Haven't played in a long time!

[RosiPossum]

Hi there, I'm brand new here
I used to play the flute a lot. I did my grade 2, and I worked towards my grade 5, but I was never much of a stick-to-the-rules player. I played a lot of folk music in a bad and I wasn't bad (though certainly not of the higher standard that some folkies are). I haven't played properly in a very long time, and just wondered if anyone has any tips or ideas for how I can get back to my old standard?
I used to get lessons, but that really isn't financially an option for me now, so I'm just stuck on my own.
I do tend to play along to music that I know, but my technique isn't improving at all.

Thanks in advance,
Rosi

[James_Alto]

Hi there,

have you got a flute primer, like the Trevor Wye books, or the Rubank Elementary Method? Or if you're into luxury, the Moyse' tomes?

There's a lot you can learn on forums, but it can be really frustrating, if you're self-learning, trying to filter out the crud from the wheat; and then self-correcting yourself, after doing something you thought was right, which turns out wrong, for the past x months.

Sounds like you probably will have some of the method to revise and go over again if you've had grade 5. The Trevor Wye series on Intonation, and the drills/exercises are a good way to start. Otherwise, maybe youtube, and other folk influenced forums.

Good luck!

[RosiPossum]

Thanks for the tips. I've never really cared much for playing classically. I've just been sitting and doing a couple of scales then playing along to my folk genre on itunes. I move about quite a lot when I play, so I'm not good at the standing up with the square arms thing!
I'll have to go and look for a book I think, even if just to get the scales written down. I remember all of my fingering and how to play, I'm just very out of practice.
It's annoying that I can't hear myself. Recording can only do so much.
On the plus side - I've just played for over an hour and I'm knackered, my fingers hurt, my neck and back hurt, but I haven't felt such joy in a long time!

[James_Alto]

Hi there,

probably not much reason for you to contend with scales at all!I do play classical music, but I don't practice Eb minor scales as much as I ought to

If you like playing along to soundtracks and iTunes, you might find your chromatic tuner handy, for starting off on the right notes. Sometimes I come across a song, and I think I'd love to play it on the flute, but by the time I get my flute out ... !

Hopefully you'll be building up your tolerance to playing again, in a graded way, building up from 10 minutes, 20, 30, and so on. Square arms?! Not sure about that.... I was always taught to form a crescent moon with my flute, arms arcing gracefully between the sternocleidomastoids, enclosing the flute in a balanced embrace. Oh the joys of having a sexy young female flute teacher ... when I was 6

If you have a recording monitor with headphones, you might find it very useful for tone practice, getting feedback from the microphone. I always find I sound very different than what I think I sound like, without the feedback.