Nope, you're not being dramatic. I went to my first NFA conference this year too and saw you sitting in a workshop I was in, but I left early into it as it was clear that the speaker's version of "simple" was so far off from mine that I couldn't even mentally follow along, even though I would consider myself a solidly intermediate/advanced adult amateur ("Just improvise on a dimished seventh Eb major chord and then modulate to A minor using a standard Jazz rhythm that you all know..." etc., and I'm scrambling to pull out scrap paper to work out what notes those would be). I left feedback that they really needed to mark in the program what level each workshop was geared towards. But, again, as you point out, I think some people forget where they started and inflate levels. It was so refreshing to see you hold up an "easy" piece and say it's not! It looks to me like most flute exercises would be feast or famine--super easy or really complicated e.g. Level 4 to 5 are dramatically harder, but 5 to 9 are just minorly complicated. I'm so happy that you've found a gap and are taking the time to address it. I hope you much success in your endeavors.
This makes me feel relief. I loved NFA and definitely do not want to be negative but it really stood out to me. So little for less advanced players and yes, levels for items on the program would be SO helpful. I think next time I go I will see if I can do a presentation SPECIFICALLY for amateur less advanced adult students!
@@TheFlutePractice That would be fantastic. Call it a therapy session for all of us traumatized by "easy" etudes. Then convince Joanna/Just Another Flutist to join you and do a workshop on shopping for a flute so we dedicated amateurs can take full advantage of the vendors. The first workshop I went to was very basic AND gave out sheet music, so I was feeling really cocky going into the next workshop, only to have my confidence knocked down several pegs. I didn't realize until a few days later that the convention app sometimes had sheet music posted. Next time, I'll sit down in advance to flip through the digital handouts of everything before I set my schedule goals. But, yeah, some looked like they would be instructional, informational lectures, only to assume a lot of background knowledge and/or have a heavy, advanced play-along component.
It's not just flute. It is all instruments. The big thing that motivates school kids to keep going is participation in school bands and orchestra's. There are very few community bands or orchestra's out there for adults.
I'm very lucky -- I live in the Northeastern corner of the United States. I play in two community bands, they go in age from 18 to 80's. The music ranges from moderately easy to high intermediate (some require more practice than others -- at least for me!) It's fun and keeps me out of trouble! 😂😂
@@jodimerusi3250 I was also lucky to have grown up near New Haven CT. As a High School student I played French Horn for the New Haven Civic Orchestra, a summer pops orchestra and in various pit orchestra's for musicals. Then at age 20 I moved to rural south central PA where there was absolutely nothing.
What motivates me a lot is playing with a friend - and with my teacher. I am 75 - have played flute for 4 years - and have past experience as a pianist playing chamber music and accompanying. One the things that helps me is to use actual pieces to build technique ... I think you once said - it doesn't matter so much what you play, but how you play it?
I am 66 and started playing the flute during the second lockdown here in the UK, I follow and watch lots of your videos. I am practicing grade 2 and also playing grade 3 trinity college tunes. I have found the flute hard to say the least and got really stuck on grade 3 so dropped down to grade 2. Tone has been the hardest and there has been a few times I could have called it a day. My flute teacher has walked and talked me through. I upgraded from my Yamaha 211 to an Azumi Az Z2e and it has inspired me to keep going as I feel I am not chasing the higher register quite so much. I buy flute books on ebay, I have the one you mentioned 76 pieces as you said they seem to get hard very quickly. I will look at this learning program. Thank you
Wonderful! I think perhaps the Novice or Developing program will be great for you. (Probably the developing program though, by the sounds of it!) it is coming soon! I can even let you try out the Novice program and see if it helps you build some foundations or reinforce the ones your teacher has been working with you. Pop me an email 😊 tatiana@theflutepractice.com
I agree, especially for those of us who want to play music that is a bit outside of traditional repertoire. I'm thankful to have found a skilled teacher to help me through the gaps.
I'm in my 60's. Saxophone player since grade school. Wind Synth player for 25 yrs. Self-taught flute rock/blues player for 25 yrs and began seriously learning the flute for the past 5 yrs. Based on your progress chart, I'm an early intermediate (struggle above 3rd register G, more than two flats bends my saxophone brain), yet I can improvise blues and light jazz on all three instruments (sax, wind synth, flute, plus a 4th: harmonica). So prior to this video I figured I was intermediate. Now I know it's not clear cut. Thank you.
As a teacher, I totally agree with you! I also run an adult flute choir and I am really careful to pick music that matches the levels the players are at. Brilliant job!
