# I'm teaching myself to play flute! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 23, 2006, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798 "2006-09-23T00:54:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798/1 "2006-09-23T00:54:03Z")
This is so much fun. I played saxophone for 6 years, so the fingerings aren’t that difficult. The embouchure is weird, but I’m getting better. I found that [www.8notes.com](http://www.8notes.com) has some free music, some of which is designed for the instrument. I like that I can play along with it while it plays the tune for me. I’m working my way through Faure’s Pavane right now because we played it in high school, and it was very pretty. I can’t play as prettily, but since the technique isn’t too hard for this song, it helps me work on tone and stuff. Anyone have any other good resources? Other experiences relevant to this? ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798/2 "2006-09-23T00:56:54Z")
Poop. I think that this is supposed to go to in Cafe Society. Can someone report it please? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798/3 "2006-09-23T01:22:18Z")
I hate narcing on a fellow saxophonist, but I _will_ recommend a book called [How to Play the Flute](http://www.amazon.com/How-Play-Flute-Everything-Know/dp/0312288611/sr=8-1/qid=1158974256/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-5221516-4874339?ie=UTF8&s=books). It’s a good starter, but I still needed 3 months of private lessons before I began to get the feel of the embouchure. It’s a matter of incredibly fine muscle control, with only aural cues - little or no tactile feedback - to control it. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798/4 "2006-09-23T06:49:48Z")
Hey, me too. I taught myself how to play piano years ago (and now do it professionally) and would love to one day be able to play all the major orchestral instruments, at least fundamentally. So I randomly chose the flute first, because I love it. You’re right, it’s half the battle to already know how to read music. It’s coming pretty easily to me, although it’s tough to get the right embouchure for some of those high notes. Right now I’m just using those cheesy books that come with a CD, but it’s mostly musical theatre stuff so I’m digging it. I’ve also been recording myself on piano, then playing back with it. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798/5 "2006-09-23T19:30:37Z")
I’m a flute player! (and several other instruments, but I actually own a flute). I have a really good set of books that my band teacher had me learn by in middle school - they’re called Standard of Excellence and they rock at teaching you the basics. There’s three of them - red, blue and green, in that order. They run between seven and fifteen dollars apiece, depending on where you live, and they ROCK. If you lived near me I’d lend them to you, because they really are good. [Here’s a link](http://www.sheetmusicplus.com/pages.html?cart=33680140382695780&target=smp_detail.html%26sku%3DKJ.W21FL&s=pages-www.google.com/search&e=/sheetmusic/detail/KJ.W21FL.html&t=&k=&r=wwws-err5) to the first book - but if you’re near Carson City, Nevada, I might send you mine. 🙂 The flute is an awsome instrument to play. Congrats! ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798/6 "2006-09-23T20:36:42Z")
I played the tuba in band (we got to choose our instruments when we were in 5th grade: sit in the back, only three buttons, gross farting noises…don’t know if being male had anything to do with it, but still…), and didn’t really have any interest in anything else, because playing an instrument was more something I had to do to justify staying out of sports at the time (didn’t have to play football if you were in marching band). Then, in college, I discovered the band Jethro Tull. Holy cow, do I wish I’d taken flute! I’ve still never bought one (fiddled around with keyless fifes, though), but have thought about tackling it as an adult. If you’re not familiar with Tull music, I would highly suggest it. Ian Anderson (the flute player) is one of the best in the world, although I suspect a lot of people don’t take him seriously because he mostly plays with a rock band rather than an orchestra. Don’t sell him short; he’s brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-teaching-myself-to-play-flute/373798/7 "2006-09-23T20:56:55Z")
[QUOTE=Dijon Warlock] Then, in college, I discovered the band Jethro Tull. Holy cow, do I wish I’d taken flute! I’ve still never bought one (fiddled around with keyless fifes, though), but have thought about tackling it as an adult. If you’re not familiar with Tull music, I would highly suggest it. Ian Anderson (the flute player) is one of the best in the world, although I suspect a lot of people don’t take him seriously because he mostly plays with a rock band rather than an orchestra. Don’t sell him short; he’s brilliant. [/QUOTE] Funny, as I read this, “Bungle in the Jungle” just happened to be playing on my iTunes. I agree he’s a fantastic flautist. I like “uncommon marriages” in music, like electric guitars playing with an orchestra, or a flute playing with a rock band. And they experiment with strange time signatures too, like 5/4 (“Living in the Past”). And “Locomotive Breath” seriously rocks.