Playing Flute out of side of mouth.

Sujiku · Post by **Sujiku** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 8:34 am

I have know for awhile that for some strange reason.. I play my flute a little to the left of my mouth xD.. It looks a bit strange, and I have tried to correct it.. But alas, I keep going back.. I have been playing for 4 years now, and I just ordered myself an Intermediate Flute.. Do you think this problem is going to effect my playing? And if so, is there anything I can do about it?

LaDanseuse · Post by **LaDanseuse** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:57 am

Nope, as long as the flute's sounding what it's supposed to sound like and you're comfortable with it! I know several people who play out of the side of their mouths. Supposedly James Galway does it too....

Fluteoholic · Post by **Fluteoholic** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 12:50 am

this is called an offset embouchure. and i dont think james galway plays with one i've never heard this before and from the pictures i have seen it doesn't appear that he does. But i know Mimi Stillman does play with one.

auletes83 · Post by **auletes83** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:29 pm

Sujiku:
I've never seen Galway play, but I know that both Rampal and Jeffrey Khaner play with an offset embouchure. One of my former teachers, a prominent freelancer in Chicago, also does. What you should be most worried about is the sound itself: as long as it's a good tone, it doesn't matter how you're forming it.

CaperFlutist · Post by **CaperFlutist** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:35 pm

I have a Music degree in flute and play/teach professionally and I have an offset embrouchure...

Schof · Post by **Schof** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 7:21 pm

Just check if your flute is being held up straight. If it is and you still have an offset thing then I wouldn't worry about it.

Band_Geek · Post by **Band_Geek** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:25 pm

Today, my band director made us put pencils in the ends of our flutes. If it stayed in the whole class period, that meant we were holding our flutes up parallel to the ground. So that might be a good daily practice if your struggling with that.

ick27 · Post by **ick27** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:42 pm

Holding the flute parallel to the ground can be important in marching band for the visual aspect of it, but it isn't a very comfortable thing to do. I certainly don't hold the flute parallel to the ground when I play, if you put a pencil in my flute it would fall right out. I can't think of a single professional player who doesn't play with their flute at a slant most of the time. Also, it's healthy to hold the flute a little away from your body (meaning there is a little distance between your right shoulder and the flute,) this allows your chest to expand normally while breathing.
I don't suggest you go tell your band teacher that he/she is wrong, just know that the flute doesn't have to be held at right angles and your lips don't have to be visually centered on the lip plate, etc.. You are a flutist, not a robot!

Band_Geek · Post by **Band_Geek** » Wed Nov 23, 2005 6:06 am

She doesnt expect us to be perfect it everything. Its just we need better practice with holding our flutes up because a lot of us are slouching over, and playing on the sides of our lips and its obvious that it affects the tuning and sound.

pandagirl11 · Post by **pandagirl11** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 11:21 am

Why's it matter how your embouchure is like if you play beautifully?

I play with an offset embouchure. It gives me the best sound I can possibly produce.

One of my teacher's students plays with her mouth so far off, but still produces a beautiful sound.

Do what's right for YOU. Listen to yourself. Adjust your mouth while you keep blowing to determine the best position for yourself.