I started learning to play the flute aged 57…I’ve had piano and guitar lessons from an early age but always wanted to play the flute. I finally found a teacher local to my area, unfortunately she would only teach “mature aged students” the basics and how to play popular tunes…no studies, scales, tone exercise etc. I had lessons for 2 years and then Covid happened and my teacher stopped all lesson, and has never restarted. I have hit that wall! It’s frustrating not being able to progress, but I’ve learned a lot from your videos which I’ve watched over and over.
I played the flute from fifth grade to high school.. I never really got anywhere and put it down after high school. I majored in guitar, teach guitar and piano (and toddlers, yay!). The flute always stayed with me. I always wished I had taken it seriously when was younger. I started playing every day and started taking private lessons over a year ago. I have some nice things that I can play moderately well. The thing I’m searching for now is my why. Why am I playing every day? Other than I like it and I’d like to improve. What do I actually want to do with the flute? Thanks for the video! Bill
Such great questions to ask yourself. It’s a process I actually guide our community through regularly. What is you ‘WHY’. It really matters and changes the way you approach the instrument!
Omg lol at the “Easy” etudes by Koehler! We were doing those in Etude of the week and omg they’re definitely advanced. I have been playing for 42 years and I struggled with those! 😂
It’s so crazy! I think professional players and composers are sometimes a little out of touch with their humble beginnings and what it really was like playing when they got started. Myself included. I REALLY had to learn this the hard way and sometimes still get it wrong!
You are not being overly dramatic! I'm 71 and started flute last year. I'm somewhere between the end of Rubank's Elementary Method Book and the beginning of the Intermediate Method Book, and feel like I'm stuck. I even did as you mentioned and went backwards in the Elementary book and then came forward again (this was actually helpful). Your description of us adult learners is quite accurate: we are motivated, self-learners! I practice an average of 1 hour each day on technical stuff, long-notes, and studies...whatever I can find. The Rubank books are pretty good for most of this - just lacking in pieces a bit, but I've bought several books of pieces, and learn the pieces I want to learn. Challenging to be sure, but it has stretched me. Anyway, this video has been helpful from a morale point of view. Thanks!
Pleasure! I think Rubank probably the best cross over material out there, despite the big jump but yes, very frustrating! Glad you are coming along though!
I’m 37 and started playing a year ago, but I wanted to play flute all the way back in junior high. I was talked into playing clarinet instead and hated it, so I ended up giving up on music after a year. Learning as an adult has only been possible because of TH-cam videos and I was able to find a teacher here, but my teacher isn’t a flute specialist, he teaches most woodwinds and almost all his other students are kids.
I think that it’s so cool that we can just learn things so easily online. I’m so so SO glad you picked up the flute! I have a student who only finally did it in her 50s so well done for doing it now already. Future you will be so grateful!
@@TheFlutePractice well, I hope future me is happy! I only figured out yesterday that my aperture has been both too big and is slightly off center, which is why I’ve had some problems with tone and stuff. I got a bit upset cuz I feel like I’m starting over almost, but hopefully relearning my positioning and stuff will go faster than the first time!
@@inuyashaxx That goes on ad nauseam. I've even heard of conservatory students having to completely re-do their embouchure or how they hold the flute. And we're ALWAYS working to let go of tension, at every level. Eventually, you learn to roll with it... 😅
@@gitasong yeah, I think at the beginning I assumed when a player encountered these problems they’d fix them and move on, like one and done. Lol Watching pros practice has actually made me feel a lot better about myself cuz they often do what I do, like play a wrong note or overblow or something. Seeing and hearing world class players play perfectly in recordings can set a really unrealistic standard.
Love you, Tatiana!! 🤗❤ This is the best description of the early intermediate level I've ever heard. And based on it, I'm revising my earlier assessment and saying I'm still early intermediate, but have deliberately dropped back to Developing to really learn the basics I never got in grade school *and* to take things more slowly after my hand fracture. I also fear that I'm turning into one of those "on-again-off-again" players, as I'm also not practicing often enough or consistently enough to take this class (even though part of me REALLY wants to). Still practicing with my flute buddy, though!! 🤗🎶
Thank you for thinking of this group of players. I had been playing and learning on my own for the past 25 years, learning by playing in local bands. Last year I hit a plateau, there are no resources or very little for players like me. I asked for help on a FB forum and a wonderful person reached out to offer to take me on as a senior student (I’m in my late 50’s). She is a delight and has been patient in showing me how to undo bad learning and to rebuild on what I already had. It’s been a challenging year, but so much fun to hear improvements along the way. I later learned she is the author of « A Dictionary for the Modern Flutist ». Had she not come along, your courses would have hit the mark.
