions.

galfrex · Post by **galfrex** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:00 pm

According to Daniel Levitin in his book <i>This is your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession</i>, it takes the human brain a specific amount of time to master any skill. Whether trying to master writing, glass sculpting, or playing the flute, we need around 10,000 hours to develop the necessary synapses. That amounts to playing 3 hours a day for 10 years.

Since I only get to play an hour a day, I still have a long way to go. -sigh-

Levitin's book is fascinating, and highly recommended for anyone interested in the effects music has on the brain. Full of complex science that is all explained with easy to grasp and often amusing analogies.
http://www.amazon.com/This-Your-Brain-M ... 046&sr=8-1

Cork · Post by **Cork** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 3:31 pm

Flauta dolce wrote:I heard the same about harmonics ie they work well to get the embouchure right. But as for practise, nothing can compensate for that....

No two flutes respond in quite the same way, at least in my experience, yet perhaps it could be said that when the embouchure is right, the harmonics just pop out, quite naturally.

A number of expert flute players have said, and here I am reminded of a statement James Galway once made, that daily practise is essential.

It's a labor of love.

;-)

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 4:35 pm

Also to help avoid frustration remember that most of your progress will be of the gradual nature.

You may have a few flashes of inspiration and "leap ahead a bit," but don't depend on that because it's certainly to be enjoyed when it happens but it's awfully rare.

Gradual progress means you won't see much different day to day once you hit a certain point. Don't let it discourage you.

Also be careful who you play for, as musicians have long been known in the wild as a breed who eat their own young.

You'll do fine.

--James

daiv · Post by **daiv** » Tue Apr 03, 2007 10:12 pm

Flauta dolce wrote:What do you do to get good on the wooden flute?
F.D.

always push yourself past your competence. if you are doing what you think you can do, you wont get better. if you always try to find something new that you cannot do, never accept any sound or tone or rhythm as being good enough, you will get better. the other big thing is not to show off, to yourself and others. you will never outplay matt molloy, and even if you did, there would still be some people who were not impressed, who would wish you sounded more like mike rafferty.

How much practise do you put in generally?

it depends. i used to play about 5, 6 hours a day, but now i try to squeeze in at least 5 minutes of embouchure work a day, but some weeks it happens only once. i work on tunes on the concertina, because if you know the sound of a tune on one instrument well enough than you can puff it out on another.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HWWQpue ... ed&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQg0vScn ... ed&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcXRzZZv ... ed&search=

in a previous thread, somebody said that james galway's headjoint-octaves exercise doesnt work on the simple-system flute. it works just as easily as on the silver flute if you have good embouchure.

smoro · Post by **smoro** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 12:50 am

play, listen, play, listen, play, listen, play, listen, play, listen...........

chas · Post by **chas** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:16 am

peeplj wrote:Also to help avoid frustration remember that most of your progress will be of the gradual nature.

You may have a few flashes of inspiration and "leap ahead a bit," but don't depend on that because it's certainly to be enjoyed when it happens but it's awfully rare.

You may also be tantalized by the occasional day, or stretch of 15 minutes, when it all comes together and you're playing well and sounding good, just to have it evaporate. But as you progress, the good times will become longer and more frequent.

Flauta dolce · Post by **Flauta dolce** » Wed Apr 04, 2007 5:16 am

" always push yourself past your competence. if you are doing what you think you can do..."I like that comment. It sums up what you should do in anything that you really enjoy.

I remember the first time I heard Matt Molloy play, I thought Wow!. I'd sum it up as a valuable listening experience. So essential for any flute player - my only regret was that I had been playing for 6 months already and hadn't heard him sooner.

I also like the comment about learning tunes that you really get turned on by. I heard a tune called the "Orphen" played last night. Georgeous tune...really would like to learn it.

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WHAT TO DO TO GET VERY GOOD ON THE FLUTE.

WHAT TO DO TO GET VERY GOOD ON THE FLUTE.

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patience

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