Hi, I have an seven year old lad coming on nicely with the whistle but what he really wants to play someday is the Flute. I'm wondering if getting him a Piccolo would help with the transition from whistle to Flute when the time comes. I'm looking for opinions on whether this is a good idea or not.
hmmmmm. the finger stretch is much less, but you need a very tight embouchure to play piccolo. a flute is much easier in that respect. perhaps start him on a concert flute? the keys on the silver flutes help reduce the span of the holes considerably
A fife might be a good transitional instrument between whistle and flute, the B flat ones have a slightly bigger finger spread than a whistle, would give him a taste of what he would be getting into, and let him start getting a feel for the transverse instrument. And the advantage of fifes is that they are widely available and relatively cheap.
You need to be a very good flute player to be an average piccolo player. I'd forget that, and instead heed the good advice of rob_handel and AlBrown- that is, fife or silver flute.
Boehm flutes can be rented with a curved headjoint so the smallest kids can play comfortably.
All good advice. Do piccolo players usually start on flute?
I wonder if he could at least try a piccolo.
If he has a good finger spread how about a mezzo flute? (G or A)
I think either of these are good for traditional music.
There is nothing wrong with a Bb. I play G & A alot in sessions.
Good to hear a seven year old enjoys flute music!
The whistle is a great instrument. It has possibilities to explore that can last a lifetime, let alone the four years before your 7 year old is big enough for the concert flute. I wouldn't personally start him on a boehm flute if what he really wants to play is a simple system
flute... he'd have to re-learn years of tunes with new fingering when he changed over. Nah... he should stick to the whistle for the moment. It's a really good instrument and not just a stepping stone to the flute. OK.... maybe the fife is a good idea too as AlBrown says... I never tried to play one.
I agree with de Selby. Whistle is the way to go for now. Long, long ago in a faraway place, before our enlightened age, I played a variety of fipple instruments that gave me the ear and aptitude for music I have today (this is not necessarily a boast, btw). When I started on flute in high school, I was more than prepared by the background I had with rough equivalents of a whistle.
i suggest you talk to a profesional flute maker or teacher who can advice you about flute size and maybe suggest another maker who makes flutes with a shorter set of holes.
a piccalo is basicly the same as a whistle exept for the breathing method. i myself would to straight for the full flute and let him get used to it now instead of trying to adapt later. in the end it'll the same result. there are 7 year olds about playing the wooden flute im sure.
i dont recommend the steel flute. as far as i know its a diffrent fingering pattern and thats a whole new kettle of fish that'll have to be adapted from later. but again, a flute maker or teacher can give that advice better than i can.
Excellent advice all around. I think your son will play whistle for many years. When he is ready to play a transverse flute it would be good to have familiar fingering. Open holed without keys.
I suspect young whistle players do transition to a Bb fife.
The earlier you develop an embouchure the better.
I have heard that very young whistle players start on the Eb pennywhistle. It is slightly smaller than a D. You could get an Eb whistle & a Bb fife. The keys are fairly compatible. He could learn something on the fife & you could back him on the Eb. Just a wild thought. But seriously any smaller fife is a good idea.
And any of you older children who play flute but have not played a fife. My plug is for the G or A. They are very fun.
do NOT start him on a piccolo. embouchure-wise a piccolo is much more difficult than a flute, and it might lead him to frustration (and not liking the instrument!)
A piccolo is NOT the same as the flute (except for the fingering mostly) The lip position, at least in my case, is much different, and certainly varies greatly from instrument to instrument.
I would recommend a cheap starter flute that sounds nice but isn't too much of a blow monetarily, in case he doesn't really like it. Perhaps a Casey Burns folk flute.
Just to join in with everyone else, pretty much - most "transitional" things will bring extra complications and extra things to unlearn. The whistle itself is capable of noble music; staying with it for a while will not hold back his musical development. And I've seen plenty of kids of 10, 12 or so whose fingers are long enough for the keyless D flute. At age 7 that might seem like forever to wait, but *we* know it's not that long. How big is he for his age?
Many thanks to you all for the suggestions. Point taken about the Piccolo not being such a good idea. Might try him with a Bb Fife though, as someone suggested.
Wasn't suggesting for one moment that the whistle isn't a fine instrument in it's own right of course. But once you've fallen in love with a sound... then nothing else will do will it.
He's a big lad for his age and it won't be much longer before he can manage a Flute I expect.
My son took up the flute last year at age 12 after 4 or 5 years on the whistle. He had been regularly measuring his finger span on my flute and trying to play it for the past few years, and had now grown enough to start the flute himself. The big advantage was he had built up a repertoire of tunes and knowledge of ornamentation on the whistle, so he only had to concentrate on the technique of playing the flute. He has made very good progress in only 9 months. So don't look on the time on the whistle as wasted - tell your son that the skills and knowledge gained there will transfer to the flute.
I waited till I was 19 before I played flute for fear of getting beaten up in the public school... Hopefully things have changed by now.. You can buy a used flute for cheap on e-bay it my have to be repadded..
Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
Hi, I have an seven year old lad coming on nicely with the whistle but what he really wants to play someday is the Flute. I'm wondering if getting him a Piccolo would help with the transition from whistle to Flute when the time comes. I'm looking for opinions on whether this is a good idea or not.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by Gary Matthewson
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
hmmmmm. the finger stretch is much less, but you need a very tight embouchure to play piccolo. a flute is much easier in that respect. perhaps start him on a concert flute? the keys on the silver flutes help reduce the span of the holes considerably
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by rob_handel
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
A fife might be a good transitional instrument between whistle and flute, the B flat ones have a slightly bigger finger spread than a whistle, would give him a taste of what he would be getting into, and let him start getting a feel for the transverse instrument. And the advantage of fifes is that they are widely available and relatively cheap.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by AlBrown
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
You need to be a very good flute player to be an average piccolo player. I'd forget that, and instead heed the good advice of rob_handel and AlBrown- that is, fife or silver flute.
Boehm flutes can be rented with a curved headjoint so the smallest kids can play comfortably.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
All good advice. Do piccolo players usually start on flute?
I wonder if he could at least try a piccolo.
If he has a good finger spread how about a mezzo flute? (G or A)
I think either of these are good for traditional music.
There is nothing wrong with a Bb. I play G & A alot in sessions.
Good to hear a seven year old enjoys flute music!
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
The whistle is a great instrument. It has possibilities to explore that can last a lifetime, let alone the four years before your 7 year old is big enough for the concert flute. I wouldn't personally start him on a boehm flute if what he really wants to play is a simple system
flute... he'd have to re-learn years of tunes with new fingering when he changed over. Nah... he should stick to the whistle for the moment. It's a really good instrument and not just a stepping stone to the flute. OK.... maybe the fife is a good idea too as AlBrown says... I never tried to play one.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by de Selby
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
I agree with de Selby. Whistle is the way to go for now. Long, long ago in a faraway place, before our enlightened age, I played a variety of fipple instruments that gave me the ear and aptitude for music I have today (this is not necessarily a boast, btw). When I started on flute in high school, I was more than prepared by the background I had with rough equivalents of a whistle.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by Ailin
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
i suggest you talk to a profesional flute maker or teacher who can advice you about flute size and maybe suggest another maker who makes flutes with a shorter set of holes.
a piccalo is basicly the same as a whistle exept for the breathing method. i myself would to straight for the full flute and let him get used to it now instead of trying to adapt later. in the end it'll the same result. there are 7 year olds about playing the wooden flute im sure.
i dont recommend the steel flute. as far as i know its a diffrent fingering pattern and thats a whole new kettle of fish that'll have to be adapted from later. but again, a flute maker or teacher can give that advice better than i can.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by Kevo32A
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
Excellent advice all around. I think your son will play whistle for many years. When he is ready to play a transverse flute it would be good to have familiar fingering. Open holed without keys.
I suspect young whistle players do transition to a Bb fife.
The earlier you develop an embouchure the better.
I have heard that very young whistle players start on the Eb pennywhistle. It is slightly smaller than a D. You could get an Eb whistle & a Bb fife. The keys are fairly compatible. He could learn something on the fife & you could back him on the Eb. Just a wild thought. But seriously any smaller fife is a good idea.
And any of you older children who play flute but have not played a fife. My plug is for the G or A. They are very fun.
# Posted on May 16th 2007 by Random_notes
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
do NOT start him on a piccolo. embouchure-wise a piccolo is much more difficult than a flute, and it might lead him to frustration (and not liking the instrument!)
A piccolo is NOT the same as the flute (except for the fingering mostly) The lip position, at least in my case, is much different, and certainly varies greatly from instrument to instrument.
I would recommend a cheap starter flute that sounds nice but isn't too much of a blow monetarily, in case he doesn't really like it. Perhaps a Casey Burns folk flute.
# Posted on May 17th 2007 by Kriana
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
Just to join in with everyone else, pretty much - most "transitional" things will bring extra complications and extra things to unlearn. The whistle itself is capable of noble music; staying with it for a while will not hold back his musical development. And I've seen plenty of kids of 10, 12 or so whose fingers are long enough for the keyless D flute. At age 7 that might seem like forever to wait, but *we* know it's not that long. How big is he for his age?
# Posted on May 17th 2007 by Lingpupa
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
Many thanks to you all for the suggestions. Point taken about the Piccolo not being such a good idea. Might try him with a Bb Fife though, as someone suggested.
Wasn't suggesting for one moment that the whistle isn't a fine instrument in it's own right of course. But once you've fallen in love with a sound... then nothing else will do will it.
He's a big lad for his age and it won't be much longer before he can manage a Flute I expect.
# Posted on May 17th 2007 by Gary Matthewson
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
My son took up the flute last year at age 12 after 4 or 5 years on the whistle. He had been regularly measuring his finger span on my flute and trying to play it for the past few years, and had now grown enough to start the flute himself. The big advantage was he had built up a repertoire of tunes and knowledge of ornamentation on the whistle, so he only had to concentrate on the technique of playing the flute. He has made very good progress in only 9 months. So don't look on the time on the whistle as wasted - tell your son that the skills and knowledge gained there will transfer to the flute.
# Posted on May 17th 2007 by southsider
Re: Whistle to Piccolo to Flute
I waited till I was 19 before I played flute for fear of getting beaten up in the public school... Hopefully things have changed by now.. You can buy a used flute for cheap on e-bay it my have to be repadded..
# Posted on May 18th 2007 by lamh trom