Flute 101

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Teacher: Barbara
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Flute Basics

0 Introduction 02:34

This is a short introduction to my Flute 101 course, as well as a little of my professional and personal backgound.

1 Lesson 1: Choosing a Flute 11:30

This lesson is designed to help the parent choose a flute to rent or purchase, as one must have a flute for this class. I discuss brands plus features to watch for, and those to avoid.

2 Lesson 2: Flute Care & Maintenance 15:39

This tutorial discusses necessary cleaning equipment, how to take proper care of your flute, and solutions to some possible problems that may arise in the first few months of owning or renting a flute.

3 Lesson 3: Assembly & Hand Position 18:38

A detailed explanation of how to assemble the flute and place the hands correctly.

First Sounds and Notes

4 Lesson 4: Review & First Sounds 18:01

After reviewing the fundamentals of assembly and hand position, I explain and demonstrate how to make the first sounds on flute using only the headjoint. This lesson also includes troubleshooting information.

5 Lesson 5: First Sounds & Exercises 17:50

In this video, we continue to make our first sounds on the headjoint. I add differentiation between high and low, and provide specific exercises to practice and fine-tune tone production.

6 Lesson 6: First Notes B, A, G 18:38

A quick head joint review, plus introduction to the notes B, A, and G.

7 Lesson 7: B, A, G Continued 12:30

This lesson continues to focus on B, A, and G, and provides exercises to improve tone production on each.

First Songs: Popular Tunes

8 Lesson 8: First Songs 14:47

We will quickly review B, A,& G and then learn these 2 songs.

9 Lesson 9: First Songs & Tonguing 12:04

In this lesson, we continue practicing these 2 songs. In addition, I introduce the concepts of articulation and vibrato.

10 Lesson 10: Articulation 12:24

This lesson reinforces articulation/ tonguing exercises using B-A-G.

11 Lesson 11: Posture & New Notes F, E, D 10:43

Posture, troubleshooting and learning how to play F, E, and D.

12 Lesson 12: New Song: "Hallelujah" Melody 13:08

Introduction to "Hallelujah" melody using all familiar notes: A, G, F, E, D.

13 Lesson 13: "Hallelujah" Melody Review & Octaves 16:51

Review on playing the song, and introduction of the concept of octaves.

Musical Notation, Terms, and Scales

14 Lesson 14: Introduction to Musical Notation 13:41

We learn about fermatas, whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes.

15 Lesson 15: More Musical Notation 14:40

We learn the terms staff, treble clef, line notes, space notes, measure line, and double bar. Then we put all of this knowledge together to play our 2 first songs as true sheet music!

16 Lesson 16: F scale & New Notes: B-flat, C, D 13:55

We review octaves, learn 3 new notes, and start the F scale.

17 Lesson 17: G Scale & F Scale Review 13:44

We review the F scale, and learn the new note F# and the G scale.

18 Lesson 18: G Scale Review & Arpeggios 10:22

We review the G scale and learn 2 arpeggios.

19 Lesson 19: Chromatic Scale & A-flat, D-flat, E-flat 13:17

Introduction of 3 new notes, and introduction to the chromatic scale.

20 Lesson 20: Half Steps, Whole Steps, Chromatic Scale Review 12:50

An explanation of half steps and whole steps, and how they relate to the F Major scale and F chromatic scale.

More Advanced Popular Tunes

21 Lesson 21: "London Bridge" & Key Signatures 16:56

An explanation of key signatures, followed by break down and instruction on how to play "London Bridge."

22 Lesson 22: "Old MacDonald" & Eighth Notes 16:09

We learn this childhood tune and introduce eighth notes.

23 Lesson 23: Dotted Quarter Notes & "Ode to Joy" 15:35

We learn a new rhythm and incorporate it into the famous melody "Ode to Joy."

24 Lesson 24: "The Alphabet Song" 10:43

We learn to play The Alphabet Song and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.

25 Lesson 25: Piccolo, Fife, and "Yankee Doodle" 13:44

Introduction to Piccolo and Fife, and instruction on the tune "Yankee Doodle."

26 Lesson 26: "Birthday Song" 13:57

We learn about pickup notes, and how to play them in the "Happy Birthday" song.

27 Lesson 27: "You Are My Sunshine" & New Rhythms 17:10

Introduction to ties, dotted half notes, and the tune "You are my Sunshine."

28 Lesson 28: "Amazing Grace" & Alto Flute 17:24

Introduction to the Alto flute and how to play "Amazing Grace."

More Advanced Scales, Terms & Sheet Music

29 Lesson 29: Vibrato 18:38

Introduction to producing and playing the flute with vibrato.

30 Lesson 30: E-flat scale 10:43

We learn the low Eb fingering, Eb scale, and arpeggios.

31 Lesson 31: C Minor Scales 11:36

We learn that C minor is the relative of Eb major, and the 3 minor scale forms: Natural, Harmonic, and Melodic.

32 Lesson 32: 2-Octave E-flat Scale 10:52

We learn high D & Eb, plus the Eb scale and arpeggio 2 octaves.

33 Lesson 33: "Aurelia" 16:55

We use our 3 flats (Bb, Eb, Ab) in this new piece of music.

34 Lesson 34: "Daisy Bell" & Triplets 17:23

We learn about the triplet rhythm and incorporate it into "Daisy Bell."

