Hi, I want to learn the flute next year and I was wondering if it is an hard instrument to pick up.
I haven't yet played a woodwind instrument, only the violin and piano, so i think it's quite different to anything ive learnt so far.
Anyway, any flutists out there who can offer some advice before i start learning?

My wife tells me that the flute (her instrument) is light and easy to pick up. Indeed one person can pick up several flutes at once. The piano (my instrument), on the other hand, is heavy and needs several strong people to pick it up. It is also much harder to play well imho.

But wait until you get a bass flute - you need some muscles to pick them up.

Seriously, the hardest part is getting a sound. For a beginner, once you've got that then you are ok. But once you get to the higher grades you find there is so much you need to work on!

Not necessarily, the hardest part is getting a good sound. Something that I haven't done yet

The only thing really likely to hold you up is really badly aligned teeth! If you tend to lisp or can't say "s" clearly, ask a flute teacher for their opinion.

Some lip shapes make it easier than others to play the flute.

Oh well, poor old Sean Connery!!!!!!!

I only found it harder at first because I played other wind instruments, but it is fine now. Hard to play well though

I've had one flute lesson and I can manage to sight read a few songs (as long as they're not too high or low ) I've found it relatively easy so far, practicing loads though, I have my 2nd lesson tomorrow!!

lip shapes? do you have example for that?


i'm also keen to learn to play flute but i'm afraid i might later short of breath.

Your breath control improves with playing

Good for you!

I first picked up a flute yesterday and was playing grade 2 pieces within a coulpe of hours. although the fingerings are the same as the clarinet and sax....

Fingering wise the flute is dead easy, esp the first couple of octaves. Playing with good technique and nice tone is a different ball game (unfortunately )

Not if you're using the correct fingerings, they're not.

That is what I was thinking!!!

I don't really play enough of either sax or clary to be sure, but I was wondering about that too....

lol..thanks! I missed my 2nd lesson as I was ill..I was gutted! lol...but it's next week, on weds, so look forward to it..i've been working really hard, but I get SO fustrated with myself if the lower/higher notes don't sound right, or are really airy, and i'll try changing my lip shape and the embouchure etc..and it takes ages and its so annoying! lol..

funny/not-so-funny story (i.e. only funny to me ) my friend phoned me and he's obsessed with madonna, so I thought i'd sight read and play a little bit of "don't cry for me argentina" and after I finished...he replied "sounds like when a child is learning to read - ... a.....c-a-t.......sat......on..........a........m-a-t.... "

I didn't think it was that bad!!! heehee

Hope you feel better soon

Hehehe, well I promise you with practice your embouchure and 'Don't cry for me Argentina' will get better

Thanks!! haha - yeh, well he missed his chance! He's never gonna hear the practiced, perfect rendition now...oh no!

I also play Piano and Violin and on Sunday I was *trying* to play my friends flute. Armed with a fingering chart, I think I played possibly one note properly and with it sounding good, not sure which one though !!
Anna

Flute fingerings are mostly similar to sax...but quite a bit different to clarinet

That's what I though - sort of similar to the first few fingerings over the break for clarinet?? I always thought of the chalameau (I'm certain that's spelled wrong but hey!) as being similar to treble recorder.

Still, if one tried to play flute with the same fingerings as sax, it would be close but not right. They're certainly not the same....

I started playing piano then went to flute so my mouth was ok but a friend of mine (his main instrument is sax) piack up the flute this year and found it quite hard because the mouthy positions for flute and sax are so different. I now play sax aswell but I don't have any trouble switching between the two.

Teeth don't really affect your playing unless they are growing in the middle of your mouth! ...
I've never heard of lip size or shape making a difference when playing, having a lisp not doesn't matter at all because you will learn to use your tongue in a different way to talking.
You don't make "S" sounds with your mouth when playing flute so it doesn't matter.

The fingerings for the two lower octaves are very much the same: the f# fingering on sax is the middle finger instead of 3rd on as on flute.
Apart from that its pretty much the same for the 1st octave and second (on sax you have an octave key (where the Bb key on flute is) to get the 2nd octave and there is no thumb key on sax).
Nearly *ALL* the fingerings are different for the 3rd octave because on sax that's when you start using the side key and other doovies!

I saw before someone said something about being short of breath but I can't remember who said it! I got dizzy when I first started so its normal you just have to take it easy and practise for short periods often don't play once a week til you pass out lol!!
I did a breathing exercise that really helped:
Breathe in for 10 seconds (keep taking in air for as long as you can!!) then hold for ten and then expel the air so it takes up the ten seconds.
**Increase of decrease it as you need but you will find your breathing improves so much!**
Also when you breathe, breathe as if you are breathing into your stomach (try to make your belly as big as possible!) otherwise if you breathe into your shoulders you will get a sore back (what used to happen to me) (ouch!)

Well sorry for writing so much! (It's my forte)... Hope that answers everyone's questions!! (I'm very into brackets today... )

may I add that if you find the flute hard to pick up to could try picking up the piccolo

hehe... i play oboe, and when i first started i passed out and dropped my oboe onto the floor. then i woke up and found it there! Luckily it wasn't injured!! Also, my friend who plays the tuba said she passed out in orchestra practice once and fell off the stage into the back row of the woodwinds!!

musicmouse

haha this thread is really funny
ive played the flute since i was 8, sounds late compared to some people maybe but i had to wait til i had my two front teeth haha so as long as you've got your two front teeth and a bit of patience you'll do great
Have Fun!

Your poor friend

IrisH - LoonY