I’m SO thrilled you have found a good teacher. I honestly want to start keeping a list of these lovely teaching angels that can really just help adult students, meet them where they are at and teach them the foundations they need to grow. Will check her out 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
It's a hard instrument to pick up late but I like it. Something I learned is just because I played Trumpet in highschool doesn't mean I should skip easy lessons with a metronome. The Rubank books seem good for adults, although I think it might be more difficult if I had zero background in music.
Those are definitely some of the most thorough tutor for adults, agreed. And many still have them from younger years which is great too. I think the trouble is the gap between moving away from those books and out into the Wild West of slightly more advanced repertoire. Although, I know the re bank do have some lovely technical exercises in them which is a huge step up for many other tutor books!
52M, I played Flute in 5th and 6th grade then switched to Trumpet for Jr High and High. I have been learning Bari Sax for the last year, but I hurt my throat doing it. I found out that I could play the flute without hurting it more while I am waiting to get into PT. So I got an Azumi flute at Christmas. My main, I don’t know, dysphoria? Is that on both sax and flute I have a much higher level of musical understanding than I do technical capability on the instruments. I am taking lessons which is really helping me get established on tone and range. This means I end up focusing on scales/chromatics/arpeggios and such, and on tone/range stuff. Gets a bit boring. I alternate this with playing along with recoded music. On Sax my instructor had me working on a Bach etude, but I haven’t developed the range for it yet on the Flute. I just can’t bring myself to do blue bells of Scotland or hot cross buns level stuff. I am very interested in what you produce.
I hear you! I find so many adults want to spend time on technique but without guidance it is such a challenge. Also very frustrating when your musical self and technical abilities are just not lined up. I have this with piano. It kills me sometimes!
You are so right Tatiana, I feel what you are describing, 4 years in Academy, which I found out, very, very límited in level, now, decided o start a Bachelor in music at a higher level education 4 years, but I am experiencing that "deficiency" in knowledge and everything else, where can I find your graphic, where you display your findings thanks for your colaboration into making flute lovers better. ❤❤❤ I
Hi, such a nice video! I absolutely enjoy your enthusiasm toward adult flute players and I am absolutely sure that you are a great, patient and kind teacher! ❤️ However - and it will be an unpopular opinion - I find it's extremely difficult to guide adults through this late beginner-early intermediate phase. They reach this phase pretty quickly (quicker than most kids) because they are super happy to learn a new skill and practice their beginner exercises/pieces quite often and mindfully. However this *charm of the new thing* wears off after a while in almost all cases and they also realise that they've hit a wall. And they often don't have the time and energy to put in even more work in order to get over this phase. Yet if we, teachers, mention that they have to work just a bit harder, they get kinda sceptical. I even had some adult students who told me "nono, I don't have time for this and that scale, but I want to learn this difficult piece, I will just work hard on it, ok?" and of course it never works out because they aren't willing to spend more time on their fundamentals in order to move on easily to more difficult repertoire where they don't have to sweat blood by slowly learning every single row. I think you know what I mean by them suddenly knowing better. (If you don't, you're lucky hehe.) How do you handle such situation - if it's the case at all?
Such a great comment. I definitely experienced this when I first started working with adults and things have shifted a lot and I am wondering why that is. A really interesting point. Will give it some thought. It’s possibly that as I have become clearer on the systems I use I may attract a certain type of student who aligns with that system. Because yes, I have definitely worked with those types of students and will say, most of the time they stop lessons eventually or find a teacher who works with them differently. However, I also think that with students now I just slot them straight into this system, sort of take it or leave it and once they start seeing the progress and the results, they often buy into it. But, let me give this more thought because this is SUCH an interesting point and observation.
Maybe one last thing to add. I once had a student who was nearer the beginner phase who picked up a really challenging piece and was really discouraged that she could not play it. I had just started working on my own comprehensive levels system and guided her through it to show her where she was and where the piece was. I think being able to see the road map, gauge her own skills and what she needed to work on and ‘level up’ in to get to that level really helped. She was able to take control of her learning process a bit better and move forward from there. Possibly part of what has helped 🤷🏻♀️
@@TheFlutePracticefantastic tips, thank you so much! Mapping out the levels is a great idea so that everyone can see where they stand. It's fair game. And they can understand that, as it goes with basic maths, they can't "skip levels" and expect that no one will notice😅 Will now watch your video on that, I am curious how you define the stages! Reflecting on what you've written, I was indeed *very* young back then. Since my Dad was also a flutist and flute teacher, I had a couple of methods mapped out, I had a lot of resources, but probably I wasn't as clear on the levelling part as you are and so many *adults* don't take a 20 y/o seriously. Anyway, I LOVE your content, keep up the good work! xxx Klára
I was a fairly advanced clarinet player. I did play flute and piccolo as a child but after 5th grade that instrument was mostly self taugh as clarinet quickly became my main instrument. Sadly i am unable to play the clarinet any longer due to having my UCL completely reconstructed in my right thumb. Tried everything but its simply too painful. So decided to return to the flute. Havent played it in probably 20 years but its amazing how quickly it has come back :) I am 40. Its definitely a journey :)
Welcome over the flute side. That must have been very frustrating for you though and I’m so sorry to hear it. Hoping the flute can bring you as much, if not even more joy!
