Beginner Flute Lessons

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT FLUTE LESSONS
by Elyse Knobloch

How to find the right flute teacher?
What to expect from first flute lessons?
What equipment will you need for first flute lesson?
Beginner flutes for children?

How to find the right flute teacher

The instructor is responsible for making you successful by choosing the best music suited for you. Instructors explain and demonstrate the material to the student. This includes blowing into the flute, learning correct fingerings, reading music, and learning to count just to name a few.
Tip- A key point to remember before choosing a flute instructor, is that not all great flute players make great teachers.   A teacher not only needs to be able to play the flute, but should be able to communicate the knowledge well. They should be patient like any kind of teacher and be able recognize how each student learns best.

What to expect from first flute lessons?

At the first flute lesson the student will learn how to line up the pieces when putting the flute together, hold the flute, blow into the flute, and get a sound. Some find the biggest challenge is holding the instrument because there is nothing to hang on to. If this is a traditional instructional approach, the teacher will most likely show the student a few notes in a book, and then show the student where to put their fingers to play those notes.

At the first flute lesson a beginner will learn is the parts of the flute; the head joint, the body, the foot joint, and the cleaning rod. The beginning of the lesson is devoted to the head joint. The student will observe as the teacher demonstrates positioning the head joint and blowing notes. The student will then do this many times, getting constant input from the teacher. After the student has succeeded, the teacher demonstrates how the direction of the air stream controls the sound producing low and high sounds. This takes 5 to 10 minutes depending upon how quickly the student can achieve a decent sound. This is a building block for blowing into the flute when it is put together.

Next, the teacher will demonstrate how to put the flute together. The body is connected to the head joint, and the foot joint is connected to the body. You will notice that the teacher chooses places to grasp each joint where there is solid metal, rather than on top of the rods or keys. Tip- Always twist the piece back and forth that is being connected. When the flute is together, the teacher will explain how to line up the pieces correctly so the fingers will be able to be rreached.

Now that the flute is together, the student will learn how to hold the instrument. This is a little tricky. You will notice that the flute has no place for you to hook your fingers. The flute is suspended in the air by three balance points; a spot on the face between the chin and lower lip, the base of the index finger on the left hand, and the thumb of the right hand. The student learns how to hold the flute through instruction and demonstrations. The proper angle of the wrists and where the base of the index finger is placed insures a good start.
Tip- The angle of the wrists is the key to balancing the flute and getting a good sound.

The experience with blowing a sound with the head joint at the beginning of the lesson will reinforces success for the next stages of the lessons. The student will be shown where the fingers go over the keys. Then the teacher will choose a note like G, which has a number of keys pressed to stabilize holding the instrument. The student will blow a stream of air and try to get a sound with the flute assembled.

Depending upon the success with this activity, the teacher will either determine what kind of assignment the student should have for home practice, or they might go on to starting with a book and some activities to go a bit further.

Flute Equipment, GEARING UP
What you’ll need to get started:

A flute, music stand, and music are
required for lessons
You can acquire your first flute a number of ways. A student can rent, buy, or borrow their first flute. Many music stores have a policy whereby the money spent when renting a new instrument can later be applied to the total cost if you later want to purchase the instrument. Most beginners will start with a closed hole flute with an offset G key.
Tip- If the student is so small or so young that their arms are too short to reach the keys, the student can start with a flute with a curved head joint which reduces the total length of the flute. A music stand will be need when practicing from a standing position.

Flutes for children and beginners

Emerson, Yamaha, Gemeinhardt, and Armstrong are quality brands. Most beginner flutes produce a sound fairly easily. Make sure the instrument is in good shape if it is used. Stores will sometimes allow the customer to bring an instrument and have their teacher check it.

Recommended Flute Books

Learn to Play the Flute book 1, Universal Method book 1, and The Foundation to Flute Playing are all great choices for students..The 'Foundation' book moves into the high register of the flute quickly and is only recommended for young students with a strong air stream and older beginners.

Cost
What do most instructors charge for a private, semi- private or group lessons.

Most instructors charge around $30/$45/$60 for a 30/45/60 minute for private lessons. Lessons given at the student's home usually costs an additional $15. Since there is great diversity in each student's progress, semi private and group lessons are not recommended.

Beginner Flute Terminology

Head joint

The head joint is the first section of the flute. One end is closed by a piece called the 'crown'. The other end is open. The head joint has a piece of metal attached to it where you rest the flute on your face. The piece of metal is called the embouchure hole, and that is where you blow the air.

Body

The body is the middle section of the flute. It is open on both ends and connects to the head joint and foot joint. Most of the keys are on this section.

Foot Joint

The foot joint is the smallest section of the flute. It is open on both ends and connects to the body. There keys on the foot joint are used to play the lowest notes of the flute range.

Embouchure Hole

This is the hole in the embouchure plate on the head joint. The embouchure hole is also called the tone hole.

Embouchure Plate

This is the piece of metal that is fixed onto the head joint.

Embouchure

The embouchure is the position and shape of the mouth when applied onto the embouchure plate.

Cleaning Rod

The cleaning rod is the long metal rod that is approximately the length of the body of the instrument and is used to dry the tube of the instrument by threading a handkerchief through the rod and passing it through the tube of the flute. The circular line on the other end of the cleaning rod is used to check the position of the cork in the head joint.

Crown

The crown is the piece screwed onto the end of the head joint. This closes the top end of the flute, making it possible to produce a sound. There is a piece of cork that is sealed in place for an air tight closure that is attached to the crown.

Cork

The cork is located in the head joint and is attached to the crown of the instrument by a long screw. The cork is an air tight seal.

Rod

The rods of the flute are the long rails that the keys are attached to.

Springs

The springs of the flute look like thin pieces of metal that are about 1 ½ inches long and are located beneath the rods. The springs bring the keys back up after they have been pressed.

Keys

The keys are the round and other shaped pieces of metal that are attached to the rods of the flute. Some keys control other keys.

Leak

When a key is pressed down, the pad under the key will rest on a metal ring. If there is any space between the metal and the pad when the key is pressed down, the result is called a leak. Leaks will make the sound either bad, or not work depending upon the severity of the leak. It is cured either through adjustment or re-padding the key(s) involved.

by Elyse Knobloch