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)
Thanks!
Questions one week in...
- intrepidduckling
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Re: Questions one week in...
yup....you have to provide all of the back pressure. Ya ain't got the lip yet. Is normal.intrepidduckling wrote:But as my embouchure improves, will the air requirements go down a bit?
not without watchingintrepidduckling wrote: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?
keep the wrists straight, relax
can you go to C#, from all other notes, without the flute moving? If no, fix that first
- dow
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Re: Questions one week in...
Great! Keep at it, it's a wonderful feeling.intrepidduckling wrote: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).
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.But as my embouchure improves, will the air requirements go down a bit?
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.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!
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.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?
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'm learning the standard grip from Grey Larsen's book, and playing a sweetheart, if that makes a difference)
Thanks!
EDIT: I see that Denny got in before me. Hey Denny!
Last edited by dow on Thu May 15, 2008 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Dow Mathis ∴
Boerne, TX
Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently motivated fool.
Boerne, TX
Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently motivated fool.
Re: Questions one week in...
I feel your excitement!intrepidduckling wrote: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)
Thanks!
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.
Hang in there, and good luck!
:-)
Re: Questions one week in...
Hey!dow wrote:EDIT: I see that Denny got in before me. Hey Denny!
terse is quicker, innit
lots of 'em need more words though
Re: Questions one week in...
Yes, the air requirements go down radically. It will take veryintrepidduckling wrote: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)
Thanks!
little air, finally. But that's a matter of several months.
The wrong sort of pain keeps hurting after you stop
playing. It grows more intense as the days go by.
Patience is the name of the game. good luck.
- kennychaffin
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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.
KAC
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.
KAC
Kenny A. Chaffin
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"Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama
Photos: http://www.kacweb.com/cgibin/emAlbum.cgi
Art: http://www.kacweb.com/pencil.html
"Strive on with Awareness" - Siddhartha Gautama
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Re: Questions one week in...
Ha! Nice onedow wrote: 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.
"Well, rhythm, i think, if it's rhythmatic, that's the whole thing. Technique and everything comes second, i think, to the rhythm." --Mary Bergin
- dow
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Re: Questions one week in...
Yeah, my wife got a kick out of that one, too.Trixle wrote:Ha! Nice one
Dow Mathis ∴
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Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently motivated fool.
- intrepidduckling
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