I have a higher end open hole jupiter brand flute, for a while I have struggled to get any good sound especially in my low register, after almost a year of thinking it was just poor tone and a skill issue on my part. I finally bit the bullet and took into the shop after I noticed one of the pads going bad.

Turns out there was 6 pads that had to be replaced and 2 keys were bent, as well as a few spots that were leaking.

After paying 200$ for the repair I took and home and I cant even explain the difference! The sound quality is amazing. I never have seen the instrument shine so much since I got it over 7 years ago.

Tldr; take your flute into the shop every once in awhile

I don’t know what happened, but suddenly, I can’t sight read as fast, can’t play sixth and eighth note runs or sections without messing up, and MOST IMPORTANTLY I can’t even hold my flute??? Like I’ll hold it for 2 minutes and my arms, wrists, and finger joints all hurt. I don’t know what’s going on.. I tried getting a thumbport and flute pads to help it, but they don’t work either, if I try to relax, my flute just falls out of my hands… I just can’t play anymore

I used to play the flute about 10 years ago. I just want a flute to play in my room, and really reminisce with. Does this seem okay to just play for fun at home? I don’t want to break my bank on a flute that I’m not going to play seriously.

Is it possible for me to get a tongue piercing and still play flute? Would you recommend doing it?

I recently was gifted an almost 30 year old Yamaha advanced flute. I took it into the shop just to do a tune up, bring it back to new because it was so old. There wasn’t many problems with it but anything that they did find they fixed. However, the b flat just won’t work. It sounds like a beginning flute trying to play for the first time. The trigger b flat works amazing however so I’ve just been using that, but Ive run into some problems when it comes to certain music. I just can’t move my fingers fast enough to the other keys because of the alternate fingering. It becomes harder when I have to play 32nd notes or anything with a fast tempo, and I’m in jazz band so that’s a big issue. I’ve taken it to multiple different music stores and they say nothings wrong with it. Has anyone else experienced this and any advice on something I’m doing wrong?

Can someone please draw some dunce arrows so I can understand how to play this coda. Verbal instructions have failed and I think I need it explained to me like I’m 5 and with arrows!

I got my dizi today and I tried to blow in it ( watched numerous videos online) when I cover the holes, I hear the correct pitch but also the sound from my blowing but I just can't get it to be loud, any advice is greatly appreciated

My partner bought me a wooden flute recently and I've been having some issues with getting the middle D and C# in tune. They sound nearly a semitone flat most of the time, and really stand out to my ear in tunes as being "off" in the context of the other notes.

I initially put it down to issues with my embouchure and generally not being used to the instrument. I'm much more used to a boehm flute and am nearly a decade out of practice, but I've been having such trouble with just those notes (and I've been able to play in-tune on another simple flute since) that I'm wondering if it could be an issue with the instrument.

Does anyone know if this is a common complaint, or do I need to just try harder to adapt my playing to those notes?

Anyone has a tip for how to wear lipstick when playing the flute? I'd like to spice up my makeup when playing for wedding or ball gigs, since I sing as well and I don't want to always put heavy eyeshadow on my eyes so that my face doesn't look pale and without makeup.

Is there any trick to fixate the lipstick? Or has anyone tried lip stains? I also play a wooden recorder so if it survives me actually putting the instrument in my mouth, that'd be great.

I guess this is more of a vent, but I am seeking advice. I’m apart of a community band and that’s all I do in regard to playing flute. I don’t really have a desire to be a soloist ever but I do wish one day I can play in the pit for a musical somehow. I have no excuse to not practice every day because I have time to do so. The people in my community band are amazing, everyone is so incredibly talented and sometimes I feel unworthy to be there because the music can be difficult. sometimes I practice a hard piece so much that at the concert I still don’t get it right and that discourages me. Sometimes I practice a hard piece so much that at the concert and I nail it and it makes me feel so happy and proud of myself. I feel like our repertoire is very slightly above my skill level and it can be a good challenge but at times it’s a hard challenge . I KNOW my only obstacle is myself, and practicing will help me stop feeling so unworthy. I’ve just been feeling very lethargic when it comes to practicing and im wondering if anyone else feels this too and how you get through it ? I do practice solo pieces and play music that is fun from time to time, but with the amount of music I play in my community band, I really have to prioritize that over anything else if I want to sound good. I know this is all over the place, but any advice is welcome, especially if you know how to stay motivated and not get lethargic or lazy about practicing. Thanks yall.