im learning transvers flute, but it is a bamboo flute from Erik the flutemaker, i just want to get a clean consistent tone, im not sure if the flute your using in terms of learning embouchure is going to work on my flute,
@@TheFlutePractice oh i have been all over the web, its a pentatonic scale this flute of mine, i can almost play all 5 notes already, it the embouchure change for lot to mid since pentatonic scales jump up by quite a few notes, the subtle embouchure changes are throwing me off a little
Just love it! Especially impressive that your cat doesn’t mind the sound! Usually if they grow up with it they learn to tolerate but you have a special kitty!
I'm in an even stranger category.. I classically trained in private lessons for over 10 years, and then never played again once my flute was stolen. I now am 39 and finally have a flute again which has been a joy. The issue is, in many ways I'm a blend of advanced skills WITH mid level intermediate all blended into one. For whatever insane reason, my flute teacher didn't teach me much musical theory. Even without it, I still read well and play well. I may not be amazing at scales (finger transition blubbers on the more complex scales), but I can play complex music with exceptional tone, vibrato, and plenty of professional technique. It's a super strange position to be in.
Totally!!! And very frustrating I’m sure. Believe it or not, I have actually seen a fair amount of students in a very similar position. For some reasons scales and theory is just not often taught! The good news is is that it won’t be very difficult to start building some of those skills again. I think isolate the areas you need to work on and then start finding the resources to help you.
I’m in that category too, good to know I’m not the only one! I did flute lessons in school for about 6yrs but couldn’t take music theory due to cost, and never did any grades. 30 years later during Covid picked it back up and picking up tips from TH-cam (thanks Tatiana!) now can play some reasonably advanced pieces with decent tone and interpretation. Scales with more than 4 sharps/flats however, not so much and I’ve definitely hit that wall where I’m struggling to advance. Thanks for noticing us 😊
Yeah, there needs to be some step in between kid stuff, and the page of notes with no explanation. It's like uh? How do I tackle this? Im 47, been trying to learn it for over a year...
@@TheFlutePractice I'm working with grade 5 abrsm pieces. Not the full pieces but deconstructing them for the tricky bits. Also scales. Thing is, I can do to grade 7 scales on piano without music but I just cannot do without the music on flute. Also phrasing is a problem: being able to breathe to cope with the phrases. That's holding me back.
A few years ago, I started playing the flute in a so called "Bläserklasse" for adults. I learnt a lot for a beginner. After two years we were then transferred to the harmony and the horror began. The pieces that were played there mostly ranged from e2 to f4... it was a horror. I put the modern flute aside in frustration and switched to the traverso (single-flap wooden flute), which I've been learning to play from scratch (for about 4 years now) and I'm absolutely delighted. I no longer touch the modern flute, which is a great pity.
I started playing the flute during my senior year of high school and had to work very hard to catch up with my classmates in college since I had been playing trombone up to that point. Not helping anything was that my flute was a 100$ ebay flute (I play on a much better instrument now) Honestly in hindsight its kinda surprising I got this far.
Nope, you're not being dramatic. I went to my first NFA conference this year too and saw you sitting in a workshop I was in, but I left early into it as it was clear that the speaker's version of "simple" was so far off from mine that I couldn't even mentally follow along, even though I would consider myself a solidly intermediate/advanced adult amateur ("Just improvise on a dimished seventh Eb major chord and then modulate to A minor using a standard Jazz rhythm that you all know..." etc., and I'm scrambling to pull out scrap paper to work out what notes those would be). I left feedback that they really needed to mark in the program what level each workshop was geared towards.
But, again, as you point out, I think some people forget where they started and inflate levels. It was so refreshing to see you hold up an "easy" piece and say it's not! It looks to me like most flute exercises would be feast or famine--super easy or really complicated e.g. Level 4 to 5 are dramatically harder, but 5 to 9 are just minorly complicated. I'm so happy that you've found a gap and are taking the time to address it. I hope you much success in your endeavors.
