Whenever I play flute I find getting my embouchure right is very difficult. Should I shave off my bushy moustache?
This is not a problem when I play banjo
Jimmy Young (not the broadcaster) from Rua...and ex The House Band.... had a wonderful bushy moustache and was a marvellous flute player.
He now lives in New Zealand and comes back to Scotland on too few occasions.
Sorry guys but I have to laugh when I hear you fluten tooters discuss this stuff!
I spent a couple of days with Packie Duignan in Drumshambo, many moons ago & he kept his flute, rattling around the inside pocket of his jacket.
He used to take it out, gob on his hand, smear the spit over the holes & blasht away.
From what I could see too, he hardly had a tooth in his head!
I'm sure he'd have played just as well, with a handlebar moustache & a full beard too!
tashes look hideous in this day and age if they are there to represent something thats different but they look naff on old and young men. Sorry worse on young men.
"tashes look hideous in this day and age if they are there to represent something thats different but they look naff on old and young men. Sorry worse on young men."
As someone who has worn a full beard, which of course includes a tash, for the best part of 40 years I take offence. I am deeply offended, hurt to my core & upset more than you can possibly ever imagine! sob sob ................
Surely facial hair is natural & so should be left there.
I'm all for everyone wearing a full beard & if a woman naturally grows a tash, then she should leave it alone!
As for shaving your legs, there should be a law against that, ......& women should not be allowed to do it either!
Unfortunately, I have to admit to having a moustache since the seventies when it was more fashionable and long before it had "gay connotations". I'm that used to it now and it doesn't even occur to me to shave it off. It also helps to hide a permanent scar mark which I've had since about the age of six after walking into the sharp edge of a dining room cabinet when I was sober!
I used to have a beard for a few years too but I'm reluctant to regrow it now as it would be grey.
I've been playing a Dave Williams blackwood flute for about 15 years now. I usually play it in the evening. I've noticed that the area on my side of the embouchure is now quite a bit more "rough" than the rest of the flute, and I've surmised that my "10 o'clock shadow" has sandpapered the wood. No difference in the playing or tone of the flute, just an observation.
Providing you brush the 'tache to each side it should not affect your embouchure - the only problem would be if it grew straight down over your lips, but then you would observe the effect on eating, drinking, talking, and kissing too ! In these cases you should trim it carefully. My father always used to trim his moustache before he went out Friday night to the whist drive at the local church hall. I don't know if that helped his play at all.
Jim, what about excersizes to get better control and determine what sounds best? What about doing octives? like start on low D, then the next octave, then low D ..holding each note for 4 counts (long)...and then do scales or 5ths etc to build up your embouchre. Do some of it looking in a mirror so you can see what your doing and what your doing when your getting a sound your happy with...10 minutes a day. Like yoga(although I prefer to think of it as zen). Might help.
Flute techinique
Flute techinique
Whenever I play flute I find getting my embouchure right is very difficult. Should I shave off my bushy moustache?
This is not a problem when I play banjo
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Yohan
Re: Flute techinique
So - do you shave your hands then?
You could try waxing the 'tach which could give an interesting effect - Hercule Poirot plays flute
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by breandan
Re: Flute techinique
Jimmy Young (not the broadcaster) from Rua...and ex The House Band.... had a wonderful bushy moustache and was a marvellous flute player.
He now lives in New Zealand and comes back to Scotland on too few occasions.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Johannes J
Re: Flute techinique
I play a lot like Jimmy Young (the broadcaster), maybe joint grease would work as some makeshift wax?
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Yohan
Re: Flute techinique
'Waxing the moustache' has a different connotation from waxing other hairy parts. English is such a fun language
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Ottery
Re: Flute techinique
I'm not sure I needed that image Ottery LMAO
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by breandan
Re: Flute techinique
Sorry guys but I have to laugh when I hear you fluten tooters discuss this stuff!
I spent a couple of days with Packie Duignan in Drumshambo, many moons ago & he kept his flute, rattling around the inside pocket of his jacket.
He used to take it out, gob on his hand, smear the spit over the holes & blasht away.
From what I could see too, he hardly had a tooth in his head!
