Wow.... You people are amazing!!
So many great replies with really good insight and information.
I really appreciate everyone's input and thank you all for taking the time to give your thoughts. I didn't expect so many but i'm really really happy to have them all to read through & ponder.
After thinking about it some, my choice at the moment would be to use the shoulder if i have to, to get a good tone and cultivate a good style? Then, as time goes on, slowly start to move away from using the shoulder? A "Stepping Stone" on the way to wherever it is i'll finally be if you will?
"
woodfluter" - you mentioned using a mirror? I think that's a great idea and will get one in place asap. I do have some small ones in the practice room but i think a bigger one would ultimately be better? Then i can check on the whole of my posture as i play as well?
"
Steve Bliven" - That's good information about the book and i shall look out for it. I am lucky it would seem, in that i don't seem to get any problems from the strange positions that i find myself in from different instrument practice (Violin & Flute being the most prominent but also guitar). I sing for a living and have found that, from time to time, whenever i change the position of things that i use in the studio (Microphone placement and also Mouse & keyboard) i get a slight case of RSI for a month or two, and then my body seems to get used to it and adapts? After that it goes away and all is well, so maybe this applies to the flute as well? I do have good posture though and also, whenever i'm working, singing or otherwise, i ALWAYS stand up and NEVER sit down, so maybe this helps? I tend to agree with
Etruscan with regards to everybody being different? What works for me perhaps wouldn't be the same for some others?
My main problem is getting a good, loud, "Dark" (Not sure if that's the correct word?) tone. I'm used to playing the Boehm flute and although i've only been playing a few years, don't have any problems with a decent sound? But the Irish flute is a whole other beast it seems, and although i can get sounds out of it and play OK, getting a good tone with good volume, only seems to happen "Properly" when i rest it on my shoulder?
I have been working really hard trying to get a decent embouchure and a good sound, and just that one simple movement (Which is nothing to do with the mouth really) seems to make this happen??? I've been looking for some decent videos on the net for embouchure but can't seem to find any? I have some books here (Just received my copy of Conal O'Grada's book today!! )
![big grin :D](./images/smilies/icon_biggrin_144.gif)
which do have drawings and descriptions of how it should be done, but even though i have read them i'm finding it difficult to get the mouth shape & sound that i'm after..... unless of course i use my shoulder and then it all falls into place? Very odd....
But still, i shall continue to play, practice & experiment, taking on board all the wonderful information and advice that has been shared here and see how it goes over the coming months.
![smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile_144.gif)
I really would like to find a teacher and do some "One to One" but there just doesn't seem to be anyone around here at all (Norfolk, UK) and i have looked and searched all over the place.
Many thanks again, to Cathy, Viking of Kiev, chas, Steampacket, JackCampin, Othannen, Etruscan, Steve Bliven & woodfluter.
![smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile_144.gif)
Thank you for really great input!
Jinian