Early learners

[AaronFW]

Once the basics are gained what exactly is the process of development and signs to look out or aim for?

What do you look for/do while you are practicing long notes? I think that is going to be part of your answer as regards to the process and development on tone.

One instructor likes saying "[Developing on the flute] is a question of time, patience and intelligent work"* and further remarks

...if a student plays long, slow notes to give him opportunity to examine his tone in close detail, then provided he can hear the undesirable aspects of his tone, his self-correcting mechanism will ensure that it improves. Long notes really can't fail to improve your tone! Nevertheless, long slow notes played without care and thought will not achieve any real result quickly.

(Source: Trevor Wye's Practice Books for the Flute: Book 1 Tone; italics in the original)

So that is why I ask "What do you look for/do?" A teacher can best guide, help and point out areas for work, but if you can listen discerningly, you can improve and progress on your own.

*The statement is Trevor Wye quoting Marcel Moyse' De la Sonorite; that is, one flute instructor quoting another.

[mendipman]

@mendipman Ah, if it were only so easy!

Clear, strong notes & consistency require great breath and fine muscle control (or relaxation).

Listening to Chris Norman I'm floored by how beautiful, rich and malleable the tone can be... I've got a long road.

Don't get me wrong I'm aware of the need (and time and effort involved) to constantly work on developing and improving tone. I'm just curious as to the specifics of how this development relates to 'embouchure' once we can make consistent 'ok' tone. Maybe it's my ex-clarinet player connotation that I relate to that word?

[an seanduine]

[quote="mendipman"
Don't get me wrong I'm aware of the need (and time and effort involved) to constantly work on developing and improving tone. I'm just curious as to the specifics of how this development relates to 'embouchure' once we can make consistent 'ok' tone. Maybe it's my ex-clarinet player connotation that I relate to that word?[/quote]
When I played clarinet, there seemed a lot of folks searching for the perfect mouthpiece, and swapping out of tuning barrels to help with the 'throat tones'.
I would say this would be roughly analogous to the 'flute search' many beginners go through looking for a cut of the tone hole they can easily get on with. But then you have to add force and volume to your sound, while maintaining good tone. This is part of the real work, adding musculature to your embouchure, and is part of the need for continuous daily work.

Bob