I'm sure he'd have played just as well, with a handlebar moustache & a full beard too!
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Flute techinique
My flute buddy has a 'tache like the Walrus from Alice in Wonderland. It never stopped him
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by blas
Re: Flute techinique
tashes look hideous in this day and age if they are there to represent something thats different but they look naff on old and young men. Sorry worse on young men.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: Flute techinique
Jim McDim was rather thin
and couldn't play the flute.
He grew a 'tache
and got a lash
And that was the end of 'im.
Sorry Jim McDim??? but I detect a windup don't up think.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by the wounded hussar
Re: Flute techinique
"tashes look hideous in this day and age if they are there to represent something thats different but they look naff on old and young men. Sorry worse on young men."
As someone who has worn a full beard, which of course includes a tash, for the best part of 40 years I take offence. I am deeply offended, hurt to my core & upset more than you can possibly ever imagine! sob sob ................
Surely facial hair is natural & so should be left there.
I'm all for everyone wearing a full beard & if a woman naturally grows a tash, then she should leave it alone!
As for shaving your legs, there should be a law against that, ......& women should not be allowed to do it either!
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Flute techinique
Unfortunately, I have to admit to having a moustache since the seventies when it was more fashionable and long before it had "gay connotations". I'm that used to it now and it doesn't even occur to me to shave it off. It also helps to hide a permanent scar mark which I've had since about the age of six after walking into the sharp edge of a dining room cabinet when I was sober!
I used to have a beard for a few years too but I'm reluctant to regrow it now as it would be grey.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Johannes J
Re: Flute techinique
Jim,
Shave your testicles. This worked wonders for me.
I should point out though that it did not effect my flute playing in any way.
Regards,
Harry.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Harry B
Re: Flute techinique
Hey Jim, a moustache never stopped this flute player from becoming a millionaire:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Anderson_(musician)
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Flute techinique
Sorry, don't know what happened there!
Try this one:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Anderson_%28musician%29
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Flute techinique
Greetings fellow bearded tooters..! ya hairy bunch..
To think of all the money I have saved buy not buying razors..
It could be in the millions?
Embochure? Try chapstick!
Razor burn on the testicles... It 'll give you something to think about between sets...
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by lamh trom
Re: Flute techinique
I've been playing a Dave Williams blackwood flute for about 15 years now. I usually play it in the evening. I've noticed that the area on my side of the embouchure is now quite a bit more "rough" than the rest of the flute, and I've surmised that my "10 o'clock shadow" has sandpapered the wood. No difference in the playing or tone of the flute, just an observation.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by jtrout
Re: Flute techinique
Providing you brush the 'tache to each side it should not affect your embouchure - the only problem would be if it grew straight down over your lips, but then you would observe the effect on eating, drinking, talking, and kissing too ! In these cases you should trim it carefully. My father always used to trim his moustache before he went out Friday night to the whist drive at the local church hall. I don't know if that helped his play at all.
# Posted on July 14th 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Flute techinique
thanks for all your comments my moustache is the full Ned Flanders - nice and bushy. I think Flanders plays better than me though
# Posted on July 15th 2006 by Yohan
Re: Flute techinique
Jim, is your name on this list?:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_famous_people_wearing_a_moustache
# Posted on July 15th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Flute techinique
Good man, Harry! I've been seardhing the net for the photo of young Cathal McConnell in vain.
Mr. Ptarmigan, have you seen this comment of Zina's? http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display/5317/comments#comment111893
# Posted on July 15th 2006 by slainte
Re: Flute techinique
Yes I did Slainte - still got my beard though, in any case, I go to sessions, so I don't count!
# Posted on July 15th 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Flute techinique
Jim, what about excersizes to get better control and determine what sounds best? What about doing octives? like start on low D, then the next octave, then low D ..holding each note for 4 counts (long)...and then do scales or 5ths etc to build up your embouchre. Do some of it looking in a mirror so you can see what your doing and what your doing when your getting a sound your happy with...10 minutes a day. Like yoga(although I prefer to think of it as zen). Might help.
# Posted on July 20th 2006 by maryfrancis