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Fluting Braces
Help, I'm wired!
As you should know, flute playing is done with both lips
vertically on top of each other. When you're playing with
braces, this vertical position changed. Correcting the
position of the lips is the main answer to your tone prayer.
Don't despair, it won't be easy restoring your good old tone
but it can be done. Use your ears and everything between
them.
Types
- Upper teeth braces move
your upper lip to the front removing the ideal vertical
position of the lips. This will direct the air stream
down, make the lip hole bigger, ... resulting in a misty,
non centred tone. High notes will strain your nerves by
almost always changing from high to low.
Bring your lower jaw and lips more to the front to
restore the vertical position. A lengthy process that
needs constant attention, but it works. Believe me, I
know.
- Lower teeth braces push
the lower lip outward. This removes your tone centre en
results in an out of focus tone, mostly compensated with
stretched lips. First of all, let your lips live, don't
stretch ! Also, don't push your flute to your chin. It
blocks your lower lip and/or makes your lip bleed.
Try moving the lower jaw while you play, in and out,
like an intonation exercise and listen. Try to find your
well beloved standard tone. Keep both lips together using
a vertical motion, keep the lip hole small.
- Complete braces are not
the worst kind of braces. Yes, you'll have to search for
your best tone again, but I hope your lips will stay
vertically on top of each other as both lips are pushed
forward. Don't force your lips or flute position ! Keep
calm and search.
Tips :
- Keep your lip hole small using a vertical lip
movement instead of horizontally stretching your lips.
Push your flute a bit up, narrow your lip hole
vertically.
- Don't put your flute higher against your lower lip.
This blocks the movement of the lower lip and results in
a rigid tone.
- In the beginning your body will think there is food
in your mouth. It will produce saliva and maybe annoy
you. In time this will vanish too.
- When your braces are newly installed, then is the
time to searching for that lost tone. Don't panic. All
the basics of flute playing still apply. Finding that
tone again will consume almost all of your time and
attention. So be it. Better a good result than a fast
one.
Good luck !
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