# I bought a flute



## jurianbai

Not sure what demon inside me, but I just bought it home and enjoy every millimeter of it. Playing it also. I have playing chinese flute (dizi) since childhood, so "creating" the sound and embochuring is already known to me. Overall, learning new instrument is not alien to me, as I posted in old thread about adult learning instruments. So I am prepared to take this long road in learning this new toy.

At the moment I am intriguing about fingering. For example the medium "C" note required to open the left thumb hole, the thumb which normally used to hold the flute so I am still off balance when doing it. Any tips about this is very welcome. I will also try to look for in person teacher, but I prepared to mostly learn this by myself. Please let me know how successful this method can be for flute learning.

As for repertoire, I mostly listen to string chamber music, so right now I will need to U turn to flute repertoire, which I lacked of.

The flute itself is Japanese brand, student level model. Fellow flutist member that have one or more advises for beginner, please share. Huilunsoittaja?


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## david johnson

what is the brand? yamahas are easy to keep in adjustment, suzukis not so easy (unless they have changed). the fingering is very similar to saxophone, and upper octave clarinet. keep your bottom lip relaxed and the mouth corners firm. slide jaw out a little for higher octaves, bring it in for low notes.


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## jurianbai

thanks for the tips, dj. it's yamaha 211. I don't play saxophone or clarinet so I don't have that knowledge beforehand. Only chinese dizi, which is using stronger blow to raise the octave.


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## Huilunsoittaja

Didn't see this thread til now. Yamaha is good, it's what I started on when I first started taking lessons.

So since it's been a while since the original post, how's it going so far? Is holding it still trouble? I remember when I was little and it took some time for my left hand to get use to curving around the flute the way it has to be. The knuckle joint of the 1st finger on left hand has to be directly below the tube of the flute, even when playing C or C#!

What kind of method book are you using? How much do you practice, and what's your routine like?


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## Sonata

Very nice! I hope you enjoy it. I always get excited when I hear about people buying a musical instrument


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## david johnson

How are you progressing, jurianbai?


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## fluteman

The flute is held up by your right thumb and the first joint of your left index finger. Your left thumb should play no role in supporting the flute, it needs to be free for the B or B flat keys, or neither, as when you play C2 or C3. Good luck and enjoy!


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## jurianbai

david johnson said:


> How are you progressing, jurianbai?


sorry late reply for all fellow posters above.

I am progressing well. So, over five months I already got plenty of real purpose "assignments", such as in church and weddings. My most serious pieces are Canon in D and Air in G, both being played with flute+violin+cello, so it's a trio. The Canon is challenging for it's faster tempo and "Air" is due to its long notes and breathing. I think I am progressing very well in basic flute skill but I really realize that to step up will be harder. My main issues right now:

- tone clarity, I still produced a noisy "hush" sound everytime I blew the flute, though over the time I notice it's getting lesser and lesser by practice. Right now, it is still noticeable, my question, can we really completely eliminate that unwanted noise on this issue?
I learn that the right way to do the blowing is with "tuuh" rather than "huuh", but really I find it hard to do "tuuh" and habitually became dependent to doing "huuh".

- embouchure. I soon realize that not all infos I read from internet is applicable in my situation. After five months, I still looking for stable embouchure, question is, can we really hit the right embouchure spontaneously when we become advance? My experience is I need to "warm up" finding it every time. There is a very big issue right now: When I performing with microphone, sometime I can't properly hear my voice (stage monitor issue). In this situation, I become hopeless as I can't listen to my flute and easily lost the embouchure. I must resort to the resonance vibration in my finger to "find out" if I'm doing okay!

- fingering. yes, the open C note fingering is still challenging and as to hold the flute firmly and balance. I read two opinions regarding using 1st index finger left hand to hold the flute. One said we are allow to use it, the other said we should not use it. Although the later is a minority opinion which I read somewhere. I learn scales, to increase my speed / dexterity, but find out that some of the scales really too challenging to learn so I put that aside to focus my time on learning songs...lol.

