Hi, I've just started to learn to read music, and begin on the one-key flute. I have had over 40 years playing music by ear on a variety of instruments: Irish flute, guitar fiddle, ukulele etc, Ive decided to find a teacher when my reading skills are up to speed. Has anyone else followed a similar path, and if so, can you offer any advice?

hi i have just learnt to read music in the last year i started with a boosey hawkes book for flute ( this was my first go at any instrument) the book starts on one note and then carried on two three and so on i used the poems every good boy deserves food and face to remember where the notes were on the scale i tried to sight read as much as possible and not play things that i knew because other wise i ended up playing from what i thought was written not what was on the page

good luck and i hope this helps i would like an irish d flute so if i may i will ask you for your knowledge on such matters when i have saved up for it

monkey flute

Thanks for the tips monkey flute, I too often play what i think the music should do rather than what's actually written!! I have the book on Baroque Flute by Janet Dockendorf Boland, and I'm working my way through it, along with some easy stuff from the Werner Icking archive. I need to discipline myself to play new stuff rather than rattle off an irish reel, previously learned by ear in my former incarnation!

HI i have started playing with a folk band and man they can play fast so i am in the current postion of trying to learn irish jigs reels and slow air by heart

most of the forty players are in their 70 s and regard me at 34 to be a youngest and tell their instruments are older than me!

we dont have any ukele so if your anywhere near four marks hamphire come along

monkey flute

I'm wondering why you are learning before finding a teacher rather than having a teacher to help you to learn?

Welcome to the forum.

Hi sbhoa, good question!!, I would like to get some facility with the fingering on the instrument, and some speed at reading, before committing myself to a teacher, so that I can get some form and structure from a piece from the start, rather than fumbling along, reading "A" for "C" etc which I'm doing at present.
At least we'll be able to talk the same language, and I think I'll get more from my money and time.
However, as a new "proper" musician, I am willing to take advice from anyone willing to give it!

Fair enough.
Though a good teacher will be able to guide you along and be sympathetic to your particular needs.
You might even get tips on a more efficient way to improve your reading skills.

Sorry to 'crash' this thread Baroquet, but can I ask you a question about the Irish flute? I play a bit of whistle (amongst other things) but would really love to play the Irish flute. I bought a keyless flute in D earlier this year but am really struggling to progress as my hands are really small and ache so much that I can't play for more than a few minutes (never mind the dizziness!). I was just wondering whether a keyed flute would be better? Does this make it easier to reach the notes? Sorry if this appears a stupid question, but as I haven't had the opportunity to try one I have no idea!

Hi baroquet, and welcome to the forums

What you said here struck a chord because my teacher has sometimes commented that I seem to think that when he gives me an exercise to do, I then expect not to play it in the lesson again until it's perfect.... whereas what I should be doing is making use of his skills to help me, in the lesson. I know it's not quite the same as your situation, but it's similar, if you see what I mean.

And when you say you play how you think the music should go rather than what's written - yes, been there, several times! But a good teacher will help you stop you doing this and will help you hear how the written music should sound

Not to mention uncovering any bad habits you may have got into, and preventing new ones forming!

A good teacher is worth their weight in gold so I would recommend looking into it sooner rather than later

Good luck baroquet, and by the way, is there anything in particular which has made you want to take up reading music after all this time - just wondered

What you said here struck a chord because my teacher has sometimes commented that I seem to think that when he gives me an exercise to do, I then expect not to play it in the lesson again until it's perfect.... whereas what I should be doing is making use of his skills to help me, in the lesson. I know it's not quite the same as your situation, but it's similar, if you see what I mean.

Struck a bit of a chord with me too, because it's not uncommon for my adult pupils (when I ask if i may hear something,) to say things like ...
'it's not very good yet'
it's very slow'
'I had problems with a bit in the middle'

I try to point out to them that that's what I'm here for - to help with problems, that slow is good, that I don't need to wait until things are finished before I hear them, but should be helping along the way.

When I first read your post, my reaction was the same as Sbhoa's - why not find out if a teacher could help sooner in the process rather than later ?

Yes that's exactly the sort of thing that I say!

And you say exactly the same as my teacher!

If the words were in French, this would be me and my teacher as well.

With an interesting variation this week... In one piece there is a run which, despite having practised endlessly all week, was still really bad and which I described as being "really awful" (rather than the usual "not very good yet"). My teacher had to insist for some time before I agreed to play it and, to my great surprise, when I finally played it I did so perfectly. I had read in the Inner Game of Music that if you take the pressure of yourself by accepting that you are going to play badly you often play better but this is the first time it has ever happened to me.

I've found something similar. Where the left hand fingering is hard, my bowing becomes rubbish because I tense up. My teacher suggested just expecting the left hand to be rubbish and concentrating on the bowing. Result: bowing and left hand not so bad! I had better re-read The Inner Game of Music.

I was extremely sceptical about The Inner Game of Music, which is why I was all the more surprised about what happened in my lesson. I'm still not convinced that on another occasion I will be able to deliberately do this; it seems to me that now I know I can play better if I don't care how I play I will secretly be hoping that I will play it correctly whilst at the same time trying to tell myself that it doesn't matter if I don't (if that makes any sense).