Rubank flute books have been around for a long time, and many people still use them today. Whether you’re a new flute player or teacher, you should consider how these methods may help you.
Each book offers some unique features, pros, and cons. Before you decide if they’re right for you, consider what the books can offer. Then, you can be the best player and teacher possible.
Before we get into the review, this post contains affiliate links. Click here to read my full disclosure.
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Rubank Elementary Method
The Rubank Elementary Method is the first book in the series, and you can get the book for flute or piccolo. It takes you from the very beginning of learning music, so you don’t need to have played the flute or any other instrument.
Here’s what you can expect from the beginner flute book from Rubank.
Structure
As I mentioned, the book starts from the beginning. It teaches you some basic music theory concepts, such as note lengths, bars, and time signatures. You also get a fingering chart at the front of the book to teach you the right notes.
Each page is a new lesson and introduces a few new concepts each time. It can go a little fast for some people, but that speed can keep others from getting bored playing.
You can learn how to play duets, which is great if you use this book with a teacher. And there are a lot of short songs so that you can apply what you learn to more than basic exercises.
By the end of the book, you’ll be able to play pieces like America the Beautiful and Gluck’s Minuet from Orpheus. You can also go through the two examination lessons to show off what you’ve learned.
Unique Features
- An extensive fingering chart
- Tons of short exercises
- Reviews old concepts while also introducing new ones
- Short pieces sprinkled throughout
- Duos and trios
- Suitable for flute and piccolo
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to get a copy
- Easy to read
- Good for absolute beginners
- Part of a progressive series
Cons
- A little boring
- Moves faster than some books
- Somewhat outdated
Rubank Intermediate Method
The Rubank Intermediate Method starts where the elementary book left off. It has a review lesson at the beginning. So if you come from a different series, you can make sure you know all of the concepts necessary to use this book.
Here’s what the intermediate book includes.
Structure
Along with a review page, the book starts with a page on the principles of good playing. The page focuses on tone, intonation, and music theory. It also has the same fingering chart in the front of the book to help you learn and review notes.
This Rubank flute book then introduces expression, such as crescendos and decrescendos. You also start to work on technical exercises in different keys. And there are plenty of chances to play duets.
The book also introduces etudes, which can be a bit boring for some players. The etudes cover different topics, like major and minor keys, and various note values.
You get to learn about double and triple tonguing, which are crucial in some faster passages. Trills and grace notes also have full lessons dedicated to them, and the book has a trill fingering chart.
Unique Features
- Regular and trill fingering charts
- Short etudes in different keys
- Introduction of expression
- Lessons on trills and grace notes
- Works on flute and piccolo
- Explanation on good playing principles
Pros
- Affordable
- Contains a lot of explanations on concepts
- Trill fingering chart
- Great for self-teaching
- Review lesson at the beginning
Cons
- Requires some playing experience
- A little boring
Rubank Advanced Method
There are two Rubank flute books at the advanced level. The Advanced Methods cover the same concepts, but each book focuses on different keys. In the first volume, you can work on these keys:
- C major
- F major
- G major
- Bb major
- D major
- A minor
- D minor
- E minor
- G minor
- D minor
Keys in the second volume include:
- Eb major
- A major
- Ab major
- E major
- Db major
- B major
- C minor
- F# minor
- F minor
- C# minor
Here’s what you should know about these Rubank flute books.
Structure
Each book has the same fingering chart as the other books. There’s also an outline of the lessons in the book. Each lesson is part of a unit, and there are 36 units in each volume.
The units all contain exercises on scales and arpeggios, melodic interpretation, articulation, finger exercises, ornaments, and solos. You can mark off when you complete each unit, so you can stay on track with your flute studies.
If you work on the books during an academic year, you can use the semester tracker for your practice. As a teacher, you can use that page to help your students form a consistent practice routine.
You will need to flip back and forth through the book when studying a unit. However, the outline tells you which page and which exercise on that page you need to work on.
Unique Features
- Extensive fingering chart
- Outline for how to study the book
- Practice log
- Units focus on one or two keys
- Exercises cover scales, melodies, and more
- Introduction of longer solos
Pros
- Great for teachers
- Suitable for self-teaching
- Prepares you for almost anything you might play
- Affordable
- Covers multiple keys
- Well-organized
Cons
- Requires a lot of playing experience
- You need two books to learn everything
- Doesn’t work on the piccolo
Which Rubank Flute Book Will You Use?
The Rubank flute books all offer something unique at their respective levels. Each book is affordable, and they all follow a nice progression. You can use them to teach yourself the flute, but they also work with a flute teacher.
Need some fun flute music to supplement your Rubank books? Check out Flute Files for some digital downloads!
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