{"id":25,"date":"2013-05-29T16:07:28","date_gmt":"2013-05-29T20:07:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.musikalessons.com\/?p=25"},"modified":"2023-01-25T17:39:28","modified_gmt":"2023-01-25T22:39:28","slug":"tips-for-beginning-flute-players","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.musikalessons.com\/blog\/2013\/05\/tips-for-beginning-flute-players\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Beginning Flute Players"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"beginning<\/a>
It’s important for beginning flutists to practice every day, and have realistic expectations.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We have compiled some great tips for beginning flute players<\/strong>, including when to start lessons, how to get an instrument, what lessons will cover, and how often to practice.<\/p>\n

When to Start Flute Lessons
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Most students start learning the flute around age 9. The student needs to be big enough to be able to appropriately hold the instrument and have the lung capacity to blow properly. Some students start younger, but unlike piano or violin, it’s not really appropriate to start flute much earlier than third grade. If your young child is very eager to get started, I would recommend buying a recorder first. The embouchure (the way you form your mouth to play) is completely different, but the fingerings are similar to the flute, so that could give your child an advantage when she or he advances to the flute. A plastic recorder will also be inexpensive so you won’t have to worry about a damaging the instrument.<\/p>\n

Of the woodwinds, the flute can be a relatively easy instrument for beginners, so it can be an extremely satisfying instrument for adult students interested in starting lessons. In some ways beginning flute as an adult can be advantageous because most have escaped, or already dealt with, the plight of braces!<\/p>\n

Should You Buy or Rent a Flute
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With a beginning flutist I would recommend renting first. Yamaha is a really reliable brand. Armstrong or Gemeinhardt are also solid choices. If the student is young and has a hard time holding the instrument, you could consider renting a flute with a curved headjoint (a “candycane” headjoint) to make holding the instrument more comfortable. Once the student progresses, he or she could look into purchasing a more advanced model with open hole keys and a B foot joint.<\/p>\n

What is Learned at Flute Lessons<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unlike the guitar or piano, playing the flute is less intuitive and therefore it is not an instrument that can easily be self-taught. I would recommend taking flute lessons<\/a>. A good teacher should be able to teach you:<\/p>\n