Flute Questions

[ilovepurple714]

I have a few questions about playing the flute. I started playing the flute last year, on a really ancient school flute, and I'm taking Band again this year with the same flute. Last year the F sharp key wouldn't work, but my teacher took it to get serviced and it worked enough so I can play D and Eb now, but I can't play Gb (F sharp) to save my life! We just started a new song and if I remember correctly I go from high A to Gb and no sound will come out on my Gb. Also, my teacher is telling me that I have a puckered-up embrochure, and I've been trying to work on that but I haven't made any progress. I also have trouble with simple eighth notes, I can't seem to move my fingers fast enough to play them. For our school concert I have to play in a group of 9 (there's another flute) but I'm afraid I am going to sound really bad, especially since the people I'm playing with have played for four years or so. We started practicing the Star Spangled Banner and it is really tough! Once I get up into high Eb, its hard for me to bring it down into normal Eb and then back up again all in a couple of notes. I think some of this is my flute, which is really gross and old, but some of it has to be me. Does anybody have any tips for me? Thanks in advance.