In Flute Q&A #36, the question comes from Gail, who asks:

"Jane - I am so very interested in learning the flute - I am a beginner - when should I attempt to join the academy - I have a flute - I have a key scale map. Should I just try and play for a while before joining your academy?"

It's a great question, because actually The Flute Academy is not for total beginners!

Have a listen to the answer to find out what sort of level you should be before deciding to join the academy with me.

Can a beginner join The Flute Academy?

To grab an easy-to-read flute fingering chart like Gail is using, print this one out for free and to find out more about The Flute Academy, just go here

Feel free to ask your flute question for an upcoming Flute Q&A by clicking here

When should a beginner join The Flute Academy?

Hi there. Welcome to flute Q and A Number 36. This question comes from Gail. He or she says, Jane, I am so very interested in learning the flute. I'm a beginner. When should I attempt to join the Flute Academy? I have a flute, I have a key scale map. Should I just try and play for a while before joining your academy?

Self taught flute player

So that's a good question, Gail. And this video is actually gonna answer a question from Brian as well. And he says, Is the Flute Academy worthwhile for a strict beginner? So it's basically the same question, so I thought it answered them both in the same video.

Flute fingering chart

Now, firstly,  Gail said that he, she has a key scale map. What that is, is a flute fingering chart. If you don't have a fingering chart of all the notes on the flute and which fingers to use, I'm gonna put a link for you below this and you can go and print out this really easy to read fingering chart. So you can have that one, if you don't have it already and you need one.

Flute Academy is not suited for absolute beginners

Now, your question, Gail. Should a beginner join the Flute Academy? Firstly, if you're thinking, what's the Flute Academy? I've put a link for you below and you can find out more if you'd like to join. Now, beginner, strict beginners, to use Brian's terminology. Strict beginners, I tend to say absolute beginners. It's not the right thing for an absolute beginner.

Know basic fingering on the flute

Gail, you have a flute, that is excellent. Before you join the Flute Academy, I would recommend that you play for a while, like you said. Now, when you get to the point of being able to play most notes on the flute, when I say most notes, I don't mean the high notes. I just mean generally from maybe low D all the way up to about G. So approximately that range. So all these notes not this fast.

Able to play a few scales and songs on the flute

So if you can play all those notes, obviously slower than that, you're about the right level for the Flute Academy. Another prerequisite that I recommend for people is that you can play a couple of scales and a couple of melodies.

Beginner level to join The Flute Academy

So for example, a one octave scale like F Major and back down. And of course, it can be slower than that. So if you can play a couple of scales, a couple of melodies, either using music or for memory, and you can play most notes that in the range of what I said there, that is the appropriate level, bottom level to join the Flute Academy.

Flute Academy sets you up with proper flute technique

The Flute Academy is good for more advanced beginners like that, like I just described, because it sets you up with proper technique. One step at a time through the Flute Academy so that you learn with proper technique and it makes playing much easier and you sound a lot better.

Fix flute technique

Now, if you are a more intermediate or advanced flute player, what the Flute Academy does is fix your technique. So it teaches you the way you should have been taught to start with. Maybe you were taught with accurate technique to start with.

Correcting flute technique

But I find that nearly everybody, especially if they were self-taught, not even especially I would say definitely if they were self-taught and even when they've had a teacher in the past. Unless you've learned from a really, really, really good teacher, not all teachers know everything. So you are gonna have holes in your playing.

Transform flute playing

So what the Flute Academy does is plug those holes, it teaches you how to fix your technique, and you'll see that your flute playing literally transforms <laugh>, which is why a course in the Flute Academy is called - hang on, can't multitask, the 45-day flute transformation. 

The 45 Day Transformation course transforms your flute playing

That is a course inside the Flute Academy, and it literally transforms your flute playing one tiny step at a time with proper technique. So come and have a look if you'd like to join. Brian and Gail, I hope that answers your question.

Hold off before joining until you know basic flute

Hold off if you're a total beginner or you don't have a flute. Firstly, get yourself a flute, which you've done Gail and then make sure that you can play most notes, a couple of melodies and a few scales, a couple of scales, and then you'll be the right level to be able to go into the Flute Academy. 

Progress on the flute through proper technique

You know what I didn't say is my name. My name is Jane Cavanagh. You probably guessed I'm Australian. You also probably guessed I'm a flute teacher and I love teaching people proper technique. That's why the Flute Academy is based around proper technique. Proper technique, which gets you instant progress, faster progress, instant progress, instant changes to your flute playing.

Free flute fingering chart 

So I'd love to see there, download your free flute fingering chart if you would like to know exactly the notes or I should say the exact fingerings for the notes. And of course, there's a whole lot more to playing the flute than just learning the right fingering, which is why the Flute Academy exists. See you later.