Old Folkie: We were in the same situation when my daughter got her flute. She was eagerly waiting to start flute lessons at school in the September, but during the Spring, by sheer good luck, we happened to go into a music shop that was having a closing down sale, and saw a good, brand new flute at half price ! She had been watching the older flautists at school intently (she was 7 at the time), bought the book and accompanying practice tape that they used at school, and started working on it herself.

By the time September came, she was already quite a way into the book. I had been a bit concerned when we bought the flute, because I knew she wouldn't be able to wait to have a go with it, and I didn't want her to be discouraged - but it only took a few days to get the sound. What she did, I seem to remember, was detach the mouthpiece part and at first just kept blowing across that and moving it around until, by trial and error, she "got" the right positioning for a sound to come out. From then on, there was no stopping her: she passed Grade 8 just before she was 16.

It's a lovely instrument, and I'm sure Mrs.Old Folkie will have a great time. I'll tell my daughter about this thread, and see if she has any tips to add. (She's on here occasionally - I think she changed her name here to "sparkly sheep").

- jeanie