Learning the flute..

[mackenzie]

Hi 

I'm wondering if it's possible for someone to learn the flute without the aid of a teacher?
I've been getting lessons on the flute for two years now and for all the help it's done, I might as well have had a monkey teach me. I receive tuition at school every week..it's basically a system my music teacher has had going for about 10 years and she constantly boasts about how well it works... The truth is, the teacher I have is completely useless. I have picked up so many bad habits on the flute that were never corrected by my teacher and I know this from watching masterclass videos online. To be honest I've learned more from the internet than I have from him. The last two years being one of his students has been a complete waste of money. I'm going onto grade 5 now in September because the idiot made me jump from grade 1 to grade 4 and because of that I struggled with breathing, scales, rhythm...everything. There's no way I can continue being "taught" by this teacher but also money has become a bit of an issue.. The duration of my piano lessons (with a different teacher who is thankfully competant) have now doubled due to the fact that I'm going onto the higher grades which means the price has doubled too. So basically, I don't think I should get lessons at all on the flute because I don't want my parents spending too much money on music lessons for me. However, I do want to continue playing the flute. I love the piano and it's definitely my preferred instrument but I'd like to be acclompished at the flute also just for the sake of recitals and musical exams, etc.
Would it be possible for me to continue learning flute without a teacher?

Thanks xx

[Bob]

If it's a school music teacher, then yes, I could understand that person being less than ideal for teaching all the instruments.  I've met one person who was great at teaching all the standard band instruments... to beginners.  And that was all that person was good at.  Conducting... eh... Not their thing.  Starting beginners off, yes.

It's possible to learn on your own, but a teacher can offer more.  If you've gone through things and know how to teach yourself, then you know the answer to your question.  I don't have a teacher now and I don't want one.  I make progress on what I do work on.  But I've been through college already.

If you haven't had a real flute teacher, try one.  A school music teacher is a jack of all trades, master of none.  Fine for teaching the masses a little about music, but not right for teaching someone who wants more out of their instrument.  They're just stretched too much.  You end up with students holding instruments wrong, things like that.  That sounds like what you're talking about.  I actually think if you took any kids and they tried to practice an instrument, they would make some progress, despite bad teaching.  It really sounds like you need a flute teacher though, someone who plays flute as their main instrument and has taught it enough to know what they're doing and have good teaching skills.

I would wonder, if you're still around a high school age, if you'd stick with playing the flute still.  Although just playing it in band is good too.  But that's not the same as practicing yourself.  The flute wil give you a different perspective on music than piano will.  Do both if you can.  It's not going to hurt if you're into music that much.  You'll get something from both.

[Bob]

I suppose I could add...

Ah... two years of flute.  I see.  I didn't catch that before.

If it's a school music teacher whose instrument is flute, it might be ok to continue with them, although it sounds like you don't want to and if they're not a good match, then stop lessons with them.

If it's a beginning band or middle school band teacher, and flute is NOT their primary instrument, at some point you should pass them up in skill level and should be looking at a private flute lesson teacher.  You shouldn't be surprised if they recommend a flute teacher... because they can't do much more for you for flute technique.  Music, yes, but flute tech, probably not if it's not their instrument.  They could tell you to do a cresc, watch pitch on a note, and correct rhythms.  They might not know exactly how to adjust pitch best, which fingering to use, how to get a better tone, etc.  Ie, more advanced flute things. 

But they still would know a lot about music.  Don't discount them completely just due to flute technique.

If it's a high school band director and flute is NOT their instrument, I would wonder why they're teaching you, although it's only two years.  You would be passing them up for technique again, just like the beginning band teacher.  A high school band director would focus on working with a full band, an ensemble, and would spend a ton of time running the band program.  (which would make me wonder how they have time to teach flute lessons.... or why.... [$$$]).  I guess it's the same as the beginning teacher, but a high school band director would be less in tune with starting beginners off.  If flute's not their instrument, they're not going to know it extremely well.  (Band directors actually don't know the fingerings to all the instruments, and at the high school level, they can bluff and give a stern look, tell the student they should know that fingering, and point them to the fingering chart where the student can find the answer themself.  Note the director doesn't actually have to answer a flute fingering question in that scenario, but can appear like they do.  And everyone seems to think they do.  Some know the common flute trill fingerings, but again... just tell the student to look it up or ask one of the older flute students.)

I guess in both cases, after two years, it makes sense you'd be passing up a school music teacher in terms of flute technique if flute's not their main instrument.  I would be tactful with them though.  Don't insult them.  Maybe bring up the idea that you want to work on more difficult music and want to learn more flute specific things, but you don't know what those are.  If you're starting to ask about things they really don't know a lot about and have more technique than they do, they should mention that you could go study with other teachers.  And they might have a list and some recommendations for flute teachers, one's they've heard about or ones who have contacted the school.

And shop around for a good flute teachers.  Probably not one at a music store.  Someone at a college or uni, private studio of a professional flute player, local music teaching school.  Those are good places to look.

[pianochick93]

Up until recently I learnt the flute through school. Because there were group classes, I was placed in amongst the higher level students so I didn't get bored. Problem with that was that I had horrible trouble with breathing. I stopped lessons with him but have continued to play independantly and in the school flute ensemble. My technique isn't getting any better, but it's not getting worse either.
I think as long as you can identify your problems and have some idea of how to work through them, then you can teach yourself. My piano teacher often says that I shouldn't bother coming to lessons - all I need to do is put on a tape recorder of her saying 'fingering. Metronome. Fit a story to it, damnit!' As long as I'm reminded of my problems I can fix them myself with hard work.