Ami Sarasvati
About
Native American Style Flute Teacher *2020-2024* Teacher of the Year for Native American Style Flute*
About the Native American Style Flute Instruction
If you have ever wanted to learn an instrument but never found the time…
If you have owned a Native American style flute but haven’t played it yet…
If you think that you are not musical and have no musical ability…
You are in for a healing journey with an instrument that is easy to learn to play and soothes the soul.
It is never too late to learn to play an instrument! The Native American style flute (NAF) is a great choice because it is relatively easy to learn to play. With group class options and private lessons, I hope I have an offering that fits your interests and schedule. I look forward to teaching you how to play this wonderful instrument!
Many of my beginner NAF students have never played an instrument. That speaks volumes about the ease of learning to play the flute at any time of life. Don't be discouraged if you have not been successful in learning to play another instrument. The NAFs an easy instrument to begin playing at any age.
My musical career started as soon as I was big enough to crawl onto the piano bench. From the time I was 6 until I was 21 years old, I took piano lessons. They have served me well as a foundation for becoming a music educator. But even though I had musical training, I was glued to the piece of paper on the stand. There was anxiety around playing, performing, and being judged. It was not the relaxing and freeing experience I yearned for in my musical life.
Many years later, a friend introduced me to a Native American style flute. I didn’t have a lot of time to learn a new instrument as my family's demands were very real, but this was a primitive instrument after all. I had been in love with the sound of beautiful Native American style flute music for some time and decided to do something healing for myself and learn to play this intriguing instrument.
In 2015, I enrolled in the Music for Healing and Transition Program (mhtp.org). Over the next two years, everything changed for me as a flute player, a musician in general, and even as a person. I became a Certified Music Practitioner (CMP) in 2016. Playing the Native American style flute, now skilled at using music to address a variety of patient conditions in clinical settings, mostly in a hospital gave me a deeper appreciation for the sound and potential healing ability of the flute. This changed my identity and focus in my musical career. I learned to be in service to those I played for. In numerous encounters, I witnessed how the NAF was a profound and powerful healing tool.
If you have heard the call of the flute, respond from your heart with a resounding YES!
Group Class Reviews
Excellent. I learnt a great deal, now to put it into practice!
Lovely introduction to Tai Chi Chih, Ami. It was just what I needed today! Thank you!
Interesting concept, well delivered.
Excellent! Ami packed a lot in a short class and was generous with follow up resources.
Great. Very informative.
Enjoyed learning about this method to stay motivated, focused, and organized in my practice.
This class was what I was looking for all this time.
Great instructor.
I enjoyed the course very much.
Well presented, moved on quickly through the exercises, lovely to hear Amy playing so we know what we’re aiming to achieve.
Thank you for a lovely Flute playing experience.
This was a great motivator and unique learning experience. I have long wanted to make little videos to simplify and enhance various aspects of teaching. Now I will follow through with their creation and they will become part of the course. Thank you Ami!
Lesson 2 (of 4) - Excellent!
I am starting to feel more confident playing my flute, following along with Ami's relaxed teaching style.
Thank you!
It was clear and to the point. I didn't attend it again due to mixup of time zone, but watching it was almost as good as being there.
I always learn more and more from Ami’s classes!! This really took me leaps and bounds and has made me a much more confident flute player- this coming from a reserved, shy person. Couldn’t recommend her enough! I love taking lessons from Ami! Best decision I’ve made on my flute journey! She’s very knowledgeable, patient and eager to help in anyway she can!
I took a few classes with Ami and I am so happy. I am an absolute beginner and Ami gave many tips and raised my confidence.
I loved all the classes and the Improvisation Formula was my favorite.
It enhanced my playing so quickky. Greatful.
Ami is a great teacher and knows how to explain the class in a meaningful way >I am just not up to speed and understanding of the material plus I have major deficits with the internet and howto do basic jobs. Ami was just wonderful in trying to help me out with the lesson ,but I feeel I do not have the basic understanding of music and the Net so it remains a deficit for me. Ami is the kindest and most understanding ,patient teacher I have ever had. jerry Okeefe
This class taught me so much!! And has really helped me progress further with my flute playing and creating improv! Looking forward to my next class with Ami! She’s very easy to understand, patient and makes the class fun!
I learned so much from AMI, she is a wondefrul teacher
It was inspiring. In just a few minutes Ami explained the concept of segmenting your practice so it's not overwhelming.
It was a very great learning experience. I loved all the basics that Ami taught but I don't know if I would have time to fill out the entire Journal on a daily basis her basics guided me to a new way to practice and will help me tremendously with my Practice time I am also learning Recorder and she makes it very easy to plan Practice time for both instruments I highly recommend this video to anyone looking to enhance their practice time and in turn will help you be a better musician.