This makes me feel relief. I loved NFA and definitely do not want to be negative but it really stood out to me. So little for less advanced players and yes, levels for items on the program would be SO helpful. I think next time I go I will see if I can do a presentation SPECIFICALLY for amateur less advanced adult students!
@@TheFlutePractice That would be fantastic. Call it a therapy session for all of us traumatized by "easy" etudes. Then convince Joanna/Just Another Flutist to join you and do a workshop on shopping for a flute so we dedicated amateurs can take full advantage of the vendors.
The first workshop I went to was very basic AND gave out sheet music, so I was feeling really cocky going into the next workshop, only to have my confidence knocked down several pegs. I didn't realize until a few days later that the convention app sometimes had sheet music posted. Next time, I'll sit down in advance to flip through the digital handouts of everything before I set my schedule goals. But, yeah, some looked like they would be instructional, informational lectures, only to assume a lot of background knowledge and/or have a heavy, advanced play-along component.
@@TheFlutePractice😊
It's not just flute. It is all instruments. The big thing that motivates school kids to keep going is participation in school bands and orchestra's. There are very few community bands or orchestra's out there for adults.
So true! Very few bands and when there are, they are either complete beginner band or really advanced and students get overwhelmed.
I'm very lucky -- I live in the Northeastern corner of the United States. I play in two community bands, they go in age from 18 to 80's. The music ranges from moderately easy to high intermediate (some require more practice than others -- at least for me!) It's fun and keeps me out of trouble! 😂😂
@@jodimerusi3250 I was also lucky to have grown up near New Haven CT. As a High School student I played French Horn for the New Haven Civic Orchestra, a summer pops orchestra and in various pit orchestra's for musicals. Then at age 20 I moved to rural south central PA where there was absolutely nothing.
What motivates me a lot is playing with a friend - and with my teacher. I am 75 - have played flute for 4 years - and have past experience as a pianist playing chamber music and accompanying. One the things that helps me is to use actual pieces to build technique ... I think you once said - it doesn't matter so much what you play, but how you play it?
@@diandenmark 100% agree with you on this! Plus I think you always need to safeguard your joy and love for it and this is such a great way to do that!
I am 66 and started playing the flute during the second lockdown here in the UK, I follow and watch lots of your videos. I am practicing grade 2 and also playing grade 3 trinity college tunes. I have found the flute hard to say the least and got really stuck on grade 3 so dropped down to grade 2. Tone has been the hardest and there has been a few times I could have called it a day. My flute teacher has walked and talked me through. I upgraded from my Yamaha 211 to an Azumi Az Z2e and it has inspired me to keep going as I feel I am not chasing the higher register quite so much. I buy flute books on ebay, I have the one you mentioned 76 pieces as you said they seem to get hard very quickly. I will look at this learning program. Thank you
Wonderful! I think perhaps the Novice or Developing program will be great for you. (Probably the developing program though, by the sounds of it!) it is coming soon! I can even let you try out the Novice program and see if it helps you build some foundations or reinforce the ones your teacher has been working with you. Pop me an email 😊 tatiana@theflutepractice.com
I agree, especially for those of us who want to play music that is a bit outside of traditional repertoire. I'm thankful to have found a skilled teacher to help me through the gaps.
Such a blessing!
I am 68 and started playing at 67.
Woooohoooo! Welcome!
Yah!!!!!!! 🎉
How is it going for you? I am 62 and am just starting.
@@carolinesmusic5145 it has been going well. Never played before, so it is all new.
I'm in my 60's. Saxophone player since grade school. Wind Synth player for 25 yrs. Self-taught flute rock/blues player for 25 yrs and began seriously learning the flute for the past 5 yrs. Based on your progress chart, I'm an early intermediate (struggle above 3rd register G, more than two flats bends my saxophone brain), yet I can improvise blues and light jazz on all three instruments (sax, wind synth, flute, plus a 4th: harmonica). So prior to this video I figured I was intermediate. Now I know it's not clear cut. Thank you.
Pleasure! I think the more you understand exactly where you are the more you can figure out where you are going and how to get there 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
As a teacher, I totally agree with you! I also run an adult flute choir and I am really careful to pick music that matches the levels the players are at. Brilliant job!
I started learning to play the flute aged 57…I’ve had piano and guitar lessons from an early age but always wanted to play the flute. I finally found a teacher local to my area, unfortunately she would only teach “mature aged students” the basics and how to play popular tunes…no studies, scales, tone exercise etc. I had lessons for 2 years and then Covid happened and my teacher stopped all lesson, and has never restarted. I have hit that wall! It’s frustrating not being able to progress, but I’ve learned a lot from your videos which I’ve watched over and over.
