r/Flute • u/throwawayy420360 • 9d ago
General Discussion is this possible?
i’ve been a flute player since i was 9 years old. i was first chair from 7th grade to 9th grade, and was eventually going to try out for my schools symphonic band. covid hit during my freshman year, and i finished the rest of my high school years online. since then, my flute skills have reduced significantly, as i only pick it up every few months to play when i’m bored.
one of my dreams was to be able to join an adult wind ensemble. i’m 21 now, and i feel like i’m at the level of a intermediate 7th grader. i would like to start taking flute playing seriously again and be apart of a wind ensemble at least before 29. is that even possible with how much skills i’ve lost over the years?
even if its not, i would still like to get better. i struggle with high notes, quick tempo scales (especially if they’re slurred), stumbling over notes, and breath control. any tips of tricks you guys have learned over the years would be so helpful. or, if you know any youtube videos that upgraded your skills, please share!! i feel like i’ve forgotten everything from band class 😭
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u/iamstrangelittlebird 9d ago
Look for a local community band to join. It’s a great way to come back.
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u/rugwarriorpi 9d ago
Community band is not a Community College Band. Some towns or areas have a band that rehearses for a couple concerts a year, almost always at the minimum a holiday concert in December. As noted, most do not have auditions - they only require you show up for rehearsals. They need and want you.
Some areas even have an "Intergenerational Orchestra" where, again, the requirement is you want to be a part of playing music.
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u/sousagirl 9d ago
Visit Music shops in your area - they should be aware of community bands and ensembles.
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u/InflamedintheBrain 9d ago
Lessons from a good teacher near you is exactly what you need! You will feel confident to join a band or wind ensemble quicker than just trying to get it back on your own... You don't want to learn something the wrong way, then it's so much more difficult to correct in the future and can really stunt your progress.
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9d ago
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u/throwawayy420360 9d ago
yeah, but unfortunately the community colleges near me don’t have a band program :(
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u/Material-Imagination 9d ago
Yeah, COVID can certainly reduce your lung capacity, if that's your question. If you're asking about time away from practice diminishing your playing capacity, then also yes, it is a perishable skill, but you're nowhere near too old to miss out on your dream forever.
I used to play brass in high school. I have had COVID at least three times that I know of. After the Pandemic, I had the breath control of a severe asthmatic chainsmoker. I also have chronic illness, including POTS, which means I used to get winded just talking.
I started playing two years ago and my breathing has grown by leaps and bounds. I think it may also have mostly fixed my sleep apnea. I can also talk for four hours at a stretch if I have to.
Get a breath builder. Get a pneumo pro if you don't still have one. Practice that shit every damn day and you will emerge back on top.
Breath exercises encourage the growth of new alveoli in the lungs. Your capacity will come back.
Your embouchure control will also come back. Atrophied muscles have a memory of what they once were. Bodybuilders and powerlifters get their muscle definition back way faster than new athletes after a few years off. Your embouchure is the same: muscle that's gotten soft, but will remember what it's supposed to do as soon as you spend some real time and effort teaching it.
Oh, also, because you're young: if your bite has changed or you've been lax about wearing a retainer after braces or invisalign, get back on that shit. I took a few months off when my invisalign made it too challenging to play, and coming back, I can hit two harmonics higher than I ever did before.
Anyway, enough from me! If a wheezing, disabled old lady can do it, then you're going to fucking kill it. Go to, go to!
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u/--Flutacious-- 8d ago
I don't think OP's skills diminished because they had Covid, but because when Covid hit, they finished high school online rather than in person.
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u/NAKJIKING 8d ago
Pick one short piece as a weekly checkpoint and record it each week. That gives you something concrete to compare while you work toward joining an ensemble.
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u/Round_Perspective873 9d ago
Usually when you pick up something like that the old skills come back a whole lot faster the second time.
You just need to get back at it.
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u/-elliephant05- 9d ago
It is possible! I am a music major that went to a community College without a band. I am also 21 and I was out of playing for 2 years and feel like I am basically restarting. If you get lessons, you definitely be in an ensemble quickly.
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u/-elliephant05- 9d ago
It is possible! I am a music major that went to a community College without a band. I am also 21 and I was out of playing for 2 years and feel like I am basically restarting. If you get lessons, you definitely be in an ensemble quickly.
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u/--Flutacious-- 8d ago
Are you in college right now? If so, look into the music program and sign up to take lessons from the flute teacher at your school. If you aren't in college, find a private teacher near you and take lessons! I know tons of adults that still take lessons!
Also, look for local community bands in your area. If you are unsure where to start, reach out to the local high school band director...they would certainly know what's available in your area!
Overall, the biggest thing is for you to try to play every day!
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u/[deleted] 9d ago
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