How do you all handle flute practice when you’re travelling?
I’m afraid that I’m going to suffer flute withdrawal syndrome during a week-long stay in an Orlando hotel this month.
Any advice? Do you think anyone will actually hear me? Do you think they’ll care? (Personally, I think they’ll believe I’m a child practicing lessons–Lord knows I sound like one.)
Will sticky-tack work on a flute?
What do YOU do?
Recommendations for flute-related activities in Orlando?
I’ve been practicing in hotels for many years, and nobody ever complained. Don’t worry, just do it. It’s a flute, not a trombone.
You could ask for a room next to the bar/disco/casino, then ( if you can hear yourself play) you won’t be disturbing anyone else!
yes, i usually make a little wall close to the blowing edge of the embouchure – more sticky-tack, closer to the edge mutes the tone more. experiment to find the optimum volume/tone.
The better hotels have walls thick enough no one will notice, or at least care. Cheaper hotels all have TVs and you can turn up the volume and be as annoying as your neighbors 
…which will cover your playing.
I play on all trips I go on. I’ve never had a complaint, most hotels have decent enough walls and I play on the quiet side, and I travel for work about once per month - so if it was that annoying you’d think I’ve have had a few complaints.
Eric
I did have a complaint once in a cheap motel in
Flagstaff. But it was a really cheap motel
and the walls were paper-thin. Sometimes I find the gym in the hotel,
if it has one, and go there to play–especially at
a time when no one is there. Maybe there’s a roof
or some place outdoors, a park, etc.
Trying the room first makes sense, definitely.
Yeah… that’s a tough one.. If you have a rental car or your own car… practice there. When I was staying in bed & breakfasts in Ireland I’d practice in the dining room during the day… Where there’s a will, there’s a way! I’ve also played in rooms and not received complaints but I still feel bad about my “neighbors” having to listen to me…
If there’s a university nearby, see if they have practice rooms…
Best,
I’m learning the whistle and just try to play softly in hotels. I also try to play during the day or at dinner time. Nothing after8:30 or so. I’m mostly traveling for work and the meetings are often in the hotel so during breaks, I’ll go back to my room and play for 10 minutes. I know a meeting facilitator who walks around the hall playing the harmonica to bring people back to the meeting when breaks are over. One of these days, I’m going to try bringing them back with a whistle.
As you probably know there are easy and effective
ways to mute a whistle. This stuff about muting flutes
is new to me, however. A flute mute would be welcome,
along with a flute capo.
Does that mean to disperse everyone at the end of the meetings, one should play a Bodhran?
I was practicing flute once in a beachfront motel in Santa Barbara. There was a knock at the door, and I was worried it might be a complaint. (For good reason, it was in my first year of flute playing!) Nope, just the maid asking if I wanted the bed turned down.
I don’t play in hotel rooms late at night, but otherwise, I just go for it. You can too.
In India you should stay in budget budget hotels. That way you can practise early morning raaga riffs bwtween 5AM and 8AM and no-one will hear you.
Ask if you can use a ballroom or conference room that is not currently in use.
Kevin Krell
At hotels, I’ll play in the room during the day or evening, up till about 9 pm. Sometimes it seems less intrusive to play in the bathroom with the door shut. Later than 9 pm, I’ve used empty conference rooms, indoor pool areas, gyms, and isolated stairwells. Never a complaint. A few times, when the hotel didn’t have any good places to play and I just had to knock out a few tunes before bed, I’ve gone looking elsewhere. Laundromats are good (many are open all night), and even a noisy bar with canned music going at 200 decibles works–find a lonely corner or booth and play away–no one else will hear you, though you may have to wear ear plugs and play mostly by feel.
Jim Stone wrote
A flute mute would be welcome,
along with a flute capo.
I’m working on a flute capo right now… 
…well, I will be just as soon as I perfect my new software for downloading red wine off the internet! 
In hotels, I just play quietly.
Generally I’ve just found a quiet corner of a lounge or an empty function room (there are always empty function rooms). Never had more than a nod…till this week…went on a cruise. First few days…typical…than one morning a nice young lady came over and said hello…Mary Coogan.
Turns out “Cherish the Ladies” had come along for the cruise…had great seats for two shows…what great luck!
Jack
i practice PIPES in a hotel, all the time. never had a complaint. stick to reasonable hours. if you play whistle and you can afford one, a hoover or laughing is a no brainer. i can’t imagine that a flute would ever be loud enough to bother anyone.
meir
Don’t be so sure that we new players know how to mute a whistle. A little guidance would be most welcome. My wife would especially appreciate it.
Thnaks