I’m so glad to hear that and with all respect to my colleagues….it makes me SO frustrated and angry 😡 I have heard this story WAY too often!
I played the flute from fifth grade to high school.. I never really got anywhere and put it down after high school. I majored in guitar, teach guitar and piano (and toddlers, yay!). The flute always stayed with me. I always wished I had taken it seriously when was younger. I started playing every day and started taking private lessons over a year ago.
I have some nice things that I can play moderately well. The thing I’m searching for now is my why. Why am I playing every day? Other than I like it and I’d like to improve. What do I actually want to do with the flute?
Thanks for the video!
Bill
Sometimes just doing it for your own soul health is worth it
Such great questions to ask yourself. It’s a process I actually guide our community through regularly. What is you ‘WHY’. It really matters and changes the way you approach the instrument!
Omg lol at the “Easy” etudes by Koehler! We were doing those in Etude of the week and omg they’re definitely advanced. I have been playing for 42 years and I struggled with those! 😂
It’s so crazy! I think professional players and composers are sometimes a little out of touch with their humble beginnings and what it really was like playing when they got started. Myself included. I REALLY had to learn this the hard way and sometimes still get it wrong!
You are not being overly dramatic! I'm 71 and started flute last year. I'm somewhere between the end of Rubank's Elementary Method Book and the beginning of the Intermediate Method Book, and feel like I'm stuck. I even did as you mentioned and went backwards in the Elementary book and then came forward again (this was actually helpful). Your description of us adult learners is quite accurate: we are motivated, self-learners! I practice an average of 1 hour each day on technical stuff, long-notes, and studies...whatever I can find. The Rubank books are pretty good for most of this - just lacking in pieces a bit, but I've bought several books of pieces, and learn the pieces I want to learn. Challenging to be sure, but it has stretched me. Anyway, this video has been helpful from a morale point of view. Thanks!
Pleasure! I think Rubank probably the best cross over material out there, despite the big jump but yes, very frustrating! Glad you are coming along though!
This is a wonderful discussion ~~ bravo for developing your own repertoire to help flutists their technique and tone.🎉
I’m 37 and started playing a year ago, but I wanted to play flute all the way back in junior high. I was talked into playing clarinet instead and hated it, so I ended up giving up on music after a year.
Learning as an adult has only been possible because of TH-cam videos and I was able to find a teacher here, but my teacher isn’t a flute specialist, he teaches most woodwinds and almost all his other students are kids.
@me
I think that it’s so cool that we can just learn things so easily online. I’m so so SO glad you picked up the flute! I have a student who only finally did it in her 50s so well done for doing it now already. Future you will be so grateful!
@@TheFlutePractice well, I hope future me is happy! I only figured out yesterday that my aperture has been both too big and is slightly off center, which is why I’ve had some problems with tone and stuff. I got a bit upset cuz I feel like I’m starting over almost, but hopefully relearning my positioning and stuff will go faster than the first time!
@@inuyashaxx That goes on ad nauseam. I've even heard of conservatory students having to completely re-do their embouchure or how they hold the flute. And we're ALWAYS working to let go of tension, at every level. Eventually, you learn to roll with it... 😅
@@gitasong yeah, I think at the beginning I assumed when a player encountered these problems they’d fix them and move on, like one and done. Lol
Watching pros practice has actually made me feel a lot better about myself cuz they often do what I do, like play a wrong note or overblow or something. Seeing and hearing world class players play perfectly in recordings can set a really unrealistic standard.
Love you, Tatiana!! 🤗❤
This is the best description of the early intermediate level I've ever heard. And based on it, I'm revising my earlier assessment and saying I'm still early intermediate, but have deliberately dropped back to Developing to really learn the basics I never got in grade school *and* to take things more slowly after my hand fracture.
I also fear that I'm turning into one of those "on-again-off-again" players, as I'm also not practicing often enough or consistently enough to take this class (even though part of me REALLY wants to). Still practicing with my flute buddy, though!! 🤗🎶
Thank you for thinking of this group of players. I had been playing and learning on my own for the past 25 years, learning by playing in local bands. Last year I hit a plateau, there are no resources or very little for players like me. I asked for help on a FB forum and a wonderful person reached out to offer to take me on as a senior student (I’m in my late 50’s). She is a delight and has been patient in showing me how to undo bad learning and to rebuild on what I already had. It’s been a challenging year, but so much fun to hear improvements along the way. I later learned she is the author of « A Dictionary for the Modern Flutist ». Had she not come along, your courses would have hit the mark.
