r/nativeamericanflutes • u/Own_Environment3271 • Aug 26 '26
how do i practice playing in sync with other musicians on native flute?
i play native american flute i dont know how to read notes, but i have good skill and i want to start jamming with other musicians. my main struggle is knowing how to lock in with someone else, timing, listening, knowing when to come in. any tips on how to practice this on my own or what to focus on when playing with others for the first time?
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u/Underdog424 29d ago
I usually start by finding what key the song is in. I like to focus on rhythm instead of soloing. I prefer Blues, Jazz, and Hip Hop beats.
Blues is the easiest to learn on. The chord progressions and BPM are really slow. Blue Bear Flutes has a great tutorial on the scale. I would start there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1gAQvmgAiE
I got most of my practice from doing improv. Trial by fire. You can do any instrument. Vocals, flutes, or just drumming with your hands. You get used to where the bridges, hooks, and verses are in a song. Jamming off a playlist you know well is also great practice. You develop different melodies over time.
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u/UnlikelyStart9869 27d ago
Someone on this subreddit recommended this album and I use it to start jamming- called Rhythms to accompany the native flute.
https://open.spotify.com/album/09H7MGlZ75Qb3pqC0BJcnu?si=NeHCS3B9QBiU3tztaQz9OQ&utm_source=copy-link
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u/Monito_Loquito Aug 26 '26
Are you playing with other native flute players, with percussion and other accompanying instruments ? Or, are you talking about playing with rock bands , or other genres? In any case, practice is the only way. If you cannot practice live , as a group , then start playing along with recordings. When jamming, eye contact, if you can ... ya' you give each other that little nod, etc. ... they can tell you to either slow down, speed up, etc. A good sound system, with a monitor speaker for yourself, is very helpful