braces and embochures..

cheer_annie_08 · Post by **cheer_annie_08** » Thu Jul 07, 2005 11:41 am

Hi again! I play piccolo and flute and I am going to get braces. I am really scared about havin the because i hear that you have to adjust to a new embochure and i'll have to do 2, piccolo and flute. So Is it really true? will i have to adjust or is it only for some people? Is there any tips for helping with adjusting faster and better? Thanks so much! annie

Caroline_Fluter · Post by **Caroline_Fluter** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 3:07 pm

I've had several friends who are great flute players and they had to get braces on then off again and they were really worried that all the changes would mess up their embouchures... but according to them it only took them each about a week's worth of time to readjust. One girl I know even started playing with a *better* embouchure once she got braces and was forced to change it. So, if i were you, I wouldn't worry about it.

------caroline

gollum · Post by **gollum** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 7:33 pm

My daughter had been playing approximately one year when she got braces. For her it was a major change in embouchure. It took her quite awhile to adjust and then she was fine. After having the braces on for about 2 years she was very nervous about the adjustment when they were removed. It was no problem at all. She was back to normal within a few weeks. Don't be too nervous about it. This is an individual thing. She had several friends get braces with almost no adjustment time needed. Your braces are important and if it does present a problem for you, time will take care of it. I haven't known any flutists to quit or not get back to their same tone due to their braces. My daughter now has a beautiful smile and is an accomplished flutist going off to major in music this fall.

ashurii · Post by **ashurii** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 5:20 pm

I pretty much have the same problem. But I've been playing for nearly 10 years and now when I finally get braces (In a month

) It wouldn't nearly be so bad if this wasn't my Senior year in HS!! ACK! Anyway, what I want to know is if it is easier to adjust to braces when you just start playing or if you've been playing for awhile. Can anyone help out??

Amateur_Flautist · Post by **Amateur_Flautist** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 5:20 pm

It sometimes depends on the person and exactly how they do their embouchure, but everyone does have to adjust to some degree. I got braces in 8th grade (my 3rd year), and it only took me about two days to get used to it. The only main different is that the headjoint feels further away from your teeth, and you have to retrain yourself to keep your lips over the teeth with the right size hole. When you first get them off (which I did just a couple weeks ago; I'm in 10th grade now) it feels a little weird, but you get the feel of it in about ten minutes, and your tone is absolutely fabulous. So don't think of braces as a bad thing or a burden, but just another step in improving your playing ability!

slhsflute07 · Post by **slhsflute07** » Fri Jan 06, 2006 4:36 pm

I got braces on in 10th grade (I'm in 11th now) and I'm still playing pretty well. I also got an open holed flute around the same time I got my braces so it was a huge ajustment all at once. The inside of my bottom lip got really irritated the first few weeks, because you're pushing the brackets of the braces against it. I had to keep moving my mouth because I was trying to play around my braces...it was a little hard to ajust to but I still kept my tone.