I’m SO thrilled you have found a good teacher. I honestly want to start keeping a list of these lovely teaching angels that can really just help adult students, meet them where they are at and teach them the foundations they need to grow. Will check her out 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you so much Tatiana for doing this work. I am looking forward to start the program.
It's a hard instrument to pick up late but I like it. Something I learned is just because I played Trumpet in highschool doesn't mean I should skip easy lessons with a metronome. The Rubank books seem good for adults, although I think it might be more difficult if I had zero background in music.
Those are definitely some of the most thorough tutor for adults, agreed. And many still have them from younger years which is great too. I think the trouble is the gap between moving away from those books and out into the Wild West of slightly more advanced repertoire. Although, I know the re bank do have some lovely technical exercises in them which is a huge step up for many other tutor books!
52M, I played Flute in 5th and 6th grade then switched to Trumpet for Jr High and High. I have been learning Bari Sax for the last year, but I hurt my throat doing it. I found out that I could play the flute without hurting it more while I am waiting to get into PT. So I got an Azumi flute at Christmas.
My main, I don’t know, dysphoria? Is that on both sax and flute I have a much higher level of musical understanding than I do technical capability on the instruments. I am taking lessons which is really helping me get established on tone and range.
This means I end up focusing on scales/chromatics/arpeggios and such, and on tone/range stuff. Gets a bit boring. I alternate this with playing along with recoded music. On Sax my instructor had me working on a Bach etude, but I haven’t developed the range for it yet on the Flute.
I just can’t bring myself to do blue bells of Scotland or hot cross buns level stuff.
I am very interested in what you produce.
I hear you! I find so many adults want to spend time on technique but without guidance it is such a challenge. Also very frustrating when your musical self and technical abilities are just not lined up. I have this with piano. It kills me sometimes!
You are so right Tatiana, I feel what you are describing, 4 years in Academy, which I found out, very, very límited in level, now, decided o start a Bachelor in music at a higher level education 4 years, but I am experiencing that "deficiency" in knowledge and everything else, where can I find your graphic, where you display your findings thanks for your colaboration into making flute lovers better. ❤❤❤
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You can find it here: theflutepractice.com/find-your-flute-level/
What type of gaps in your knowledge are you discovering?
Hi, such a nice video! I absolutely enjoy your enthusiasm toward adult flute players and I am absolutely sure that you are a great, patient and kind teacher! ❤️
However - and it will be an unpopular opinion - I find it's extremely difficult to guide adults through this late beginner-early intermediate phase. They reach this phase pretty quickly (quicker than most kids) because they are super happy to learn a new skill and practice their beginner exercises/pieces quite often and mindfully. However this *charm of the new thing* wears off after a while in almost all cases and they also realise that they've hit a wall. And they often don't have the time and energy to put in even more work in order to get over this phase. Yet if we, teachers, mention that they have to work just a bit harder, they get kinda sceptical. I even had some adult students who told me "nono, I don't have time for this and that scale, but I want to learn this difficult piece, I will just work hard on it, ok?" and of course it never works out because they aren't willing to spend more time on their fundamentals in order to move on easily to more difficult repertoire where they don't have to sweat blood by slowly learning every single row. I think you know what I mean by them suddenly knowing better. (If you don't, you're lucky hehe.) How do you handle such situation - if it's the case at all?
Such a great comment. I definitely experienced this when I first started working with adults and things have shifted a lot and I am wondering why that is. A really interesting point. Will give it some thought. It’s possibly that as I have become clearer on the systems I use I may attract a certain type of student who aligns with that system. Because yes, I have definitely worked with those types of students and will say, most of the time they stop lessons eventually or find a teacher who works with them differently. However, I also think that with students now I just slot them straight into this system, sort of take it or leave it and once they start seeing the progress and the results, they often buy into it. But, let me give this more thought because this is SUCH an interesting point and observation.
Maybe one last thing to add. I once had a student who was nearer the beginner phase who picked up a really challenging piece and was really discouraged that she could not play it. I had just started working on my own comprehensive levels system and guided her through it to show her where she was and where the piece was. I think being able to see the road map, gauge her own skills and what she needed to work on and ‘level up’ in to get to that level really helped. She was able to take control of her learning process a bit better and move forward from there. Possibly part of what has helped 🤷🏻♀️
@@TheFlutePracticefantastic tips, thank you so much! Mapping out the levels is a great idea so that everyone can see where they stand. It's fair game. And they can understand that, as it goes with basic maths, they can't "skip levels" and expect that no one will notice😅 Will now watch your video on that, I am curious how you define the stages!