- I'm not sure if in my current stage I need to invest time learning tongue techniques. I tried, but quite frustrated that my current physical condition maybe too "old" to add in more flexibility. So, right now I play flute with completely absence of tongue techniques.

- What my next goal is to learn vibrato. That's the cool thing I desperately must learn. For vibrato I blow a very strong air and let it vibrate. But a problem when I play low notes where I can't blew it hard. Other method is simply shaking my lips, but maybe this is a wrong way to do it. Advises on vibrato is truly needed right now.

- My routines are: one hour practice in the morning, before breakfast. And then one hour or more in the evening. Almost every days since the day I got the flute. I do flute before the meal, I found it better with empty tummy. I warm up, learn the scale, exercise breathing (luckily I learn breathing very quick), and majority of the time is for learning songs. I finished Suzuki flute vol.1. I use Rubank's Elementary method book, but not very strict following it.

I also want to share my pains during my five months learning flute!

- Both my hands are in pain for weeks in my early phase. Most pain is my left 1st index finger, still little pain up till now. I need to limit my practice time some months ago due to very seriously affecting my daily activity.

- All my body, from neck, shoulder to lower body are in pain! I can't believe all the position I read in internet as they are not correctly adjust to my body. I still searching the most relax position to play flute!

- I got my jaw cramp sometimes when I over do the embouchure. I need confirmation as if this is also "normal" in learning flute.

- After one month playing flute earlier, I got my lips wounded. It can be that my lip not used to metal surface (allergic issue) or because of frictions, but right now it is over.

Overall I really enjoyed the flute!


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## Pugg

jurianbai said:


> sorry late reply for all fellow posters above.
> 
> I am progressing well. So, over five months I already got plenty of real purpose "assignments", such as in church and weddings. My most serious pieces are Canon in D and Air in G, both being played with flute+violin+cello, so it's a trio. The Canon is challenging for it's faster tempo and "Air" is due to its long notes and breathing. I think I am progressing very well in basic flute skill but I really realize that to step up will be harder. My main issues right now:
> 
> - tone clarity, I still produced a noisy "hush" sound everytime I blew the flute, though over the time I notice it's getting lesser and lesser by practice. Right now, it is still noticeable, my question, can we really completely eliminate that unwanted noise on this issue?
> I learn that the right way to do the blowing is with "tuuh" rather than "huuh", but really I find it hard to do "tuuh" and habitually became dependent to doing "huuh".
> 
> - embouchure. I soon realize that not all infos I read from internet is applicable in my situation. After five months, I still looking for stable embouchure, question is, can we really hit the right embouchure spontaneously when we become advance? My experience is I need to "warm up" finding it every time. There is a very big issue right now: When I performing with microphone, sometime I can't properly hear my voice (stage monitor issue). In this situation, I become hopeless as I can't listen to my flute and easily lost the embouchure. I must resort to the resonance vibration in my finger to "find out" if I'm doing okay!
> 
> - fingering. yes, the open C note fingering is still challenging and as to hold the flute firmly and balance. I read two opinions regarding using 1st index finger left hand to hold the flute. One said we are allow to use it, the other said we should not use it. Although the later is a minority opinion which I read somewhere. I learn scales, to increase my speed / dexterity, but find out that some of the scales really too challenging to learn so I put that aside to focus my time on learning songs...lol.
> 
> - I'm not sure if in my current stage I need to invest time learning tongue techniques. I tried, but quite frustrated that my current physical condition maybe too "old" to add in more flexibility. So, right now I play flute with completely absence of tongue techniques.
> 
> - What my next goal is to learn vibrato. That's the cool thing I desperately must learn. For vibrato I blow a very strong air and let it vibrate. But a problem when I play low notes where I can't blew it hard. Other method is simply shaking my lips, but maybe this is a wrong way to do it. Advises on vibrato is truly needed right now.
> 
> - My routines are: one hour practice in the morning, before breakfast. And then one hour or more in the evening. Almost every days since the day I got the flute. I do flute before the meal, I found it better with empty tummy. I warm up, learn the scale, exercise breathing (luckily I learn breathing very quick), and majority of the time is for learning songs. I finished Suzuki flute vol.1. I use Rubank's Elementary method book, but not very strict following it.
> 
> I also want to share my pains during my five months learning flute!
> 
> - Both my hands are in pain for weeks in my early phase. Most pain is my left 1st index finger, still little pain up till now. I need to limit my practice time some months ago due to very seriously affecting my daily activity.
> 
> - All my body, from neck, shoulder to lower body are in pain! I can't believe all the position I read in internet as they are not correctly adjust to my body. I still searching the most relax position to play flute!
> 
> - I got my jaw cramp sometimes when I over do the embouchure. I need confirmation as if this is also "normal" in learning flute.
> 
> - After one month playing flute earlier, I got my lips wounded. It can be that my lip not used to metal surface (allergic issue) or because of frictions, but right now it is over.
> 
> Overall I really enjoyed the flute!


