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Playing Through the Noise
I picked up my first flute with great excitement just knowing that there was much beautiful music to be had in playing one. Even though I have no musical training, and can’t read music I was sure I could do this. You might call it one of those intuitive leaps of faith. I just knew I could play it.
Until I blew it the first time. Well the sound wasn’t quite so pleasant as I had intended it to be. I was getting some squealing and some over blowing (the sound comes out an octave higher than the natural sound of the flute). My fingers were objecting to the fingering and needed a little practice to get into a rhythm. The inner critic was having a field day just telling me to stop already… you’ll never get it right and a host of other crazy making statements determined to have me stop playing.
This time, my desire to play the flute was stronger than the usual critical commentary from Negative Nelly (the name I have fondly given my inner critic.) It wasn’t long before I began to get past her noise and my first noisy stumblings in playing the flute and was making beautiful sounds.
What I discovered in learning to make music with my flute is the sheer joy of connecting to the flow of sounds that come from just letting your fingers wander on the flute.
After a few tentative attempts at making my flute sound, ‘negative nelly’ became quieter and the noise of the flute began to breakthrough into melodious musical sounds. I was thrilled. I was playing music.
I share this story with you to encourage you to silence your own inner critic and just play.
If you have not already begun to play your flute, find a peaceful place to sit and take your flute with you.Sometimes it helps to just close your eyes and let your fingers wander. The statement ‘the longest journey begins with the first step ’applies to playing your flute as well. The road to the melody , the sound or the song begins with taking those first experimental fingerings.
While my favorite way of playing is to simply let my imagination and my intuition guide my fingers around the flute, I soon discovered ways to embrace the music of others and began to play familiar melodies on my flute. I am stilling making ‘Noise” when I play and now I find it fun to try new things and make new sounds with the flute. In playing through the noise I have discovered an inner musician who is delighted to be set free. In silencing that inner critic, I have found a new way to be in touch with my heart and soul.
Terry Mack, Owner of Peaceful Spirit Flutes
Sound explorer with Native American Flutes
Until I blew it the first time. Well the sound wasn’t quite so pleasant as I had intended it to be. I was getting some squealing and some over blowing (the sound comes out an octave higher than the natural sound of the flute). My fingers were objecting to the fingering and needed a little practice to get into a rhythm. The inner critic was having a field day just telling me to stop already… you’ll never get it right and a host of other crazy making statements determined to have me stop playing.
This time, my desire to play the flute was stronger than the usual critical commentary from Negative Nelly (the name I have fondly given my inner critic.) It wasn’t long before I began to get past her noise and my first noisy stumblings in playing the flute and was making beautiful sounds.
What I discovered in learning to make music with my flute is the sheer joy of connecting to the flow of sounds that come from just letting your fingers wander on the flute.
After a few tentative attempts at making my flute sound, ‘negative nelly’ became quieter and the noise of the flute began to breakthrough into melodious musical sounds. I was thrilled. I was playing music.
I share this story with you to encourage you to silence your own inner critic and just play.
If you have not already begun to play your flute, find a peaceful place to sit and take your flute with you.Sometimes it helps to just close your eyes and let your fingers wander. The statement ‘the longest journey begins with the first step ’applies to playing your flute as well. The road to the melody , the sound or the song begins with taking those first experimental fingerings.
While my favorite way of playing is to simply let my imagination and my intuition guide my fingers around the flute, I soon discovered ways to embrace the music of others and began to play familiar melodies on my flute. I am stilling making ‘Noise” when I play and now I find it fun to try new things and make new sounds with the flute. In playing through the noise I have discovered an inner musician who is delighted to be set free. In silencing that inner critic, I have found a new way to be in touch with my heart and soul.
Terry Mack, Owner of Peaceful Spirit Flutes
Sound explorer with Native American Flutes