Reflecting on what you've written, I was indeed *very* young back then. Since my Dad was also a flutist and flute teacher, I had a couple of methods mapped out, I had a lot of resources, but probably I wasn't as clear on the levelling part as you are and so many *adults* don't take a 20 y/o seriously. Anyway, I LOVE your content, keep up the good work! xxx Klára
I was a fairly advanced clarinet player. I did play flute and piccolo as a child but after 5th grade that instrument was mostly self taugh as clarinet quickly became my main instrument. Sadly i am unable to play the clarinet any longer due to having my UCL completely reconstructed in my right thumb. Tried everything but its simply too painful. So decided to return to the flute. Havent played it in probably 20 years but its amazing how quickly it has come back :) I am 40. Its definitely a journey :)
Welcome over the flute side. That must have been very frustrating for you though and I’m so sorry to hear it. Hoping the flute can bring you as much, if not even more joy!
Yay! Thanks!
- adult re-learner
im learning transvers flute, but it is a bamboo flute from Erik the flutemaker, i just want to get a clean consistent tone, im not sure if the flute your using in terms of learning embouchure is going to work on my flute,
It’s very similar! The principals are almost the same. Maybe go check out some of our tone videos 😃
@@TheFlutePractice oh i have been all over the web, its a pentatonic scale this flute of mine, i can almost play all 5 notes already, it the embouchure change for lot to mid since pentatonic scales jump up by quite a few notes, the subtle embouchure changes are throwing me off a little
i started playing at 31! (2 months ago!)🎉😊 i played clarinet for 5 years when i was younger
Just love it! Especially impressive that your cat doesn’t mind the sound! Usually if they grow up with it they learn to tolerate but you have a special kitty!
I'm in an even stranger category.. I classically trained in private lessons for over 10 years, and then never played again once my flute was stolen. I now am 39 and finally have a flute again which has been a joy. The issue is, in many ways I'm a blend of advanced skills WITH mid level intermediate all blended into one. For whatever insane reason, my flute teacher didn't teach me much musical theory. Even without it, I still read well and play well. I may not be amazing at scales (finger transition blubbers on the more complex scales), but I can play complex music with exceptional tone, vibrato, and plenty of professional technique. It's a super strange position to be in.
Totally!!! And very frustrating I’m sure. Believe it or not, I have actually seen a fair amount of students in a very similar position. For some reasons scales and theory is just not often taught! The good news is is that it won’t be very difficult to start building some of those skills again. I think isolate the areas you need to work on and then start finding the resources to help you.
I’m in that category too, good to know I’m not the only one! I did flute lessons in school for about 6yrs but couldn’t take music theory due to cost, and never did any grades. 30 years later during Covid picked it back up and picking up tips from TH-cam (thanks Tatiana!) now can play some reasonably advanced pieces with decent tone and interpretation. Scales with more than 4 sharps/flats however, not so much and I’ve definitely hit that wall where I’m struggling to advance. Thanks for noticing us 😊
Started learning at 44yo, thanks for the video
Awesome! 🙌🏼 never to late to learn!
Yeah, there needs to be some step in between kid stuff, and the page of notes with no explanation. It's like uh? How do I tackle this? Im 47, been trying to learn it for over a year...
Such a great point! We need to do more!
Yup. C'est moi. 64 YO. Started flute from scratch a year ago. Whizzed through loads of material quickly. But feel like I'm running to stand still ATM.
You’re not alone! Do you know more or less what level you are at?
@@TheFlutePractice I'm working with grade 5 abrsm pieces. Not the full pieces but deconstructing them for the tricky bits. Also scales. Thing is, I can do to grade 7 scales on piano without music but I just cannot do without the music on flute. Also phrasing is a problem: being able to breathe to cope with the phrases. That's holding me back.
A few years ago, I started playing the flute in a so called "Bläserklasse" for adults. I learnt a lot for a beginner. After two years we were then transferred to the harmony and the horror began. The pieces that were played there mostly ranged from e2 to f4... it was a horror. I put the modern flute aside in frustration and switched to the traverso (single-flap wooden flute), which I've been learning to play from scratch (for about 4 years now) and I'm absolutely delighted. I no longer touch the modern flute, which is a great pity.
I love the pink elephants🥰
Thanks! Can you believe it’s a gorgeous thrift store buy 😋😋😋😋 I LOVE good thrift stores!
Ohh yes we are working on some "easy etudes" from Köhler in my lessons...it's not easy, it is challenging 😂
I started playing the flute during my senior year of high school and had to work very hard to catch up with my classmates in college since I had been playing trombone up to that point. Not helping anything was that my flute was a 100$ ebay flute (I play on a much better instrument now) Honestly in hindsight its kinda surprising I got this far.
That sounds challenging!!! I can imagine there was just not a lot of support either. Well done to you 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