I have plenty of time for practice [1 to 2 hours 4 days, more other days]. What I don't have is a real idea how to organise what I do for practice? Just the pieces my tutor sets? or to include long-tones, scales or anything else? How much of what for a beginner with 1st & 2nd register (just starting into 3rd register)?

Advice please as my tutor is rather laid-back about it but I feel I need more structure.

Thanks

The main problem you're going to be dealing with at this stage is a tired embouchure. It takes time for the lip muscles to develop, and doing too long a session as a beginner can be counter-productive.

This is not a problem if your available time can be spilt into three or four shorter sessions, but if it's a big chunk of time you will need some musical activities away from the flute to give your embouchure a break.

So, two different sets of suggestions follow.

Three 20-30 minute sessions

Use session one for warming up and setting yourself up for a good day of practice. Choose a slow melody you can already play comfortably, and use this as a warm-up. If you can find one with just bottom register notes so much the better, but in any case do not choose one that goes above middle F. Aim for slow, relaxed playing and enjoy the sound you are making.

Then move on to long tones, playing chromatically down from B1, slurring on to the next note each time. Listen to each pair of notes, and try to make them sound equally good. Then move on to the middle register, slurring up chromatically from B1.

Finally in this session, do some fingerwork. It might be scales or simply an exercise based around any sequence of notes from a piece you are working on. If you can, use a mirror to check your finger position, and that your fingers aren't too far from the keys.

Use the other two sessions for working on studies and pieces, and try some sight reading. At this stage you could get another beginner book and work through the pieces from the beginning, trying to play them with a steady pulse and correct rhythm. If the book comes with a CD, you could check your version against the CD for accuracy.

You can also start doing some theory exercises, if you haven't already. It would probably be best to check with your teacher which books she recommends. This will give you a break from the flute, but still be developing your musical understanding.

One long session

Warm up as above. Then take a break away from the flute, either working on theory or trying some rhythm reading. You can choose pieces that are further on in the book for this if you want to; look at the different rhythm patterns that make up the pice and clap or tap them. Look for repetition, all pieces will use combinations of the same patterns.

Another way to use time away from the flute is in listening. If you can buy some flute CDs they will increase your knowledge of the instrument and its repertoire. There is a useful Naxos CD called Dance of the Blessed Spirits with a lot of basic flute repertoire on it.

I would suggest not more than 20-30 minutes flute at any one time, and 15 minutes away doing other activities before you return to playing.

Hope this helps.

WOW that sure helps a TONS! bril... thank you. Just what I needed. I've been wondering what listening CD to get too.

hmm good, i ought be a bit more organised too.

I sometimes feel like my fingers are too far away from the keys, especially my right hand... any ideas how to close up the gap, on one video i have by pete someone he says he glued his fingers to the keys but i think this is a tad extreme!!

My fingers lift too high too! I know I'm supposed to watch them in the mirror to stop that, but everytime I try I lose it with the music.

Someone on here did suggest, a few weeks ago, laying a tissue over the fingers and trying hard NOT to knock it off.
I have to admit I've not managed that yet my tissue flies off on the first few notes.

It's weird, I never organise my practice time! I know I should, but I never do! But when it comes to revision I write it out that morning so this morning 9:00 pantomimes, 9:30 fill in grids 10:30 break 1045: refreh pantomimes etc etc

I don't understand me!

Use the mirror when you're playing long tones or simple scale passages. 5 notes up and down from G and D will enable you to check the right hand and left hand fingers. The aim is to keep doing it (little and often) until the correct hand/finger positions are automatic.

Far better to do it now than, like me, be trying to correct a right hand positioning problem which has only shown up through playing fast runs in diploma pieces.