How to Play a Difficult Irish Flute Tune

Getting stuck on a difficult tune or even part of a tune can make even the most dedicated flute player want to abandon it in favor of an easier more enjoyable piece of music. However, with a few techniques and some serious practice, you should be able to play even the most problematic of tunes.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Start from the beginning of the tune and identify the phrase or phrases that you are having difficulty with and make a note of the location of your fingers and the exact note that you need to start on. This is sometimes difficult to find when you isolate a single phrase, so play it again until you have identified it.

2. Split the tune into segments which you can then further break down into the phrases you are having trouble with. Like learning any skill, it is always easier to manage and overcome problem areas when you split them into smaller areas, with less to learn and memorize at any one time.

3. Train your hands for the difficult sequences by repeating the hand motions repeatedly. Start slowly and focus only on the physical positioning of your hands until you have memorized the pattern.

4. Know exactly what the tune is supposed to sound like by either listening to a recording, live rendition or playing the tune again completely. When you have a clear idea of how your difficult phrase is supposed to sound, repeat the motion again, this time putting feeling into the melody and paying attention to the length and pitch of the notes.

5. Put the phrase back into the tune only when you are completely happy with your rendition and it "feels" right to you. Then, practice the transitions to and from this phrase so you will easily be able to blend it with the rest of the music.

6. Play the entire tune through together without thinking about the breaks, phrases and different transitions. Now practice the tune again and again in its complete form until it sounds like a single piece, paying special attention to the transitions between phrases.