Various :: The Fife Book

The Fife Book

Various

An Introductory Course to Playing the Flute. The fife book method teaches embouchure technique, breath control and basic fingerings, on a plastic side-blown flute.

Foreword to teachers.

This book is an introductory course to flute playing. For many years now I have used this method to introduce people of all ages to flute playing and now I would never start anyone in any other way. Over the years I have heard all of the arguments against it - but they have all proved unfounded. I would suggest you approach it with an open mind and discover the potential for yourself. The book is aimed at beginners and should last for an approximate ten week period. It is not intended to be a 'self-tutor' and it should be used with a teacher. Most of the material is very simple and although recorder players might find they can whizz through the tunes very quickly, I do find that it takes this amount of time to start to establish a good embouchure, hand positions and posture. The ten week period can, of course, be extended for younger children or slower learners.

The fife recommended is a Yamaha fife. I have only used the notes that can be used with exactly the same fingerings on a flute.

I have found that all of the basic aspects of technique can be taught using the fife. Beginners make rapid progress because they are not hampered by the size or complexities of the flute. When the course has been successfully completed, transition to a full size flute is very simple and beginners have an enormous sense of achievement during their first 'proper flute' lesson when they discover how well they can play and how beautiful it sounds. By the end of the fife course beginners are more responsive to work on flute care, as they are less anxious just to play tunes - especially as they know they already can! Parents also welcome this method for financial reasons and when they discover their child is committed to the instrument, they are usually only too happy to provide a good instrument for lessons to continue.

I recommend that every lesson and every practice session should include work on the following :

• Embouchure formation
• Balancing of instrument and hand positions
• Breathing
• Tonguing
• Note reading
• Rhythmic work
• Music playing

Emphasis at this stage will be on embouchure formation and balancing the instrument.

Most teachers have their own methods and ideas about teaching technique, but in the next few pages I offer some ideas of my own for you to experiment with.

Liz Goodwin 1998