Good on you :tiphat:


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## fluteman

jurianbai said:


> sorry late reply for all fellow posters above.
> 
> I am progressing well. So, over five months I already got plenty of real purpose "assignments", such as in church and weddings. My most serious pieces are Canon in D and Air in G, both being played with flute+violin+cello, so it's a trio. The Canon is challenging for it's faster tempo and "Air" is due to its long notes and breathing. I think I am progressing very well in basic flute skill but I really realize that to step up will be harder. My main issues right now:
> 
> - tone clarity, I still produced a noisy "hush" sound everytime I blew the flute, though over the time I notice it's getting lesser and lesser by practice. Right now, it is still noticeable, my question, can we really completely eliminate that unwanted noise on this issue?
> I learn that the right way to do the blowing is with "tuuh" rather than "huuh", but really I find it hard to do "tuuh" and habitually became dependent to doing "huuh".
> 
> - embouchure. I soon realize that not all infos I read from internet is applicable in my situation. After five months, I still looking for stable embouchure, question is, can we really hit the right embouchure spontaneously when we become advance? My experience is I need to "warm up" finding it every time. There is a very big issue right now: When I performing with microphone, sometime I can't properly hear my voice (stage monitor issue). In this situation, I become hopeless as I can't listen to my flute and easily lost the embouchure. I must resort to the resonance vibration in my finger to "find out" if I'm doing okay!
> 
> - fingering. yes, the open C note fingering is still challenging and as to hold the flute firmly and balance. I read two opinions regarding using 1st index finger left hand to hold the flute. One said we are allow to use it, the other said we should not use it. Although the later is a minority opinion which I read somewhere. I learn scales, to increase my speed / dexterity, but find out that some of the scales really too challenging to learn so I put that aside to focus my time on learning songs...lol.
> 
> - I'm not sure if in my current stage I need to invest time learning tongue techniques. I tried, but quite frustrated that my current physical condition maybe too "old" to add in more flexibility. So, right now I play flute with completely absence of tongue techniques.
> 
> - What my next goal is to learn vibrato. That's the cool thing I desperately must learn. For vibrato I blow a very strong air and let it vibrate. But a problem when I play low notes where I can't blew it hard. Other method is simply shaking my lips, but maybe this is a wrong way to do it. Advises on vibrato is truly needed right now.
> 
> - My routines are: one hour practice in the morning, before breakfast. And then one hour or more in the evening. Almost every days since the day I got the flute. I do flute before the meal, I found it better with empty tummy. I warm up, learn the scale, exercise breathing (luckily I learn breathing very quick), and majority of the time is for learning songs. I finished Suzuki flute vol.1. I use Rubank's Elementary method book, but not very strict following it.
> 
> I also want to share my pains during my five months learning flute!
> 
> - Both my hands are in pain for weeks in my early phase. Most pain is my left 1st index finger, still little pain up till now. I need to limit my practice time some months ago due to very seriously affecting my daily activity.
> 
> - All my body, from neck, shoulder to lower body are in pain! I can't believe all the position I read in internet as they are not correctly adjust to my body. I still searching the most relax position to play flute!
> 
> - I got my jaw cramp sometimes when I over do the embouchure. I need confirmation as if this is also "normal" in learning flute.
> 
> - After one month playing flute earlier, I got my lips wounded. It can be that my lip not used to metal surface (allergic issue) or because of frictions, but right now it is over.
> 
> Overall I really enjoyed the flute!


