Well, I’ve been at this for a week now, and it’s overall going great. This probably speaks to the flute more than me, but I’m already in love with the sounds that I get out of it and the way that it feels in my hands when i’m playing it (I love the way I can feel all the vibrations in my hands when actually getting strong notes).
But as my embouchure improves, will the air requirements go down a bit? I know how to breathe with my diaphragm from singing in choruses on and off, but I’m using a lot of air and occasionally getting dizzy when I get really into the tune I’m playing!
As far as holding it goes, is there a way to tell the difference between working new muscles and learning new contortions pain and “this will lead to problems” pain? I’m not suprised that my left hand hurts while I play, after all it’s doing completely new stuff, but what should I be careful of?
(EDIT: I’m learning the standard grip from Grey Larsen’s book, and playing a sweetheart, if that makes a difference)
But as my embouchure improves, will the air requirements go down a bit?
Yep. It’s all about the focusing the air stream, not the amount of air, Think of it this way, you’re trying to put all of your air through the embouchure hole. It won’t all go, but that’s not the point at this time. When beginning, we all think that to get more sound, we have to blow harder, and that’s actually the opposite of what needs to be done. Here’s an example: Go get a marble, put it on the table, and blow it across to the other side. You can’t direct the marble with the same type of breath that you’d use to blow out a candle. You need a strong, focused stream of air directed at a particular point on the marble to make it go where you want it to. The same thing applies to the flute. Keep the air stream tight, tiny, and focused. Keep at it and it’ll come, I promise.
I know how to breathe with my diaphragm from singing in choruses on and off, but I’m using a lot of air and occasionally getting dizzy when I get really into the tune I’m playing!
Ahh, the joys of hyperventilation. Another exercise that you can do to improve your stamina and help keep this to a minimum is my wife’s infamous “paper on the wall” exercise. Take a piece of paper, hold it on the wall right in front of your face, and blow on it. Let go of the paper, and hold it in place with your air stream. It does wonders for the lung capacity, although it’s extremely boring.
As far as holding it goes, is there a way to tell the difference between working new muscles and learning new contortions pain and “this will lead to problems” pain? I’m not surprised that my left hand hurts while I play, after all it’s doing completely new stuff, but what should I be careful of?
What you’re feeling is the pain of training your hands to do something that they’re not used to. It should pass quicker than you think. The hardest thing for me, even after almost three years is to hold the flute lightly. It’s really hard to believe that you’re not going to drop the thing, and so you overcompensate by holding it in the Flute Grip of Doom. Once again, keep at it, and it’ll get better.
(EDIT: I’m learning the standard grip from Grey Larsen’s book, and playing a sweetheart, if that makes a difference)
Thanks!
You’re welcome. Whoever designed the flute must have been a bit of a sadist, since it’s not an easy instrument to even get started on, much less master. It’s not intuitive to play, or to hold. I firmly believe that flutes are female, since I don’t understand them , I can’t get them to do what I want them to most of the time, and I can’t stand to be without one.
EDIT: I see that Denny got in before me. Hey Denny!
However, in fact you have taken on a great challenge, in learning to play a transverse flute. Moreover, unless you could somehow have a superhuman ability, plan on spending some time at getting the details worked out, as altogether normal. It’s not that you could be deficient in any way, but it simply takes time, thought, patience, and regular practice to become proficient.
Hey there!
I’m more or less with you on the same boat concerning the Sweetheart
I love the trembling resonating holes under my finger when I hit the right blowing spot. Can’t recreate it though yet… Just blowing harder and harder until I faint
Great thread and I too appreciate the responses. I’ve been at the flute only a couple of weeks with very limited time but am making some progress and can almost play Down By the Sally Gardens, but by the same token I can see that it’s going to take a lot of time and practice to get where it should be and to that end I’m going to focus even more so on the whistle as I continue to learn the flute.
I had some issues with hand and stretch/reach at first but it passed quickly, the embouchure though is going to take a bit more.