Just great learned so much about scales
Great class .!!I learned so much and never realized how many beautiful scales that Ami taught us today. It was a pleasure
Just great . learned so much. AMI is a wonderful Teacher
At the end of every class with Ami I announce "This is my favorite"...and I say that once again. This class provided many tools for improvising using three simple Modes !!!! Ami teaches and then gives you a carefully mapped out plan for moving forward. Feeling so grateful for Ami. Thank you Lessonface !
Ami Saraswati is an accomplished teacher. She is the best NAF teacher I have experienced. Ami is very thorough in her approach. Everything has been thought through and explained in great details in her book. I am so glad I got to learn from her. Thank you so much for all the help and support you have provided.
Although I missed the 1st class in person ,learning how to use Lesson face with AMI was great. I learned in the theory,from Ami ,she cleared up so many problems I had with the theory. I just can't wait till next week for the next class.She is one great teacher jerry Okeefe
Wow what an amazing teacher Ami Saraswati is. Thoroughly enjoyed the class. Thank you so much Ami. Truly grateful for your teachings.
I had purchased a flute with the intention to self-teach through experimentation. Shortly after, my husband signed me up for this course as a Christmas present and I'm so glad he did! The Learn to Play NAF Introductory course was very helpful and I probably would have gotten frustrated with the flute and never picked it up again had it not been for this course. Playing the NAF is much more comfortable and enjoyable with the techniques I've learned! Thank you, Ami!
Very supportive and professionally facilitated. I enjoyed taking part and enjoying what others had to share.
Ami is a wonderful instructor. The class was a lot of fun. Looking forward to the next one
Playing in front of other people in the class gave me a lot of confidence as a beginner
Thanks Ami
The class was wonderful. Ami did a beautiful job of facilitating the other musicians and was very encouraging. I don't have a NAF at this time, but I really enjoyed being a part of the audience and hope to invest in one soon so I can learn too.
This class was much more than I expected. I have struggled with being able to focus and put my music goals in the priority they deserve. The organization skills that Ami serves up in this series is exactly what I need to stay motivated with my music goals. Ami had touched on this subject a bit in another class so I hesitated to join this one thinking there wouldn't be more information to help me along my journey. I was so wrong. I'm truly thankful that I signed up and look forward to seeing what these tools are going to bring to my musical journey. The best way to describe this class is it showed me tools I never dreamed I needed. Gift this class to yourself. You will not be disappointed. Cheers!....and happy musical journey to you !!!
Very knowledgeable and easy to understand. Confirmed some things I had been thinking about re another class I took on the Native American flute from another instructor. Easy pace. Good overview.
Excellent class which helped solidify the foundation to playing the flute and enjoying it more.
Very good. Ami covered the topic in a clear, organized manner. It gave me a lot to work on the next few weeks and I'll probably use the method the rest of my life.
Amazing! I have an overflowing toolbox going forward! Amy has perfected the art of the step by step progression of mastering the Native American style flute. We are so blessed to have her! Can't wait for the next session ! Thankyou !!!
This course with Ami gave us, not only a toolbox for organizing our music practice, but a complete and clear method to achieve our individual goals. This course left me feeling empowered and excited to move forward. Ami has amazing teaching skills. Every part of her plan builds on the previous one. I look forward to continuing with her structured plan. It's exciting to know you are in such capable hands. Cheers & gratitude to Ami !!!
So happy that I took Amy's beginners NAF class. The first lesson made it worth my while and the rest were gravy. I successfully close the finger holes and no longer squeak or whistle my way when playing. Signed up for intermediate lessons. Thanks, Amy for your kind and thorough approach.
This course was more than I expected. I don't consider myself to be that musical, but having picked up the Native American Flute in my 50s and found Ami as my instructor, I was curious about this other course she offered. The insightful part for me was that Ami combines her musical expertise and her experience and training in guided journaling to help uncover some things that can keep us from a full expression of our musical selves. An ah-ha for me came when I realized an early memory of my own was playing the piano by ear as a kid. It was fun for me and I was uninhibited…until an older neighbor boy made a comment to my parents that I was "entertaining the neighborhood." Our piano lived in the garage, my own little amphitheater. Once I realized that, my shy introverted self all but stopped playing. I'd never have thought of that as a possible influence when I picked up a flute 40 years later, enchanted by its soulful tones and connection to my home in the Southwest. But then I couldn't look past a pattern I'd missed, realizing that I was only practicing my flute in those stolen moments when even my very supportive husband wasn't home. You may not find me perched atop the Boynton canyon "entertaining the neighborhood" with my flute, but in bringing that old imprint into the light, I feel free of it should i choose to. All of that from just one of these lessons in this program. Come in with an open mind and heart and see what unfolds for you. Wherever you are on your journey and whatever role music may have in your life, I bet you'll walk away with a deeper understanding and greater appreciation for the layers of richness it adds to your world.