35 Lesson 35: "Auld Lang Syne" & Recorders 11:48

Closing lesson: Recorder demonstration & "Auld Land Syne."

36 Lesson 36: Continuing with Flute 05:30

Resources and ideas for those who wish to continue Flute study.

Course Overview

This "Flute 101" course is for students who want to learn to play the flute, or who have a little bit of experience and would like to brush up on basic skills. You will need to own or rent a flute (please see free Lesson 1, "Choosing a Flute," for help with this process). It covers a broad range of topics and skills (see below). This course is NOT meant to turn the student into an expert flute player, but rather as a general introduction to the flute and flute playing. Please note: you will achieve the most success with the course by practicing the material in between watching each lesson video. This course is the equivalent of approximately 9 months worth of private online or in-person once-a-week lessons.

This course includes:

6 Units (see below)
36 video lessons, which will teach you:
- How to assemble and hold the flute properly
- Care & Maintenance
- Fingerings for over 20 notes
- How to read music for and play 11 popular tunes
- 3 pieces of public domain sheet music
- 3 Major Scales
- 1 Minor Scale
- Octaves (highs and lows)
- Vibrato
- Musical Notation (how to read music) and vocabulary
- Troubleshooting common problems
16 Quizzes with answer keys
Over 9 hours of video lessons
36 printable sheets for review and reference
Information on how to proceed with improving flute skills after taking this course

Course Goals

Upon completion, students will be able to:

Care for, assemble, and place hands properly on the flute
Make a characteristic sound on the head joint and flute as a whole
Know the fingerings for and be able to produce a sound on approximately 20 notes
Play several popular and childhood tunes
Have a fundamental knowledge of music reading and notation

Target Audience

This course is primarily designed for BEGINNER flute players, or students are interested in learning the flute and want to try it out and develop fundamental skills. Students should be in at least 4th grade, but the materials covered can apply to beginner flute students of any age.

Course Requirements

Students need to own or rent a flute. Check your local music store for rental options. If you are playing on a previously owned flute, please take or send it to a repair shop or flute professional in your area for inspection before starting the course. This will ensure that the instrument is fully functioning before starting the class (you may need to have some repairs done first). Without a properly working flute, this course will be less enjoyable and more frustrating. You will also need a cleaning rod and cleaning cloth. Highly recommended but not required: Woodwind pad cleaning paper, music stand, metronome app, tuner app.

Course topics

Unit 1 . Flute Basics
- Choosing a flute: brands to consider/avoid
- Qualities to look for
- Care & Maintenance of your flute
- How to assemble the flute
- Proper hand position on the flute

Unit 2 . First Sounds & Notes
- How to produce a sound using just the head joint
- How to produce high and low sounds
- Exercises using short and long notes to practice making a good sound
- How to finger the notes B, A, and G
- Exercises to practice and reinforce making a sound on B, A, G

Unit 3 . First Songs: Popular and Childhood Tunes
- How to play "Hot Cross Buns" & "Mary Had a Little Lamb" using B, A, G
- Articulation/tonguing: introduction
- Exercises to practice articulation
- New Notes: F, E, D
- How to play the refrain from the famous song "Hallelujah" using 5 notes
- How to play Octaves (high and low) on the flute

Unit 4 . Musical Notation, Terms & Scales
- Fermatas
- Whole, half, and quarter notes
- Treble clef/staff
- Note names (spaces and lines)
- New notes: B-flat, C, D, A-flat, D-flat, E-flat
- F scale & G scale (Major)
- Arpeggios
- Half and whole steps
- Chromatic scale

Unit 5 . More Advanced Popular & Childhood Tunes
- Demonstration of the Piccolo and Fife
- Eighth notes
- Dotted quarter notes
- Key signatures
- Sheet music and instruction on how to play the following famous tunes:
  - "London Bridge"
  - "The Alphabet Song"
  - "Old MacDonald"
  - "Ode to Joy"
  - "Amazing Grace"
  - "Yankee Doodle"
  - "You are my Sunshine"

Unit 6 . More Advanced Scales, Terms, & Sheet Music
- Fingerings for low and high E-flat
- E-flat scale (1 octave and 2 octaves)
- Vibrato
- C minor scales (natural, harmonic, and melodic)
- Sheet music and instruction on:
  - "Aurelia"
  - "Daisy Bell"
  - "Auld Lang Syne"
- Demonstration of Alto Flute and Recorders
- Resources for future flute study

Teacher: Barbara
Areas of expertise: Flute and General Music
Education: Master's in Music Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham Master's in Music Performance, Florida State University, Bachelor of Music in Performance, New England Conservatory of Music
Interests: Yoga, Running, Hiking, Dogs, Gardening, Traveling with my family
Skills: Teaching, Performing, Video Editing, and meeting students "where they are"
Associations: National Association for Music Education Alabama Orchestra Association Alabama Music Educators Association National Flute Association
Issues I care about: Making music accesssible to all, Mentoring young people through music, Environmental issues, Equality for all people

As a 30 year veteran of the music world, I have a passion for teaching and performing on the flute! I enjoy working with young people, and have taught flute lessons to students of all ages (7 to 70)! As a teacher and a Mom of 2 boys, I appreciate that every child learns differently and at his/her own pace, and I believe there is no "wrong" way to learn music. Learning music should be challenging, fulfilling, and also fun!

Test Preparation Document

Digital Quizzes and Tests Answer Keys Document

Quiz answer keys

Answer keys to all 16 quizzes

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