Back to flute after 20 years

[andyh]

Hellooo! I’m a newbie on this forum. I have recently started playing the flute after 20 years of not playing at all. Ive retired and am locked down. Does anyone have any advice or tips? (I took the RSM AB grade 6 exam while I was at uni.) I have been practising about an hour or so a day for three months. I am finding some days it goes really well and I’m pleased with the tone; other days tone is awful. Any advice gratefully received! I have a Buffet flute recently serviced.

[pied_piper]

Practice long tones and try to achieve a consistency of tone. If you find yourself regressing, take a break and resume in a half hour. As you develop your embouchure muscles, things will become more consistent.

[Ryo]

Hello andyh. I got injured left hand fingers last year and couldn't play the flute for more than six months. It took four months till I could play as before. We need to do some special movements of fingers and lips that we don't do in ordinary life. We forget them if we don't play the flute for some time.

As for the tone, I had forgotten the below.

1. Distance between the aparture and the edge of the embouchure hole.
2. To what extent the embouchure hole is closed by the lower lip.

If the above two are not constant, the tone will be unstable. The lip plate should adhere to the chin to keep the best tone. Hope this helps.

Ryo

[andyh]

Thank you, Ryo and Pied Piper. Much appreciated. Things are gradually getting better. I’ve found it really useful to stop playing for an hour or so and then come back. And Ryo, I felt for you with your injury. I am actually missing the top joint of my right index finger (an accident involving a fan-belt - about 20 years ago) but manage ok. If you know of anyone else in this situation, please encourage them. It is quite possible to play like this.