Ami is an amazing Native American flute player and teacher. She really draws you into the program and goes deep into the learning. I love having classes with her I started with her in 2014 And I am fortunate to be training with her again.
LOVED this class. Ami has orgnized things so there is not a moment wasted. I now have new skills for journaling that are going to change everything for me. I am really looking forward to learning the last piece of this program and then to move forward with what I'm sure will be amazing tools to work with.
Excellent
great start
Great, gave me a huge amount of self confidence. Looking forward to learn as much as possible. Thank you
I understand so much more then I never imagined. Much of my confusion is clearing, just have to practice, practice, practice...put the miles on to hear the sweetness that is possible.
Teaching Style
Meeting my students where they are at!
Each student and each lesson is different. I meet my students right where they are in every lesson. For many students, learning to play the Native American style flute is a personal wellness goal. If they want to go the distance and become a performing artist, I will take them there. If they want to show up once in a while to learn, I’m there with them 100%. This is the guilt-free zone! I strive to offer a rewarding and wonderful experience at every private or group lesson.
Here are the common things people want to work on:
• Learning and developing a song
• Improvisation skills
• Learning to play along to rhythm
• Getting fluent in Nakai Tab
• Understanding music theory as it applies to the NAF
• Playing along to a backing track
• Embellishment and articulation development
• Pitch bending
• Preparing a NAF workshop for local people
The list goes on and on!
I’ve developed an Interest Inventory, which I go through with new students at the very beginning to tailor the instruction to their goals and desires.
Avoiding Bad Habits
I decided to set myself up for success and get good quality instruction right up front. One thing I knew from learning an instrument before, once bad habits set in, it is hard to undo them. If I just learned the best practices from the beginning, perhaps I could actually make some music on my flute.
I was amazed to see where I was after just 10 hours of practice. Finally, I had found an instrument that I could improvise on. I even started to be able to express my emotions in my playing. I started to bring my flute with me and have enjoyed playing little interludes in so many different places in nature.
Writing the Books and Teaching Classes
I wrote my first book (Learn to Play the Native American Style Flute: Discover Your Heartsong) and started holding group classes which were popular. Within a couple of years, I was teaching three different levels of classes. In a safe and supportive atmosphere, my students were exploring this new territory and developing nicely.
My experience deepened as I traveled to several flute schools around the country. I brought all I learned home to my own classes and workshops and refined the courses. Next, I started to teach online quite a bit and found online learning to be a wonderfully viable way to learn the flute. These and many other learning experiences along the way brought me to the creation of my second book (Discover the Musical Modes on the Native American Style Flute), my CDs, and my full online courses.
Discover Your Heartsong
For those who have heard the calling of the flute and have a true desire to learn to play, I hope my online offerings will make it entirely possible in a way that is enjoyable, affordable, and engaging.
Truly, I am delighted to be a steward of this ancient and mystical instrument. The Native American style flute has provided an outlet for my emotions, a platform from which I could share the experience with others, and a place of solace and beauty.
Curriculum
Learning to play the Native American style flute is truly a beautiful journey.
No musical experience is necessary.
Beginners, it is recommended that you order:
• a well-tuned Native American style flute (I can give you recommendations)
• my beginner book is available on Amazon, Learn to Play the Native American Style Flute, as well as get my ONE LIFE recordings for free on my website and Soundcloud page.
• and a metronome
For the students really ready to roll up their sleeves, please also see my second book, Discover the Musical Modes on the Native American Style Flute is also available on Amazon and many of the student play-along tracks are on my Soundcloud page.
Credentials & Affiliations
• Certified Music Practitioner since 2016 through the Music for Healing and Transition Program • Graduate of Music for People's Musicianship and Leadership Program • Trained facilitator of community music-making events through Flute Haven and HealthRHYTHMS • Teacher of Native American style flute earning Teacher of the Year on Lessonface for 2020-2024. • Author of books (available on Amazon) Learn to Play the Native American Style Flute, Discover the Musical Modes on the Native American Style Flute • Member of the World Flute Society and an active writer on the Health and Wellness Committee. • Healing arts practitioner (Certified Aromatherapist, Reiki Master, Yoga Instructor, T’ai Chi Chih Instructor) • Certified Labyrinth Facilitator (Veriditas)
