Breakthrough! Hooray!

[AngelicBeaver]

I've been getting really frustrated lately. I've been trying to pick up my flute and play a little throughout the day, but lately it's been getting harder and harder to produce a sound. Occasionally, it would be nice and resonant, and then it would be gone, and the next time I'd try, even if only a few minutes later, or even if just moving and replacing the flute, no sound would come out at all.

So, I looked at my reflection and made an adjustment. Instant nice sound. Then it was gone. I tried again a little later, paying really close attention to exactly what was going on with the flute. Got a really powerful sound. If I put the flute in the little rounded part underneath my lips and above my chin, and then PUSH IT UP slightly, I get a good sound just about every time, or at least consistently enough to finally feel like I'm on the right track. I could even get all the second octave notes without too much difficulty. I played for a while until my throat started to feel dry.

I'm excited.

[an seanduine]

As you probably discovered dating in High School, everyone's lips are all a little different. . .
When you find what works for you flog the @£$%& out of it. . .

Bob

[psychih]

Awesome! =) The discovery of the flute's "sweet spot".

[kerry_todyruik]

I do this exercise in front of the mirror as well. I always get a sound but sometimes it is a bit weak, sometimes I get a nice strong tone on the lower and higher octaves. I've found that my sweet spot is a little off center. So if I look in the mirror, the embouchure hole is shifted a little bit to the right. When I make my embouchure and blow without the flute it's obvious that the small opening in my lips is not completely straight. I'm curious how common this is among players. Do many people have an off-center embouchure? Is this something I should be working on correcting somehow -- should I be practicing blowing straight? Or is this just one of the many common personal adjustments one learns to make because everyone's mouths are different?

[AngelicBeaver]

As far as I can tell, everyone's mouth is different. I've heard of people who taught flute who made their students practice straight on, and others who said it was no big deal and let the students do what worked. I think, if you keep working at it, you'll figure out what is best for your particular lip shape. Keep in mind, this is the understanding of a novice flute player, so take anything I say with a grain of salt, or with a cup of grape juice, which may benefit your health.

[an seanduine]

You may want to download and read this: http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/ ... tation.pdf.
You also for sure should read: http://www.woodenflute.com/playing/paul_mulvaney_essay

Bob

[an seanduine]

Nathan, I know you give your location as San Antonio. Are all your family safe? Our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family and anyone unfortunate enough to be in and around West, Texas.

Bob

[mutepointe]

I wish it were possible to pick up any old flute and know where the sweet spot was.

[AngelicBeaver]

Thanks for your concern. My family is safe. Most of my family lives pretty close to San Antonio.

However, we took dance lessons a few years ago with a young lady who was badly hurt in the second bomb blast in Boston. She lost her left foot. Her name is Adrianne. She was one of our favorite instructors. She moved to Boston with her husband and was teaching dancing at an Arthur Murray studio there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ds-newsxml

[MadmanWithaWhistle]

I found the sweet spot on my Burns Folk Flute the other day. Turned out I was playing the flute too perpendicular to my face. When I held it so the foot pointed slightly away from me I got a MUCH better sound. Who'd have thunk it.