I know I have to relearn all the fingerings as its years since I last picked one up and can't remember any of them, but pressing any combination of keys doesn't make a difference to the sound produced by having all fingers off the keys at all.
The keys aren't sticking so I'm guessing it has a lot of leaks?
Ali did you buy your Odyessey flute "as new" or "used" 2nd hand. Perhaps you have got the wrong fingering and you need to relearn your embouchure . If you live any where near me over in Bristol SW UK I would say pop across and i'll have a go playing it for you compair to mine then you would know for sure. But its kinda strange for none of the notes bar two do not work. Do any of the keys. or tennens look dammaged or bent ? As per my PM to you
click the link below http://www.fluteland.com/Online_Flute_Lessons.php
then click
Then click the fingering chart. try some of the fingering positions there,
Ali P wrote:
The keys aren't sticking so I'm guessing it has a lot of leaks?
Unless you mean something by "sticking" that I've never heard before, the fact that the keys aren't sticking is a good thing. Check out the fingering chart here:
and see if you can get some different pitches out of it....You have to have proper fingerings to alter pitch, as not just any combination of keys will do it. If it turns out that your fingerings were the problem, then great, your flute is probably doing okay. If, however, it turns out that you still can't get it to work properly, it needs to be taken to a tech for evaluation and repair. You might also decide (depending on what type of flute it is) that repair would cost more than the flute's worth, and then hopefully you'll be able to send it back to the seller for a refund. Incidentally, what kind of flute did you get?
Got something resembling notes out of it although I'm going to need a LOT of practice!!
Has anybody got any tips for people with small hands and short fingers? I'm finding things a bit of a stretch! (Although I've just realised I was holding down the wrong key that you use with your left index finger - I was pressing the one to the left of the one I should have been - d'oh!! )
I can do C, C#, and D ok, D# seems to sound screechy, haven't gone any further yet!
Ali P wrote:
Has anybody got any tips for people with small hands and short fingers? I'm finding things a bit of a stretch!
Congrats! It sounds like your flute might be doing okay. If you have any further doubts, get a more experienced flutist to play it and see if they have any issues.
As for what to do about small hands, are you playing a French (openhole) or Plateau (closed hole) keyed flute? If it's plateau, don't be afraid to place your fingers off center on the keys. If it's French, plug the holes and then treat it just as if it was a plateau model. If you still need some help, key extensions can be crafted out of various materials (you can make them yourself, or purchase them) that should make it easier for small hands to take care of what needs doing. Hope that helps!
Practice, Practice, Pratice, Ali thats the best and only way of getting tone and sound from the flute. When I 1st started playing using the " Abracadabra FLUTE" book I didn't realise there was a key gap in the left hand between 1st finger and 2nd which I was trying to play pieces for 3 days and it just wasn't happening then I stumbled across this site and its fingering chart then then I realised that I have been using the wrong fingering. Was only going by the basic shape in the book which doesn't show the space/gap in button so the fingering chart on here helped enormasley in that respect. Perhaps you assumbed on the same thing as me, that all the keys are next to eachother rather than spaced for the left hand.
Hmmm...I dunno - still think there's something wrong with the thing. I'm playing notes and hubby is playing the same note on his keyboard and they're not the same!
Ali P wrote:Hmmm...I dunno - still think there's something wrong with the thing. I'm playing notes and hubby is playing the same note on his keyboard and they're not the same!
Should they be?
Pitch can be adjusted as much as half a step either way (flat or sharp) just by manipulating the air. I'm not familiar with your specific situation, but I gather that you have not played for quite a while (from your mention of not having touched a flute for years)? If this is the case, the chances are you just need some practice before you can match pitches with other instruments/play in tune with a tuner. If, after a reasonable amount of time, you still have pitch issues, it might be the flute if it's built on a poorly designed scale. What kind of flute do you have? If it's a reputable, name brand flute, I would expect at least a decent scale, but if it's a junker import, then your troubles could very well be explained by the instrument. It would be nice if we could just pick up where we left off, but with the flute, things don't work that way. Give yourself time to get used to playing again and regain (or surpass) the skills you had previously. Most serious flutists will practice everyday (often several hours a day) just to maintain their abilities.
Its an Odyssey like Nas's (although second-hand) - I mostly bought it just to have a play around and see if I could still do it, and apparently I can now play A B G B flat C and F.
I can play some of the songs in the Abracadabra book, so thats's a good start I guess, but it doesn't sound like a good flute. I think my school used Boosey & Hawkes when I was learning so am thinking that perhaps I should have gone for one of those instead.
Can't afford to buy a new one, which is annoying as I'm quite enjoying myself despite the moments of frustration!
Edited to add: Finding the breathing hard too - a lot of the time I'm having to breathe for every single note, particularly F (which seems to be a hard one to get out), and I know that's not right!
Well unfortunately, Odyssey flutes are not on the usual lists of name brand, reputable instruments. Odds are you've got one of those imports I mentioned earlier in the thread, which are notorious for their poor tone and intonation, as well as quality of construction. Such imports are produced in bulk as blanks, and any company can have any name they want put on the flute for a price, so it's difficult to keep track of all the cheap imports flooding out of China, but some cursory research makes me reasonably confident that Odyssey fits in this category. Most are produced from pot metal, which is so soft that the mech may bend just from normal use. That's not to say that your individual instrument will give you problems (these flutes are so hit-and-miss that it's impossible to know), but be on the look out for mechanical issues before too long. Boosey and Hawkes are reasonably solid instruments, but haven't been produced for some years, so odds are if you had gotten one, you'd have to have work done on it to get it back in playing order. Just as with everything else, the breathing will come in time. Flute wastes more air than just about any wind instrument, and it takes some time to develop your embouchure and breathing to the point that you can play relatively long phrases on a single breath.
Well, first of all, look for something from a well known company. A good way to weed out the imports is a simple google search of the brand name. If a professional looking website doesn't come up right near the top of the list, odds are you should pass up that flute (for an example, do a search for Powell flutes). Also avoid colored flutes and those which can be found with duplicate (down to the wording) listings on eBay. These guidelines won't take care of all the junkers, but it will greatly diminish the flutes you have to sift through. Now, you'll want a flute that seems to be in good condition (no missing parts or obvious dings or dents), and preferably one that has been recently overhauled (which will mean fresh pads and maintainance work). This may take a while to find on your budget, but with some patience, you can find a flute to last you many years. Something along this line would be a good choice:
It's a reputable brand, and recently refurbished. Of course, there are many other options available (this was just the first on the list after a quick eBay search), so look at all the options and select one that seems to suit you. If you have any questions regarding how appropriate a flute might be, feel free to ask here! There are always plenty of helpful folks around willing to lend you their opinion.
Well, I'm having better success from the flute this morning, so I guess I was just all tired out last night. I think what I will do is save up a bit more so I can buy something better for my next one, and persevere with this one for the time being.
Got another question though - what's good for dry lips? Mine keep drying out a lot and it feels odd by the time I get to the end of a bar
(PS:...Im getting really good at Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - I have an audience of 3 under 5 and every time I stop they said "do it again mummy!!!" )
awwwwwww lol your kids hehe..... hey try some vaseline on your lips that should help with dryness and heal sores etc.
Good to hear you are finding playing the flute a little easier now. The sound from the Odyssey isn't too bad compaired to other cheap flutes, but i've heard mixed reviews about it.
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