Music advice?

[JanetC]

DD 15 has taken flute since she was 10, but seems to be "burning out" on flute lessons.

She is still very musical, it's just that her activities -- mixing music on audacity, arranging songs on muse score, singing, etc. -- are not focused around flute technique.  So, I'm thinking about what sort of music she might do instead that would be more suited to her current interests.

 

I'm imagining something like keyboard lessons would work, assuming we can figure out how to transfer files between the computer and the keyboard. (We don't own a keyboard, I'm just thinking it would work for composing and arranging songs better than the flute.)

 

I don't think I want a piano teacher who things that keyboards are an OK place for a beginner to start before getting a "real" piano, more like someone who plays both on an instrument as well as with software. But, is there a name for that sort of lessons or teacher?

 

Any ideas/suggestions for me?

 

Thanks!

[brehon]

I don't have any specific suggestions, except to suggest that if you live near a university with a college or school of music, you might consider calling and talking to a composing professor.  That person may have some suggestions or names of grad students or others who can help you. 

 

I'm unclear from your post if your daughter also plays the piano/keyboard well; but, composers/arrangers tend to be good pianists/keyboardists, too, at least the ones I know.  It makes everything much easier even in this age of electronic or computer based composing, etc.   Also, I find music theory easier to understand when learned in conjunction with piano/keyboard as it's easier (for me, at least) to teach/understand harmonic progression, etc this way.

 

(edited for clarity)

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Maybe it's not an instrument change that's needed, but a broadening within the current instrument.  There's jazz flute, there's contrabass flute, there's medieval and period instruments (and ensembles). etc.   Branching out into theory and/or composition might be interesting, or mixed media, like Animusic.

 

What are the current interests that you mentioned?

[JanetC]

@brehon -- the fact that keyboards are better for composing and arranging is why she was thinking of doing that as a second instrument.  She does not currently own a keyboard, but she can find her way around someone else's piano very well since she has an interest in music theory and composing.  I suspect she'll pick up the basics quickly, but whether her technique would allow her to compose directly quickly I'm less sure of.

 

@ThatHomeschoolDad -- her current musical interests are what I said above: Muse score (composing, arranging), audacity (her own tracks and commercial music), singing (she tries, but could benefit from a voice teacher).  The flute comes out when I make her practice or when she wants to arrange duets with her sister.  (She used to practice her flute for an hour a day, no asking required.)

 

 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

Yeah, I did miss that in the op. Have you considered a community or independent chorus? Around here, they range from low key to audition-only, and the experience has been great in improving DD's abilities in theory, sight reading, etc,The crossover is a good fit for wind players.