Practicing on Two Flutes

treesong · Post by **treesong** » Fri May 19, 2006 10:29 pm

I would first like to thank everyone for sharing so much information.

Has really helped the transition to flute less daunting (especially since I am still searching for a teacher).

I just started playing the flute last month and have a question regarding learning on two different flutes. I have my new wooden flute which I am still breaking in. I also have a travel/student flute. I was wondering if there were any pros and cons long term and short to practicing/learning them concurrently. Would it be better to get really comfortable with one and then start learning the other? Or is it more beneficial to practice/learn on both?

I am really getting to find the sweet spot consistently with my wooden flute and I think my travel flute may even be helping with my embouchure development. Just hoping some helpful experts out there might have some insight on this subject.

Thanks!

BillG · Post by **BillG** » Sat May 20, 2006 4:50 am

There seems to be a mixed bag of answers on the two flute question. On the one hand, many recommend staying with one flute until you get a decent embouchure before switching. Another school goes back and forth claiming switching could help strenghten the embouchure.

Many fluters have more than one flute and do switch around depending on the sound they want at any given time and/or the key they want to play in. And these players are probably reasonably accomplished. I've been playing a little over five years and have three favorites that I move around on. Normally I'll play one of them for that practice time unless I'm having a "bad embouchure" day then I'll switch around till I feel comfortable.

I'm still a babe in the woods here but that's my take on what has been said and how I play.

I came from fifedom and recall Tom Madden (on this list) recommending putting the fife on the wall till I got the flute embouchure down. I did that and it was good advice, but we're talking apples and oranges here.

BillG

Loren · Post by **Loren** » Sat May 20, 2006 6:47 am

Having spent years mucking about playing various flutes, and a few months recently sticking to one, I'm firmly of the opinion now that the best course of action is to stick with one flute (known to be decent) until you really have the tone and consistancy nailed. I suspect that for most adults then (with limited practice time of an hour a day or less on average), we'd be talking about sticking with one flute for at least a year or two to start.

I know the temptation is to get a "travel" flute and leave your good one at home, but flutes are small enough to "carry on" wherever you go, and humidifiers are easy and cheap to obtain or make, so better to live and travel with one flute.

That said, "Ask Colin" says "Sure, if you're going to hike the length of The Appalachian Trail, or climb Everest, K2 and The Eiger in a weekend, better to take your travel flute - wouldn't want your McChudd Not falling into a Crevass, or have Bears snacking on it in the middle of the night."

Certainly "Ask Colin" knows best

Loren

Loren

chas · Post by **chas** » Sat May 20, 2006 8:02 am

I feel both ways on this one, but tend toward Loren's POV. When I found a flute that clicked with me, I spent about a year on it exclusively. Till my latest flute, each time I got a new flute, I'd spend several months playing it almost exclusively (blowing enough air through my others that they stayed broken in).

That said, I just don't travel with expensive flutes -- accidents happen, and are a lot more likely on a plane or in a car on a long trip. I have an inexpensive Irish flute and an inexpensive traverso as travel flutes. I wouldn't hesitate to put some air through your travel flute occasionally, but would recommend that you put almost all of your effort for some time into getting acquainted with your go-to flute.

treeshark · Post by **treeshark** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:18 am

News Flash: Two dead bears were recently found in a crevass on Everest, splinters of toxic bog oak were found between their teeth... a Mr P McChud has been held for questioning.

On a more serious note I have played from the start on two flutes and found that they compliment each other very well, but it's only now after two years playing that I can begin to appreciate and exploit the difference between them. That said both the instruments have a very similar emboucher cut so that's sure to make it easier to swap between.

treesong · Post by **treesong** » Mon May 22, 2006 8:02 pm

Thanks for all the replies. I was having mixed feelings on this myself.

I will continue to focus on my wooden flute, but there are nights I'd continue playing past my alotted minutes during the break-in period. So many tunes, so little time.

We do a lot of camping and hiking, so taking my wooden flute is just not an option (especially, after a serious attack on my whistle in April). But I do want to continue practicing on these trips

daiv · Post by **daiv** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:32 am

treesong wrote:Thanks for all the replies. I was having mixed feelings on this myself.

I will continue to focus on my wooden flute, but there are nights I'd continue playing past my alotted minutes during the break-in period. So many tunes, so little time.

We do a lot of camping and hiking, so taking my wooden flute is just not an option (especially, after a serious attack on my whistle in April). But I do want to continue practicing on these trips

that sounds like a good approach. i think it is important since you are starting to have a consistent base to work off of, but there is nothing wrong with challenging yourself and playing the practice flute.

bang · Post by **bang** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:03 am

intermediate player datapoint ahead:

i have found learning on more than one flute beneficial. the ability to compare and contrast the little differences in technique between different flutes helps avoid quirks from adapting to a single flute's strong and weak points. habits formed from playing one flute while learning the core skills may be difficult to unlearn later. learning on several flutes helps develop a blow using the least effort to get consistently good tone.

i'm not suggesting switching flutes all the time. it *is* necessary to work with a flute over a long period to get the most out of it. there are some advantages though to learning on a few primary flutes simultaneously.

imho, fwiw, & enjoy! /dan

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Tue May 23, 2006 11:12 am

I'm with Loren - having fiddled around with 2 flutes (not the same two flutes, but always 2 flutes) for over 3 years, but now I have only one...and I find focusing on just one instrument to be highly beneficial.

Eric

Jennie · Post by **Jennie** » Tue May 23, 2006 3:00 pm

Well, I only have one flute. So I've decided to play it left-handed some of the time, just to add a little challenge. That way I'll make sure I don't develop into a merely mediocre player too fast. Instead I'll get really good in a very, very long time.

Jennie

DanD · Post by **DanD** » Tue May 23, 2006 9:33 pm

I have 2 flutes, a keyless Copley and an old german 9 key.
They are very different, and I love them both, but -
They are jealous of each other.
If I spend too much time with the Copley, the german refuses to really sing until I give it enough attention to make it feel loved again. Once it sings, the Copley feels neglected until I've played with it enough to make it happy again. I swear, I despair of ever playing them both at the same gig! I've tried, but the one that got most attention lately shows off, and the other one just glares at me and flubs all the notes, even though it knows the tune!
Some people can keep a wife and a mistress happy - I'm not one of them!!