Annoying humming habit.

Gaaslaj · Post by **Gaaslaj** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:28 pm

The humming my teacher pointed out to me yesterday is very annoying and hard to get rid of! Has anyone else had this problem? J.

djm · Post by **djm** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:58 pm

Are you hearing humming?

djm

Gaaslaj · Post by **Gaaslaj** » Thu Jul 22, 2004 9:52 pm

Well, I think I hear voices actually! Really, when I play the low notes, it's as if I'm trying to help them get started or help them along. My instructor said she had the habit at first and had to unlearn it. Comes from playing the low whistle I think, J.

John S · Post by **John S** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:19 am

Looking on the positive side it means that you are using more than one modality of your mind when you are playing, the more of these areas you bring in the better all round musician you'll become.
Try humming in your head in stead; don't see it as a problem in itself.

Good luck
John S

kevin m. · Post by **kevin m.** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:39 am

Sounds like You suffer from 'Glenn Gould Syndrome'
Now THERE was a Virtuoso Hummer!

Steven · Post by **Steven** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:47 am

Actually, I think a lot of people do this when playing the flute. First, you need to know you're doing it and be able to hear it. It sounds like you've got that taken care of. Now, try to relax your throat more when you play. That will make it impossible to hum, and will help with your airflow besides. My guess would be that you're constricting your throat in some subconscious attempt to focus the airstream, but that should be done further up, at the lips. Keep the throat as open as possible.

Good luck!

Steven

Ro3b · Post by **Ro3b** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:17 am

As I've posted here before, a good way to help with this is to practice long tones while singing the notes you play. Strive to get the note you're singing as in tune as possible with the note you're playing. This has a bunch of beneficial effects, not the least of which is that if you can hum on purpose and in tune, you can eliminate doing it by accident. It's a tremendous tone-building exercise as well.

Henke · Post by **Henke** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 11:21 am

Well, if you don't get ridd of this problem you can always make a career playing Transylvanian Peasant Flutes.

RudallRose · Post by **RudallRose** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:00 pm

Ian Anderson makes lots of money doing this!

Actually, in Fife & Drum world, we called it "snorting."

The trick is to hum in harmony with the note you're playing!
It can be done!

dave

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Fri Jul 23, 2004 12:07 pm

Yes, but this is likely to be caused by tension in the throat while playing, which is something you should strive to avoid, for at least 2 reasons:

* It leasds to a strained tone
* It can damage or at least stress your vocal chords

Your teacher should have been able to help you; this is a common problem for beginning flutists.

g

Gaaslaj · Post by **Gaaslaj** » Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:14 pm

I'm doing it less now that I'm concious of it. It really is annoying, like there's a little guy in there (not me) doing it! J.

Chiff and Fipple Forums

Annoying humming habit.

Annoying humming habit.

Hear humming?

Thanks for the input!