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Updated in [October 16th, 2023]

What does this course tell?
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This free online Irish flute course is designed to help beginners develop the skills needed to play one of Irish music’s most sought-after instruments. Considered slightly challenging to learn, the flute certainly rewards the student’s efforts. Once you have mastered the basic techniques, a world of opportunity quickly opens and endless hours of enjoyment await, whether you are interested in playing uplifting Irish dancing music, haunting laments or both. This virtuoso instrument can bring a hush over a room or add to the excitement of a fast-paced seisiún. In this course, former all-Ireland champion Brian O'Loughlin introduces the instrument in a series of short, easy-to-follow videos. These self-paced lessons allow you to stop and practise a step or rewind and watch a lesson again until you are happy to move on. Before you know it, you will be playing along with Brian.
The course begins with lessons devoted to the instrument itself, from putting it together correctly to holding it and most importantly, how to blow into the mouthpiece, developing the correct embouchure for a good, clear tone. Brian then moves on to the notes played with each hand, along with the scale of D, followed by a lesson focusing on playing the notes in the higher octave. The final component for becoming a competent flute player is controlling your breath by breathing from the diaphragm. Having laid the foundations and taught the correct technique for each aspect of playing, Brian begins to build on them, starting with the nursery rhyme, ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’. He teaches it in the key of G first, which involves playing with just the left or upper hand and then in the key of D, to help you get to grips with using both hands. The next tune ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ is slightly more challenging and is useful for practising the key of D. The final tune of the course is another familiar song, ‘Yankee Doodle’ which adds further items to your armory. The notes for each tune are included in a downloadable PDF in the resources section of the course.
For anyone interested in learning to play traditional Irish music, this free online flute guide will help you develop good technique and habits from the start. Your tutor, Brian O'Loughlin is a former all-Ireland champion flute player who has recorded and toured, both as a member of some of Ireland’s top ceili bands and in a trio with uillean pipes player Tom Delany and guitarist Dessie Kelliher. He is also active in the many seisiúns in his home county of Clare, one of the most vibrant parts of Ireland when it comes to Traditional Irish music. Brian also teaches the other courses in this series, Traditional Irish Flute, Beginner 2 and Traditional Irish Flute, Intermediate as well as our three tin whistle courses. If you would like to be able to play Irish tunes in the authentic style that has been handed down through the generations, this series of flute courses provides the ideal starting point. Brian will guide you through the process from being a complete beginner to performing the 'rolls' and 'cuts' that ornament traditional music in the Intermediate course. You can also gain certification through passing our interactive, end-of-course assessment. Begin the course and with practice, you will soon find the flute is not as challenging as you thought!


We considered the value of this course from many aspects, and finally summarized it for you from two aspects: skills and knowledge, and the people who benefit from it:
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What skills and knowledge will you acquire during this course?
During this course, learners will acquire the following skills and knowledge:
1. Proper assembly and handling of the Irish flute, including correct embouchure for clear tone production.
2. Playing the notes with each hand and learning the scale of D.
3. Playing notes in the higher octave.
4. Breath control and diaphragmatic breathing techniques.
5. Building on the foundational techniques by learning nursery rhymes and familiar songs in the keys of G and D.
6. Developing good technique and habits for playing traditional Irish music.
7. Understanding the authentic style and ornamentation techniques, such as rolls and cuts, in intermediate levels.
8. Certification through an interactive, end-of-course assessment.
By the end of the course, learners will have the skills and knowledge necessary to play traditional Irish tunes on the flute and perform with confidence.
Who will benefit from this course?
This course will benefit beginners who are interested in learning to play the traditional Irish flute. It is designed to help develop the skills needed to play this sought-after instrument. The course is self-paced and includes easy-to-follow videos, allowing students to stop and practice or rewind and rewatch lessons as needed.
The course starts with lessons on the instrument itself, including how to put it together correctly, hold it, and blow into the mouthpiece to produce a clear tone. It then progresses to teaching the notes played with each hand, the scale of D, and playing in the higher octave. The course also covers breath control by breathing from the diaphragm.
The instructor, Brian O'Loughlin, is a former all-Ireland champion flute player with extensive experience in recording, touring, and performing in traditional Irish music. He is also active in seisiúns in County Clare, known for its vibrant traditional music scene.
This course is ideal for anyone interested in learning to play traditional Irish music and provides a solid foundation in technique and habits. It is the first in a series of flute courses taught by Brian O'Loughlin, with subsequent courses covering intermediate skills and ornamentation. Students can also gain certification through an interactive end-of-course assessment.

Course Syllabus

Techniques and Tunes

Course assessment