Playing a flute is like writing a book. You’re telling what’s in your heart…It’s easier to play if it’s right from your heart. You get the tone, and the fingers will follow.

Eddie Cahill

Introduction – How to Play Bansuri

You might be very fascinated by someone playing sweet melody in a bansuri, the bamboo flute. But have you ever held and try to understand how to play bansuri? 

Whether you’re creating a piece of artwork or playing a game, you won’t succeed unless you try it first. With repetition and practice, you’ll gradually develop an interest in the activity, and eventually become proficient in the skill.

Learning bansuri is also a skill that takes you to develop keen interest and make a proper learning approach. With proper guidance and your personal interest, you will soon start making some basic melodies on the flute!

In this article, we will provide you with eight important tips if you aspire to learn how to play bansuri.

Motivation to learn how to play bansuri

Unlike other musical instruments, bansuri is a divine musical instrument. The divine vibrations caused by the soothing sound of a bansuri have deep impact not only to the player but also to the listeners.

When one hears the soothing melody of the bansuri, he can become deeply immersed in his inner self. While many appreciate the bansuri’s calming effect, some, like you, feel inspired to learn how to play it. Pleae note the following points carefully before proceeding for the next step:

• Please note that as a beginner learning to play the bansuri, it’s important to have a strong self-motivation because you will face several challenges, from holding the instrument correctly to developing the skills needed to create the first note.

• It’s important to consider that learning how to play the bansuri requires a strong commitment to the disciplined learning process. If you’re seeking to impress others quickly and don’t have the time and patience to dedicate yourself to learning, it may be advisable to reconsider your desire to learn the bansuri.

Hence, the prerequisite to start how to play bansuri is the strong self-motivation.

Once you are determined to learn how to play the Bansuri, finding a teacher is essential. You have two options available to you.

Obtain the right Bansuri for you

Before beginning to learn how to play bansuri, it is important to have a good quality bansuri with you. Beginner flutes such as G Natural Bass or C Natural Medium are good to start with.

However, it is always recommended to seek guidance from your guru. He can help you select a flute based on factors such as your age and finger size, ensuring that you get the most suitable instrument for your needs.

dpflutesonline.com/bass-flutes-dpflutes/e-natural-bass-flute/(opens in a new tab)

You can choose one of the beginner flutes from our online store:

• G Natural Bass Professional Bamboo Flute

• C Natural Medium Professional Bamboo Flute

For advanced learning, you can go for E Natural Bass. Below is the link to buy E Natural Bass Flute from our online store.

• E Natural Bass Professional Bamboo Flute

1. Find a teacer near you to learn how to play bansuri

You cannot learn anything without a guru or a master. Once you have decided to learn how to play bansuri and you are ready to go through the systemic and disciplined time taking process, you have to approach a guru.

 Unfortunately, bansuri gurus are rare. Not every town or city necessarily has a bansuri guru. It is even more difficult in rural areas to find out a bansuri guru who can teach you how to play bansuri. If you find a bansuri guru in and around your place, you are lucky. You can right way approach the guru and take lessons from him.

2. Find a teacher online

Not every one of you are privileged to have a bansuri guru near your places.  Do not worry, we are here to guide you to find a guide for you so that your learning should kick start. 

We are in a digital world today! In case you do not find a guru physically near you, you can go to the virtual word or the internet. Due to the advancement of better communication techniques, learning has, today, become possible in an unprecedented way.

Post COVID-19 pandemic, dependency on the internet has exponentially increased.  From doing a job or a business to attending our academic classes, we are now reliable to the internet as the data being really affordable.

Taking this advantage, many bansuri teachers are conducting online classes today. There are numerous YouTube channels or flue learning websites where you can learn how to play flute.

In the next few paragraphs, we will guide you how you can make your dream of playing the bansuri true by taking online lessons from reputed gurus.

Options available online for learning bansuri?

The various online options available to you to learn playing bansuri are :

YouTube

If you want to learn how to play the bansuri, YouTube is a great and free resource. There are many channels on YouTube that are dedicated to creating bansuri tutorials. These channels claim to offer systematic instruction on all aspects of bansuri playing at no cost to you

Here is the list of of some of the YouTube channels, where you can find good content to learn flute.

YouTube can be considered as the best supplementary learning platform, however, you cannot rely solely on YouTube to learn bansuri owing to the following pros and cons:

Pros:

• Access to expert teachers: YouTube provides access to expert bansuri teachers from around the world, giving you access to a wide range of teaching styles and techniques.

• Access to expert teachers: YouTube provides access to expert bansuri teachers from around the world, giving you access to a wide range of teaching styles and techniques.

• Flexibility: You can learn at your own pace and on your own schedule, which is particularly useful if you have a busy schedule or live in an area where access to traditional bansuri teachers is limited.

• Visual aids: YouTube videos provide visual aids that can be helpful in understanding complex techniques and fingerings. Visual aids such as diagrams, illustrations, and close-up shots of the hands can make learning more engaging and effective.

