5 things you need before starting the flute

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Every flute player needs these five things set up before starting out. Now, if you’re in the middle of your flute journey and don’t have these things set up, don’t worry! You’ll still be able to catch on and enhance your progress. Let’s dive right in.

1. Buy a reliable instrument

Why should you buy a reliable instrument? Well, imagine cutting a piece of paper intricately with a pair of blunt scissors. Not only will you be unable to cut out beautiful patterns, but you will also continue to feel inexperienced all the time. And that’s the kind of unnecessary frustration and dejection you could face if you bought a cheap, poorly manufactured flute. A reliable instrument will produce a clear, distinct sound, and such an instrument will give you better control over your progress.

The trick is not to buy the most expensive flute, but rather to do some research about the best-suited flute for your playing level. While Amazon or eBay or a secondhand shop might have a flute, it’s not guaranteed that it will actually play well — and yes, this has happened to some of our students before!

As a beginner, you probably won’t hear or feel the difference, but over time you will sadly realize that you are not making the progress you thought you would. So this is where you could check in at your local flute shop and ask a flute technician for advice. They will definitely tell you how largescale manufacturers cut costs that impact the quality of the instrument that eventually goes on sale — and repairing such flutes often cost more than the cheap flute itself!

So spend your money on a decent instrument that may cost a few extra hundred dollars now, but they will sound good and take you far from the get-go. Here are some suggestions to start you off:

  • Yamaha: always a great, solid, and very reliable choice. Good value for money.
  • Di Zhao: These instruments are VERY good value for money. The 200 and 300 series already have some features of your higher-end flutes such as open holes, solid silver head joints, and risers.
  • Trevor James: Another solid option. The privilege model also gives you some more advanced features such as open holes and pointed key arms.
  • Gemeinhardt 2SP: a lovely popular beginner option offering good value for money.

If these options make your purse strings tighter, why not opt for renting an instrument until you feel comfortable investing in one? That way you won’t be forced to commit your time, money, and interest into playing the flute.

Interested in a helpful guide to all things flute? Subscribe to our mailing list and receive our free Guide to getting started on the flute built from Tatiana’s personal experience with these instruments!

2. Set clear goals

While this may not be something you need, it is something you need to work out for yourself. Understanding the ‘why’ behind your decision to pick up the flute will influence your progress with this skill. Find a direction and work towards it, so here are some questions to help guide you:

Identify what style of music you enjoy listening to — classical, jazz, pop, folk? Or all of the above? Now, is the music you like listening to the same as the kind you want to play?

There’s no correct answer, but it is worth knowing what you enjoy and want to learn before you start.

What are your goals for the flute itself? Are you starting as a complete beginner, or are you resuming your lessons after a long break? Which areas do you want to see improvements in? Is there a specific piece of music you want to learn? Do you want to study for a music exam? Or do you just want to play and have fun with it?

Setting clear goals about your flute practice will help keep you motivated and you will see the desired improvements over time.

We have recently launched our own practice journal. In this journal, you can keep track of and organize your practice, set goals, learn how to structure your practice and so much more.

3. Find a teacher

Now that you’ve started thinking of your goals, it might be worth looking for a flute teacher. Now, this is quite a long-term investment and this can be scary for many people. But live or even in-person lessons are incredibly useful because they arrest unhealthy habits – nip them in the bud so to speak.

While online courses and YouTube videos help, they cannot replace the fundamental ways a flute teacher impacts your playing ability. A professional flute teacher will help you identify and mold yourself to your instrument so that you can learn to play with dynamic expression and without physical tensions in your shoulders and back, your arms and fingers, and your jaws. If you don’t have a professional eye to root out poor posture, you’ll end up with painful flute sessions that could result in long-term injury. Also, having to practice for your lesson means that you will be accountable and keeps a healthy pressure on the student to stay motivated in the long run!

Our free guide to getting started on the flute will take you through how to find the most suited teacher for you.

Your goals and liking of the Jazz style may not work with a classically-trained teacher, and vice-versa. That’s why it’s important to be flexible and take the time to find a teacher who can help you achieve your goals.

We’ve partnered with Lessonface and they can help pair you with a certified, reliable, and professional teacher.

A quick note on online flute courses: there are many out there, and we’ll link you to the relevant ones through our Guide to getting started on the flute.

4. Find good practice resources

Without a teacher, you’ll need to find your own way to reliable resources. Flute resource books are truly one of the better ways to improve – and show off those improvements! One of the flute community’s favorites is flute tutor books. These tutor books walk you through tone production, how to hold the flute, how to learn your first notes, and see your progress through to a reasonably professional level. For adult beginners, we recommend A New Tune A Day by Ned Bennett. It takes you step-by-step through various lovely pieces but also helps you improve your technique.

Other resources include the Graded Trinity books which can match your level of playing and help you progress to the next level. And Tomplay, because it offers the worth of many resource books in one place.

At the Flute Practice, I have created a resource called, “Let’s Practice.” The Let’s Practice resource is created on a monthly basis and sent to all premium members on our site. The resource contains studies, pieces, and technical exercises so that you can have the best of everything in one resource. At the end of the resource is a weekly practice plan to help you stay on track. We also create studies, technical exercises and practice guides, and other practice materials for our more advanced players. If you would like to join our premium membership, you can do so here, https://theflutepractice.com/become-a-premium-member/

5. Join a community

If you want a more hands-on experience as a beginner or as you resume your flute journey, team up with a flute choir or a local folk music band if that’s what you’re into! People make the journey better – especially the parts that don’t yet make sense. Find yourself a flute community and watch the experience transform your flute playing!

A community of enthusiastic and kind people can make all the difference in a virtual world. Join The Flute Practice community on our site, https://theflutepractice.com/register/

Check out this video to make sure you don’t fall into some of the common restarted traps!

Disclaimer: some of the links used in this article are affiliate links. We earn a commission when you buy using these links. Thank you for the support!

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