Can I teach myself the flute?

It's a good idea to have a couple of lessons to start you off as pp have said. I would also suggest that you get a flute teacher to check the flute that you have bought because they sometimes need a service or minor repair without a beginner being aware of it. Good luck with your flute adventure!

Hi Zen -

I see you have had a good response and suggestions. As I said I would come back, I offer this flute site in case you need more ideas:

www.justflutes.com/category.php?cat_id=2553&comp_letter=&page=1&order=comp

For you, and the children, the ABRSM books on Theory, and the graded Theory in Practice books (which you fill in the answers to questions) are useful and good value.

Anyone can be a private music teacher, it's not regulated although professional bodies such as ISM, MU and EPTA have minimum requirements. Working as a peri is different especially if employed by a music hub, or directly by a school as they will be looking for experience and qualifications. So, yes you could teach having gained grade 5 in an instrument 25 years ago, as someone local to me does...

Another place for sourcing flute teachers is the Just Flutes website. They have a 'find a teacher' search. The entries are vetted (up to a point) so a reasonable standard of expertise is expected.

The best thing you could do is have a few lessons first and then take it from there. The worst thing to do is to watch dodgy videos on YouTube and develop a tight and inflexible embouchure. James Galway has an excellent clip on forming the right kind of embouchure (sad clown) as opposed to a tight "happy smile" shape which a lot of self taught flute players develop. This will eventually inhibit your ability to play flexibly between the different octaves with good tone.

I have had quite a few adult beginners and I usually advise 3 or 4 taster sessions to see how they get on. Some can cope admirably on their own after an initial block and then come every now and then for a check up lesson, other decide to have regular lessons and some decide that, acutally, flute playing's not for them!

Best books - if you've prior musical knowledge then Learn as You Play the Flute is good, but it moves very fast. I also use Flute Basics with adults who haven't played an instrument before - not too full of mad cartoons and has good pieces and comes with backing CDs. A Tune a Day has some good things but has shockingly bad pictures of someone with a really tight smiley embouchure and is a bit misleading in places. Trevor Wye's Beginner's Book for the flute series are good, very sound, but a bit dull and dated.

Where abouts are you OP? I might be able to suggest someone for you.

Otherwise, as a pp suggested do a search on musicteacher.co.uk.

Always have a trial lesson to check you click with the teacher before committing.

Clarinet is very different from the flute - don't be surprised by how much air you will need for flute. It is a lot more than any other woodwind instrument.

I would second the recommendation to have a few lessons. you might be lucky and be a natural, but it's very easy to play the flute badly (like any instrument).

Check out musicteachers.co.uk to find a teacher.

I self taught flute at about 17yo. Abracadabra in 2 hours. But I played a lot of bottles and recorder fairly seriously. When I'm in practise I have okayish tone, can't play fast bits and can't double tongue. But I can footle around on it, so it depends what you want from it. I would recommend getting a few lessons at least, for basic technique and positioning. For tone quality... I'm an experienced string player so I know what to look for in the sound and automatically correct for tuning. And I sing a lot, so can control breath. I play decently and have played proper gigs but would never take a flute student even though I've been asked. With no musical background if would be much harder.

I would recommend looking up good posture for flautists online as you could do mischief if you assume an awkward playing position (it's an awkward enough playing position as it is without forming bad habits!).

I second the suggestion of Learn as You Play.

In your situation I would go and have a couple of lessons just to get you started on the right track and then maybe just have one lesson a month so that you can troubleshoot, check you're not forming bad habits, and just because lessons with a good teacher should be informative, fun and inspiring!

Some teachers aren't keen on teaching students who won't commit to a weekly lesson, but I love teaching adults so would make an exception in order to help someone like you get started and get the most out of playing the flute. There will be other flute teachers out there who feel the same.

I have used Learn As You Play with adult and teenage beginners, and students who can already read music. It moves reasonably fast, and isn't full of cartoons. Flute Basics or Abracadabra would be a bit more gentle.

Good luck! I plan to teach myself piano starting September. I was wondering if there is such thing as a support group for adults learning instruments to keep them motivated.

I learnt at school, then tried again 35 plus years later ! I used the good old " tune a Day " book which has the usual scales and arpeggios , and some abridged prices of classical stuff. When I got a little better I bought some 100 top tune type books, and books with Adeles album songs, and the Beatles . Ashamed to say it's dropped by the wayside a bit now - I think I need to wait until I'm retired and have time to take lessons and perhaps join a local orchestra

Let me know what sort of music you want - is it just the standard Classical repertoire, presumably it will be to do Grades.

But for entertainment, you might want 'lighter' stuff.

I'll have a look, and come back sometime.

Yes you can. I did at about 14. And recorder at 5. I had lessons from about grade four level.