h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ouch! I never realized how many muscles it takes to play the flute - until now!

Several years ago I was very actively playing the flute. There was a time when I was the member of two orchestras and a flute ensemble, and practising at home, and w*rking full time - no problem!

I was recently asked by my brother to play a piece at my niece's name giving ceremony - 'it's an easy piece, I'd play it myself on my clarinet, but I think it would sound softer on the flute' he said

Foolishly enough I agreed, so he faxed me the notes - and tonight, when I tried playing the tune it sounded terrible!

'This will never do' I thought, '- I'd better play up a bit!'

Said and done - I have this book with 20 classical pieces, and the best part of it is that there came a cassette with the book, with a piano player recorded! I've always found it so much nicer to play together with someone than completely on your own...

I played all the 20 pieces, of varying difficulty, and of varying tempo - and I just couldn't believe how sore I felt afterwards!

I was happy to note that my lungs coped very well, probably thanks to the numerous walks/runs in the woods 6 days per week that I managed to stick to during my 4-week vacation...

...but the rest of my body!

My fingers are aching and there are red spots on my skin from where the weight of the flute has been resting, and now I remember that I used to have calluses at various spots - but my hands have grewn all smooth and soft-skinned...

...and when I look at my little finger on my right hand I remember how the middle joint just to lock up so that I couldn't bend it, and how much bigger the finger was compared with my left hand...

...and my jaw muscles are all clenched up due to not being used to the specific position you need to set in order to create that thin stream of air...

But I won't give up! I'll play tomorrow again, and the day after tomorrow, and - then it's the big day!

Well, just playing through those 20 pieces tonight improved my tone no end, so I'll probably be fine - but the melody is indeed *very* simple - I wonder if my brother could find someone to accompany me, either singing or on piano?

still you'll get there.

Of course I will - because I have to! Right?

Well yes, and if it's family they won 't comment if you're not up to scratch.

The trouble is not what *they* will think of my performance - it's what *I* will think of it!

My latest flute teacher was rather disappointed when I did not choose to go on studying music at university level - but I told her:

So how easy is it to make a living from being a musician? Just look at yourself - how many diffent positions have you had during the last couple of years - supply teacher jobs, short time? And just how rare are the opportunities to become a full-time employee of a big orchestra?

Well, she did not answer, but I think she got the message. As much as I would *love* to exercise my pet hobbies as w*rk, I *know* I wouldn't be able to make a living - so I chose the easy, cowardly way to a safe earning

Well yes, as the offspring of two career artists I know how difficult and unromantic the "artistic, following your dreams" way of life really is. People listen to talks on the lives of Rembrant, Gaugin and Van Gough, and think that it's romanatic, when it;'s anything but.

I've helped my Flamenco teacher fill in her tax return forms, and she's a teacher as well as a performing artist - and she would not make it if it weren't for the fact that she's living in her mother's flat - there's no way she could afford to live in a place of her own

So much of being a professional musician is being in the right place at the right time.

No2 brother discovered this when he managed a band at Uni.

No2 son is in the process of learning, have recently played his first gig with his band. Last Saturday and this has seen them recording their first attempt at a demo.

I never realised that playing the flute is a physical exercise - well, Ive learned something today

(it really isn't surprising that I didn't know - the only flutes I play with are the ones you drink champagne from... )

It *is* a physical exercise - I remember that I used to rush straight from w*rk to rehearsal with one of the orchestras...

...and I had to eat something 1-2 hours before the rehearsal, or I'd become ravenously hungry while playing, with my tummy protesting loudly! But on days with no rehearsal or other physical activity, I'd get hungry much later in the evening

I had completely forgotten that No1 son started learning the bassoon! mainly because it was the only instrument left in the cupboard. It was bigger than he was, almost, and took all his to get a note out of it! It left him pretty exhausted too.

Needless to say he didn't keep it up and it wasn't until he was 20 that he took up playing the guitar. Largely self taught, but with some help from No2 son who had lessons for about 5 years.

I can't even make a sound out of the flute!

Whenever I hold one up for more than a couple of minutes my arms get really sore...I find clarinet much easier, although last time I played that it gave me an ear infection ...think I'll just stick to percussion.

Be carefull, Titania, not to do too much each day, or you may end up missing the whole 'show'.

We have seen it happen with our daughter, playing the harp a few hours each day, until she moved to her own room in another town. She then played so much she got RSI in her fingers, and had to stop playing for a year, also missing a trip with one of her orchestras to Stockholm.

Just give your body the chance to remember how to play, and the instinctive practice will come back.

How was your breathing?

My breathing was fine - much thanks to the brisk walking/running/jogging I've been doing lately, even during my 4 weeks of vacation - but I didn't play anything today after w*rk, just in case...

I'll be playing some more tomorrow, because I've taken a day off from w*rk in order to do a whole lot of things (including the start of a mini-meetup in Stockholm with Alchemilla Digitalis with 2 kids accompanied by little French lady and Luckystar from Luxembourg)

After all these years I'm amazed that I still remember *how* to play the flute - which holes that are supposed to be covered and which aren't

A little more practise will allow me to perfect my vibrato - the tune my brother has asked me to play is a bit slow, and there are some long tones - a slight vibrato will do nicely, I think...

~imagines clarinet stuck in Niwt's ear~

Playing a musical instrument is as much a neuro-muscular skill as it is an emotional/intellectual one. The mind remembers what the body is supposed to do, but after a long period of non-practise, the specific muscles lose condition, as do the calluses specific to the instrument

I wonder if violinists get stiff necks if, after a long absence, they begin fiddling again...

All those specific little muscles that you don't use in every-day life but for playing music *will* go stiff after a long time of non-practise, believe me, Tal...

It worked out just OK - and I got a lot of compliments for my flute playing - and little Elsa is just sooooooo adorable!:'-)

Well done!

Excellent news and Elsa is such a lovely name for a child - is it after the lion from born free?