I`m 23 years old, and have not played an instrument since i was in the 8th grade. I recently graduated college and working my first professional job. I need an outside activity to combat this new enviorment and stress, and i want to learn how to play the flute. My only issue is I think i`m too old. I know 10 year olds, who play quite well. Do you suggest Private lessons, or just buy a cheap flute and a couple of books and teach myself?

You are NEVER too old to learn something new. I think its great that people have the courage to pick up an instrument a bit later in life. If you only want to play for fun and to relax do you really think there is any point in getting a teacher?? You should be fine with a couple of teach yourself books and bit of time.

Good Luck

Leprachaun

One day, I was complementing someone I know on his piano playing (because then, not now, I heard it during English from the band room). I told him, "I wish I could play the piano like you." He told me, "It is never too late to begin playing an instrument."

You are not too old at all. I`m quite sure that with time and practice you could surpass many community college flutists who`ve played their whole lives in as little as a year.

People as old as 60 have picked up violins and learned to play them proficiently.

Thanks Y`all! I`m going to take this very seriously, and hope to be at least decent.

I think I`m going to ask my friend (who I was talking about above) if I can take piano lessons from him...

I`m 23, English, a young professional and took up the flute a little over 4 months ago. No particular reason - I just got fed up with lamenting not being musical (I had drum lessons to grade 2 way, way back, but never really got into it, and am otherwise not proficient wih anything), and decided to do something about it.

Bought a book called `How to Love Your Flute` - which I cannot recommend enough - before buying a flute, and ended up getting a second-hand Yamaha 211 from a local music store. Since then, I`ve been learning from books, mostly, with occasional questions to a friend who plays well.

I particularly recommend books which come with recordings of someone else playing the piece, since I, at least, can`t translate complicated rhythms in my head - and it`s useful to know what it should sound like.

I`m starting, now, to think about occasional professional lessons, for the sake of improving technique faster, but haven`t really missed them so far (part of the point, of course, would be to keep you motivated - I`ve yet to have an issue there).

But... yeah, I don`t expect to ever play professionally, but I`m certainly enjoying myself and my housemates occasionally tell me it sounds like its going well (I trust them to be honest if it isn`t), so I call that a success.

Not sure how hectic your life is, but with mine, I get an hour for lunch every day, and don`t have a right lot to do with it, so I tend to go and sit by the river and practice. It`s the only way I can be sure of practicing (almost) every day, which I think is quite important - just because I want to make a habit of it.

Anyway, go for it. Expect to spend a reasonable amount on a flute (maybe $500 or so - I only looked at the English market), but reckon on it selling on later for a decent fraction of that - and think of it as small in terms of the amount of time you`ll spend with it.

So in short, while it`s possible that some people are, I`m not, so neither are you.

Enjoy (and feel free to email me with questions - I don`t read these forums regularly...)

Thanks Tom! I went to the music store this afternoon during my lunch ( I also get an hour) and picked up three books. "play the flute today", "a tune a day" and a basic fingering chart book. Hopefully these will help me. I`ll keep you posted.

My next step...which brand of flute to buy.

Carla, I have taught privately for 20 years, my youngest beginner was 6, my oldest was 57, and they both did fine, just remember, the flute doesn`t know your age, nor does it care

You can never be too old to start playing an instrument or start singing! However, it will take a lot of practice.

Ooh, the section of his (Mark Shepard`s) book which relates to buying a flute is now up online:

http://www.markshep.com/flute/Finding.html

I doubt that`ll tell most flautists anything new, but it was just what I needed back in July.

Good luck with it all.

Tom

Yeah, you`re never too old. You might not be James Galway, but if you`re playing for pleasure and personal achievment, what does that matter?

I`m 24 and have just bought my first flute, I have never played an instrument before and I`m really enjoying it already, I`ve found most of the really basic stuff I need on the internet and I`m getting a couple of books for Christmas, I also found the Mark Shepard flute page (with extracts from his How to love your flute book) really helpful, I`d love some tips from Tom if possible, as I`m also english and there may be things here that you`ve found useful. Frankly, no offence but I think it`s appalling that a 23 year old would think themselves too old to try anything new, personally I want to spend the next 60 years of my life learing and enjoying as much as possible, it`s never too late!! Good luck with everything.

Well... ummm... tips.

This *is* a forum populated by professional flute teachers and downright competent students - I expect you could get useful answers to most questions just by asking them.

Trouble is... you don`t know what to ask, right? Indeed, I`d go so far as to guess you`re not really sure what to do next.

Well, nothing like having a medium-term goal to work towards. In my case, Scottish folk songs (Skye Boat Song, Wild Mountain Thyme, Jock Stewart, etc...). You might find it better to start with a so-called `tutor` (book of really easy songs, that get slowly harder, and introduce new things every so often). Abracadabra Flute for example. Get one which comes with a CD. Seriously.

Or... yeah. Email me? I don`t bite (unless asked nicely).