Cons:

• Quality of content: As with any YouTube content, the quality of bansuri lessons can vary widely. Some videos may contain inaccurate information, outdated techniques, or incomplete explanations.

• Lack of interaction: You cannot ask questions or interact with the teacher while watching a YouTube video, which can be frustrating if you need clarification or want to discuss a concept further.

• Lack of interaction: You cannot ask questions or interact with the teacher while watching a YouTube video, which can be frustrating if you need clarification or want to discuss a concept further.

• Lack of feedback: Without a teacher to provide feedback, it can be difficult to know if you are playing correctly or making progress in your playing.

• Limited scope: YouTube may not provide a comprehensive curriculum for learning bansuri, so you may miss out on important concepts or techniques that are not covered in the videos you watch.

• Learning environment: Learning from YouTube may not provide the same immersive learning environment that you would get from in-person bansuri lessons, which could impact your overall learning experien

Paid Courses on how to play bansuri         

Once you realize that you are not going to gain any substantial knowledge on how to play bansuri from the YouTube, you would like to find out a better option online.

The better option available to you which is better than YouTube is Paid Courses.

If you are serious and want to learn how to play bansuri, you have to spend some money to buy online courses.

There are many paid courses available to you if you want to learn how to play bansuri. Before buying an online course, it is recommended to ascertain the credibility of the teacher who is teaching you how to play bansuri through his online paid courses. 

Many reputed masters like Shri Himanshu Nanda ji from Pune, Shri Vivek Sonar ji from Thane, Shri Ashwin Srinivasan ji from Bangalore have very good online paid courses.

I have given below the websites of these masters from which you can get online courses and learn how to play bansuri

Himanshu Nanda Ji           https://www.themysticbamboo.com/

Vivek Sonar Ji                     https://mygurukul.co

Ashwin Srinivasan Ji        https://ashwinflute.com

While online paid courses is better optio than YouTube but has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are the pros and cons of online paid courses:

Pros

• Systematic Lessons: Online Bansuri classes often offer a structured curriculum that provides a clear learning path for students. Once you purchase a package, you will have access to a series of lessons that are designed to help you progress from beginner to advanced levels.

• Convenience: Online Bansuri classes allow you to watch the videos at your own pace and at a time that is convenient for you. This flexibility is particularly beneficial for students who have busy schedules and cannot commit to a fixed class time.

• Financial Investment: By purchasing an online Bansuri course, you have made a financial investment in your learning. This investment can serve as a motivation to continue with the course and complete the lessons.

• Well-planned Lessons: Online Bansuri courses are often well-planned and structured in a way that makes it easy to follow and learn. This can help students to progress quickly and efficiently.

Self-assessment: Some online Bansuri courses have self-assessment sections that allow you to check your progress and identify areas that require more practice or attention.

Cons

• Lack of Personalized Instruction: Online Bansuri classes lack the personalized instruction that is often available in traditional in-person classes. This can make it challenging to receive individualized feedback and guidance from an experienced instructor.

• Technical Difficulties: Technical difficulties such as internet connectivity issues or problems with the course platform can disrupt the learning process and cause frustration for students.

• Limited Social Interaction: Online Bansuri classes can be isolating, and students may miss out on the opportunity to interact and network with other students and musicians.

• Difficulty with Posture and Technique: Without the guidance of an experienced teacher, it can be challenging to develop proper posture and technique, which are critical for playing Bansuri correctly.

• Limited Access to Instruments: Online Bansuri classes may not provide access to instruments for students who do not already own a Bansuri. This can make it difficult to practice and improve.

One to One Online Live Classes

The best out of all the above is to attend a one-to-one online class. This is the best option available to you because you will have your guru available live on a video call and he will teach you in an interactive way. During live video classes, you will have the privilege to ask your guru any queries or to clear any doubts of difficulties you find while learing the bansuri.

There are many teachers who prefer teaching students online on one-to-one basis. It is very easy to find out a teacher who can teach you how to play bansuri.

Attending onlne live class could be little expensive as most of the teachers charge you fees for each class you attend. However, your learning will be more fruitful on one to one online classes.

Search in the online platforms like Facebook  or Instagram for online guru, you will get many options.

However, it is important to note that finding an online guru through social media platforms may not guarantee the authenticity of their teaching methods or qualifications. It is recommended to do thorough research before choosing a guru and to consider seeking recommendations from trusted sources.

If you do not find a guru, please leave a comment below, I will help you finding a guru who can teach you how to play bansuri.

Conclusion

The story of Ekalavya is well-known. He had a strong passion for mastering the art of archery, but when he approached Guru Dronacharya to become his disciple, he was turned away. What followed has become a inspirational tale in history .

By cultivating a strong desire and taking proactive steps towards your goals, persevering through challenges, and being open to learning and adapting along the way, you can increase your chances of succeding on how to play bansuri like many others. With hard work and determination, you can reap the rewards of your efforts. Best of luck to you!