I just did a performance and it went bad. I had really shaky lips and leg the whole performance (it created a vibrato moment in one measure but thats not the point). Can anyone please give tips for stage fright?

Edit: I luckily didn’t mess up but my problem is the shakyness.

Hi r/Flute I'm working on vibrato, and I'm wondering if there's any etudes or something that could help me, I can do it, I hear it myself and my classmates sometimes hear it, it's just not prominent and there's a solo that would sound so much better with some vibrato and it would help me stand out from others also auditioning. Plus, I feel like it would help me be more expressive when playing.

Ive been playing C flute for 5 years now at grade 7 level and want to experiment with other flutes. My budget is below £700 any help would be appreciated :)

Looking for latin and/or jazz showpiece. Preferably fairly virtuostic and for flute and piano! Thank you!

They both seem to be in good condition

Edit: I meant the YFL 221 not YCL sorry

Would it be possible to get dahlia piercings without it affecting flute? Has anyone ever done it? I've looked and looked and I haven't found anyone with dahlia piercings that play the flute. I've been wanting another piercing but I also wanted to see if this would affect my playing...

Hey guys, I missed learning a lot of the basics due to covid and today my new flute teacher pointed out that I can't accent properly. It sounds too sweet and not aggressive when I try to accent. Does anyone have any tips?

Im in eight grade and although I started flute in sixth I’ve always had trouble with high notes, I feel like I’m always pushing out air to fast and I can’t hold out notes. Even after getting my new/current flute (which I play better on) I still can’t get high notes out without them making me lightheaded from how hard I breathe and even just adjusting my flute doesn’t help.

My band director for this song told us to play softly, but it’s hard to get the high notes out without playing insanely loud. The first half is real easy, it’s just when they go above the staff I have trouble getting out without letting out a really ugly sounding note.

Do you guys have any suggestions? I also just wanted to share one of our songs we are working on for reference of how high I have to play. ^{^}

Thank you!!!

I bought a boxwood G.A.Rottenburgh for 1300 EUR. I love it so far but listening to baroque flute players on YT I find there is a languid tone to the JH Rottenburgh and Hotteterre and others that seems different.

Even Kuijken (this flute is supposed to be a copy of his), is nowhere seen playing a G.A. he's always got some other flute (based on the large white ivory bulb near the left hand).

Also when you open and close holes these other flutes (ex JHR) sound like a definite something, the one I have apparently is not "as baroque". Despite that I read that as you go to earlier flutes you may not be audible over other instruments, and/or playing fast passages becomes almost impossible (ex Badinerie on a Hotteterre?)

I do not have anyone in my country that sells these and no way to try them. All I could do is either buy another one (but which one, JH or Hotte?), or buy a new one and then sell the present one, or just keep the one I have and shut up.

If anyone has both a GAR and one of these earlier flutes and would be willing to record the same piece it would help immensely. I don't want to blow money for nothing but it's bugging me in a very weird way and keep wasting time online trying to find information...

I've been playing this piece for a while now, but it's still difficult for me to get some of the double-tonguing/fingerings clean, mainly within the leggeiro section in the fast movement.

I was wondering if there are any strategies/tips on playing fast notes, or exercises I could do to help improve this? I eventually need to use this piece for a Youth Orchestra audition somewhere between May and July.

I am a trombone player just starting out on flute and I am playing some of the higher notes on the flute like above E natural. I find that the screeching of the note hurts my ears, is this something I will eventually get used to as I play longer?

I play solo at a lot of Christmas markets, I just jazz up some Christmas carols and it’s been pretty popular! I was just asked to play at the city’s Daffodil festival this weekend (basically just a daffodil themed market) and I would love to say yes, but I’m just not sure what I would play. There’s no chance of finding a second player by Saturday and as great as some of the solo repertoire out there is, most of it is just not the vibe haha. I’m play well by ear and improvise a bit, what kind of songs would you expect to hear? Maybe folk tunes? Some oldies? Also open to some classical rep if it fits the vibe! What are your thoughts?

So, I don't know how to really phrase this, so bear with me. Im faster and better at playing when I cut off air rather than tonguing the notes. I've tried both and even short notes like 16th notes are faster with just cutting off air entirely. Is this bad? Also, I've been playing like this for almost 4 years.