I saw a post earlier on in which people have picked
their flutes back up after years of not playing. Well, I am one of those people
too. I played the flute in grade school but thought it was uncool to play in the
band in high school. Oh, if I could move back the hands of time.....anyway,
I''m getting back into it after 22 years. I really need to get my flute
cleaned up and new pads put on. I got two quotes from local music stores.
Outrageous quote differences. I have a music director at my church that is huge
into music. I am waiting until the new year (when he isn''t so busy) to ask
his help in getting me set on my way. I am getting so excited. I''ve begun to
listen to classical music and it has made me want to play my flute again. I''m
so glad I found this site. I can''t wait to talk more flute and get to know
all of you!! Kris
Flute revisited
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
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fluteluversmom
- Posts: 295
- Joined: Sun May 11, 2003 10:22 pm
Flute revisited
Hi Kris 
Welcome to the message board. I am sure that
you will make lot's of friends here and that you will have fun learning with
the rest of us. I hope you will be able to get your flute into working order
soon. I know that repairs are outrageous here at most places too. It took me a
while but I finally found a place that I can trust with our flutes and they are
more than reasonable in prices. In fact we were just there today and they fixed
my daughters flute while we waited. I now have somewhere to have my flute
cleaned..I am sooo happy. Well I hope you will continue to jump in and join in
the posting here. Have a good weekend, Kim
Welcome to the message board. I am sure that you will make lot's of friends here and that you will have fun learning with
the rest of us. I hope you will be able to get your flute into working order
soon. I know that repairs are outrageous here at most places too. It took me a
while but I finally found a place that I can trust with our flutes and they are
more than reasonable in prices. In fact we were just there today and they fixed
my daughters flute while we waited. I now have somewhere to have my flute
cleaned..I am sooo happy. Well I hope you will continue to jump in and join in
the posting here. Have a good weekend, Kim
Some
days you catch the bus and other days it runs over you.
days you catch the bus and other days it runs over you.
Flute revisited
Kris, One thing to be aware of. I, too, layed off for a
lot of years, and then came back using the same flute. I couldn't figure out
why I had such a hard time staying in pitch with the piano at church. I was sure
it was practice, or the electric modification I let my brother do to my flute in
the 70's, or something. At any rate, I really struggled. Then I started doing
some reading. It seems that flutes made before 1980 are actually pitched just
slightly lower than flutes today (A = 440 or 438 Mghz as opposed to today's
442). You might want to check into it before you pay a whole lot of money to get
your older flute overhauled - just from a frustration standpoint. I recently
purchased as new flute, and the piano problems just went away. Now I have to
tune down to match the recorder - but that's easy! To the point of playing
again - You can't believe how much fun it will be. I was just telling Kim that
I'm playing with both my daughters, and with a recorder player in church during
the Christmas holidays. I get so much pleasure from playing, and then people
tell me how much they enjoyed it, so then I feel even better because I helped
make their worship time more enjoyable - it's the best. Welcome back!
lot of years, and then came back using the same flute. I couldn't figure out
why I had such a hard time staying in pitch with the piano at church. I was sure
it was practice, or the electric modification I let my brother do to my flute in
the 70's, or something. At any rate, I really struggled. Then I started doing
some reading. It seems that flutes made before 1980 are actually pitched just
slightly lower than flutes today (A = 440 or 438 Mghz as opposed to today's
442). You might want to check into it before you pay a whole lot of money to get
your older flute overhauled - just from a frustration standpoint. I recently
purchased as new flute, and the piano problems just went away. Now I have to
tune down to match the recorder - but that's easy! To the point of playing
again - You can't believe how much fun it will be. I was just telling Kim that
I'm playing with both my daughters, and with a recorder player in church during
the Christmas holidays. I get so much pleasure from playing, and then people
tell me how much they enjoyed it, so then I feel even better because I helped
make their worship time more enjoyable - it's the best. Welcome back!
Flute revisited
Thanks for the welcome and advice. I know my music
director at my church will point me in the right direction. We had a Cantada at
church this morning. There were 4 flutists. I pictured me in a chair next year.
I love goals. Kris
director at my church will point me in the right direction. We had a Cantada at
church this morning. There were 4 flutists. I pictured me in a chair next year.
I love goals. Kris
Flute revisited
Welcome Kris, I'm pretty new to this forum too, but
I'm really enjoying it. I picked up the flute when I was 12 and played until I
was about 21, the latter years very seriously (private lessons, exams at the
conservatory etc.) I picked it up again about three years ago, after a
loooooooong absence. I had tried over those years to pick it up a few times, but
was always discouraged because my tone was so awful. I thought I was so rusty
and figured it would take too long to play again at a decent level, so I just
put it back in its case. Then, someone rented a flute for me to try...I was
amazed at how much better I sounded on that one. I looked into getting my old
flute overhauled, but it was outrageously expensive. I could almost have bought
a new one for the price of fixing my old student flute. I continued to rent for
a couple of months, to make sure I was really going to stick with it this time
and I did. So I took the plunge. I was fortunate to be in the position to buy a
new one and upgraded significantly in the process. I too learned that flute
technology had changed over the years and that flutes made from the mid-80s
onwards are actually tuned a little differently than our old clunkers (I use the
term very affectionately…no matter how bad it is, I’ll never toss it out!)
Before fixing up your old one, weigh the pros and cons. If you've got a good
flute, it may be worth doing. In my case, it wasn't. You might be better off
with a gently used new flute or a brand new one if you can swing it. Whatever
you decide to do, the most important advice I can give you is, don't ever put
your flute down again! I hope you fall in love with it all over again, as I did!
I'm really enjoying it. I picked up the flute when I was 12 and played until I
was about 21, the latter years very seriously (private lessons, exams at the
conservatory etc.) I picked it up again about three years ago, after a
loooooooong absence. I had tried over those years to pick it up a few times, but
was always discouraged because my tone was so awful. I thought I was so rusty
and figured it would take too long to play again at a decent level, so I just
put it back in its case. Then, someone rented a flute for me to try...I was
amazed at how much better I sounded on that one. I looked into getting my old
flute overhauled, but it was outrageously expensive. I could almost have bought
a new one for the price of fixing my old student flute. I continued to rent for
a couple of months, to make sure I was really going to stick with it this time
and I did. So I took the plunge. I was fortunate to be in the position to buy a
new one and upgraded significantly in the process. I too learned that flute
technology had changed over the years and that flutes made from the mid-80s
onwards are actually tuned a little differently than our old clunkers (I use the
term very affectionately…no matter how bad it is, I’ll never toss it out!)
Before fixing up your old one, weigh the pros and cons. If you've got a good
flute, it may be worth doing. In my case, it wasn't. You might be better off
with a gently used new flute or a brand new one if you can swing it. Whatever
you decide to do, the most important advice I can give you is, don't ever put
your flute down again! I hope you fall in love with it all over again, as I did!