Well, here are a couple of basic tips after 45 years of flute playing (including orchestras, bands, early music groups, musical pit orchestras, church services, weddings, etc.):
(1) The Taffanel and Gaubert Method, published by Leduc; (2) De la Sonorite, by Marcel Moyse (also published by Leduc) (3) The etudes of Joachim Andersen, in the public domain and published by many. I've spent nearly an entire lifetime (so far) with these, especially the first two. For repertoire, the classics, Bach, Handel and Mozart, are a must. As you advance, try the late 19th century French classics of Faure, Chaminade, Godard and others, and finally, the great 20th century works by Prokofiev, Hindemith and Poulenc.


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## musicprofessor

How are you progressing? Hows your Flute practice going on?


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## jurianbai

hi musicprofessor, thanks for visiting this thread. I still practice flute daily with the same enthusiast as my first day, about a year ago. When I first bought a flute I intended to find a tutor, alas, the tutor recommended to me is now too busy in post graduate study and not available anymore. So, I left by learning the flute totally by myself. I used online resources and read a lot about it.

I shamelessly attached two records, just want to share my experiences in this thread. I hope TC member who flutist can kindly listen and give feedback. Two songs attached, one is me playing in trio along violin and cello. The second is Badinaire in very slow tempo. This is my hardest piece and I slowly try to built the tempo as required. 

By far, I think I missed all important foundation since I don't have tutor. I mostly missed the legato - staccato mark. I still don't have any vibrato. There is no tongue techniques as I really not sure how to correctly do it. I hope I can correct it when I found flute tutor.


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## Huilunsoittaja

jurianbai said:


> hi musicprofessor, thanks for visiting this thread. I still practice flute daily with the same enthusiast as my first day, about a year ago. When I first bought a flute I intended to find a tutor, alas, the tutor recommended to me is now too busy in post graduate study and not available anymore. So, I left by learning the flute totally by myself. I used online resources and read a lot about it.
> 
> I shamelessly attached two records, just want to share my experiences in this thread. I hope TC member who flutist can kindly listen and give feedback. Two songs attached, one is me playing in trio along violin and cello. The second is Badinaire in very slow tempo. This is my hardest piece and I slowly try to built the tempo as required.
> 
> By far, I think I missed all important foundation since I don't have tutor. I mostly missed the legato - staccato mark. I still don't have any vibrato. There is no tongue techniques as I really not sure how to correctly do it. I hope I can correct it when I found flute tutor.


That's very good for one year! Considering you're adult and you know how to set goals and be disciplined, that's probably why.

I see you saw the thread I was speaking to another person about their daughter who plays flute. Those books would be great for you too! The Rubank Intermediate Method book I think is good for your level.

As for tone development, I suggest a number of tone exercises.

Hear what this lady demonstrates. This is just some of a whole host of exercises you can do:


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## jurianbai

hi Huilunsoittaja thanks for the reply. You are correct that practicing tone are very important. When I heard flute music I expected the tone to be beautiful too. I will check all your books recommendation. I have do some easy Moyce and put it in my practice regime. At the moment, most Moyce exercises are still difficult in my level.


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