I came across some students in the past who expected to master the flute in three months or just wanted to rush the process. I feel there are misconceptions about learning the flute or a musical instrument in general. So here I am writing a blog about 5 things you should do/know before starting your new hobby.
1. Why Flute?
If you are reading this post, congratulations on making the first step before starting to play the flute! First, ask yourself why you want to play the flute? Why not the violin, the oboe, etc.? Listening to a lot of flute or symphony recordings would give you a better picture of the flute sound. My flute moment was from the flute solo of Butterfly Lover (Liang Zhu), a famous Chinese violin concerto. I accidentally saw the concert on TV and was intrigued by the sparkling sound of the flute.
2. Be Patient
There is a misunderstanding that flute is an easy instrument to learn. Well, it might be easy to make a sound at first, but it can take a good while to make a good sound for you to play simple tunes. Just like learning other instruments, it is going to be a long but rewarding process. I remember the joy when my teacher finally assigned Griffes Poem (my favorite piece at that time) to play. Hoping to play the pieces without mastering the basics is simply not realistic.
3. Investing a Good-Quality Instrument
Just like a chef needs quality food ingredient to make gourmet meals, we flutists need quality instrument to play music, even if you are just getting started. Companies like Yamaha, Pearl, Di Zhao, etc. make decent beginner flutes. Avoid purchasing instruments that are cheaply make because it will cause frustration in practice. My first flute was a Yamaha 221, and I played it for eight years before getting my step-up flute. If you haven’t decided to play the flute, renting one to try can be a good option.
4. Learn to use breath support
It is common that the beginners feel light-headed at first when they play the flute. It is true that the flute takes more air than other woodwind instruements because 40% percent of the air goes out of the edge of the embouchure hole. The other reason is that without mastering the optimal blowing angle, lip placement, and breath support, they wasted a lot of air. The flute breathing is the upgraded version of everyday breathing, which takes some mindful practice. It is important to get out of your comfort zone to blow more fast-speed air at first
5. Find a good teacher
Finding a trustworthy teacher is crucial as it will make the learning process a lot smoother. The most common way to find a teacher is introducing by friends. If you don’t have such connections, look online for teachers in your area and make sure to listen to their recordings. I would recommend finding a teacher to get started because unlike string instruments and piano which the sound production process can be seen, the flute sound is produced by air which cannot be seen. A good teacher can guide the students so that they don’t pick up bad habits. However, if you are a self-taught flutist, make sure you find reliable resources, and use your ear as the best guidance.
What made you decide to play the flute? And is there something else you wish you knew before playing the flute?I would like to hear about them in the comments!