LFP 002 |Tips and Tricks

Podcast Transcript

Intro:  Hey!  It’s Rebecca back for episode 2 !

Music: radio station changing

Narrator:

“Here it is… The musical hobby and skill you’ve dreamed of acquiring.

Learning to play the flute will put you in a good mood for the rest of the day- because the flute is the most cool,- the most fun, – thee most beautiful of all instruments in the whole world.

We’re here to tell you – YOU CAN do it, and Rebecca will show you how. .. step-by-step all along the way.

She’s a curly-headed blonde with a talent for teaching.

Introducing the “Learn Flute Podcast” — take it away Rebecca!”

Welcome and what we will be learning/discussing:

Hi, my name is Rebecca Fuller and welcome to this episode of the Learn Flute Podcast!

Where I’m here to lead you and guide you through the ins-and-outs and various points of interest when learning to play the musical instrument “flute”.

Just a quick reminder here in case this is your first time tuning in:

This podcast is companion to my website where all of the visuals, articles and videos are on this URL:  LearnFluteOnline.com and that’s  LearnFluteOnline.com.  All one word.   When you’re finished listening here you’re ready to get going with my step-by-step tutorials and videos, you can do so for FREE by signing up with your name and email right there on the front page.

That will get you on a valuable email list where you will receive your registration information so you can get yourself a student username and password and begin today.

This podcast is supplemental to the information and lessons on that site.  

So, come back regularly – put this podcast in your feed on your phone or ipad or computer – or whatever it is that you listen on and join the flute fun!

I’ll try not to make the episodes too long – I know you’re all busy people with things to do and an instrument to practice and discover.

 Of course, you can always go into your podcast app or on itunes and find all of the episodes available and listen anytime at your convenience.

And, if you’d like to spread the love – tell your flute-learning friends about me and what I have to offer you.  This is a free resource as well as my awesome ongoing email series you can sign up for by hopping over to my website and getting your information in the box in the side bar.   You can also find out more of what I have put together for you by visiting the LearnFluteOnline.com site.  It would be fun to have you join our community there.

EXTENDED INTRO:

Speaking of the online community, I have inside the Learn Flute Online site.  I have to tell you of an experience I had a few days ago with one of the students in there who is really tearing it up and doing very well with the lessons I provide.

He’s been really dedicated to keeping himself on a practice schedule and I have to tell you that I’ve been extremely impressed with his progress.

I love the progress videos he uploads and leaves us all a link there in the lesson module comment boxes.  And, I have no doubt that all of the other students in the modules have been thrilled to see his videos and to watch his progress as well.

Well, anyway one particular experience from the other day is that he commented on something that he basically was saying was his “aha!” moment for the day – here it is- I’m going to read the comment to you: he says

“I go back and play each of the pieces we have learned so far, and when I get to this one, I find it much easier to play now. I practice on my current lesson, and then go over all the prior pieces, and what I find is that the current lessons have somehow helped improve the lessons we’ve had before.”

So, I’d like to say congratulations to this awesome student for coming to this awesome realization that is just so totally true… and it’s one of the main pillars I teach in music education.

You know, just like learning any language – music has the same principles..it’s not just enough to learn a new word every day.  You just can’t learn how to speak fluently unless all of the words are repeated many, many times and used in sentences and conversations.  

I especially know this is true since I’ve been aspired to take my husband on a surprise vacation in the future to the country of Portugal where he lived in his early twenties.  So, in preparation for this fun time, I’ve been attempting to take my knowledge of the Spanish language and transfer it to the European Portuguese language.

I have this app I’ve been using that shows me the differences between the Spanish language and the Portuguese language… and I’ve found that even though I totally understand what they are teaching me, I still have a hard time recalling the information when it’s time to read or speak it.

So, when I read this comment from this awesome online student – who by the way is well into his 60’s… I was reminded that we are human and part of being human is realizing that it’s not enough to just “understand” a set of instructions or small pile of information.  If we truly want to be able to USE the skill fluently- we have to put it in our path often and use all pieces and parts of it in new ways as often as possible.

My story:

I thought it would be fun in these first few episodes to make sure you get to hear my story and so to extend what I told you in the last episode where I talked about dusting off the magical feeling flute case I found in my grandpa’s old root cellar, I’d like to now give you more background of how I got to where I am today as a teacher… because it’s my story and I am imagining that some of you listening may have an interesting start to playing the flute as well.

Well… I had been playing the flute for several years very regularly when a gentleman who lived in my neck of the woods came to me with a proposition.  I lived in a very rural area where there were only corn and wheat fields between houses and this particular family lived down a lane about 5 fields away – that’s how country folk measure distance sometimes haha)

Well anyway, he asked me if I would do something for him for the summer.  Now, I was 15 years old by then and was excited at this proposition because it was to be a regular paying job.  He wanted me to tutor his son for the summer.  I already knew I was perfect for this job and totally dove right in.

Now, I need to give you a little background on this boy that I was teaching – he was what we call now “autistic”.  And his parents were so good to realize that he needed to continue to use, stretch, and grow his brain over the summer while school wasn’t in session.  So, they had a variety of subjects I was to work with him on…math, reading, spelling, and music.

I was organized and enthusiastic to say the least.  

I really did have a good time that summer teaching Christian – that was his name.  He was so polite and did really well with the schedule I set for him.  During the couple of hours I was there each day, I would explain my expectations for each lesson to him and then I would set the timer while we worked on it.

I noticed very quickly that every skill had to be broken into minute little steps so that he could grasp the concepts and be able to understand them.  It wasn’t enough to just tell him the answers and expect him to remember.

I always left their home with a “reverent” type feeling – I totally respected the way Christian’s brain worked and I totally was on a complete HIGH from each of our learning sessions.

This is really when I realized that I was a teacher.  I got it.  And I LOVED it.

I wanted more.  So, that’s when my teaching career began.

I haven’t looked back since.

I’m excited to give you more details of my story because I’m sure that understanding how I came to do what I do will help you in your journey as well.

APPLICATION of skill being talked about:

So, just as I talked about at the beginning of this episode where I shared the “AHA” moment of one of my recent online students… remember he was letting me know AND the others in the Learn Flute Online community that he was thoroughly enjoying his new understanding that he found much improvement in his playing when he always reviewed his past lessons.

Now, I want to point out that this is a life skill, and can be transferred to many and most subjects I’ve worked with and still work with many learners who struggle to realize that it’s easier than they even realize.

Following the simple steps I set for you in the lessons and then reviewing them on a consistent basis is a giant building block to your playing ability and to your happy success.

My lessons build on each other and so you’ll find yourself using skills that have been mastered just prior to needing them in a new way.  I’m a sneaky-smart teacher in this way.

I’ve learned so much over my last 26 years since the day I began teaching Christian.  My observations and experiences have only increased and expanded since then from working closely with so many learning types- ages, sizes, shapes,- you know, whomever I work with… I’ve learned one thing is common:

We ALL can do it.

It’s awesome!

Well.. in the next episode we will continue hearing more of my stories and discovering many important details and skills you need to explore in order to learn and become what you’re hoping to – especially in the satisfying world of music and flute playing.

So- If you have any questions -I have a transcript of everything you heard in the show notes at this URL:  LearnFluteOnline.com/002   – remember that although this is the Learn Flute Podcast, anything online will be found at: LearnFluteONLINE.com -then you can forward slash and place the episode number there.

I’m always open to hear what you think about this show.  I welcome your feedback.

This is Rebecca Fuller signing off for the day – let’s make it a trend… I’ll play you out.