I’M STUNNED -REALLY…I’m missing my 4 front lower teeth as of 3 weeks ago, and I can play…quite well I might add! The embochure doesn’t have the steadyness,a and I have to concentrate on not pushing the flute into my lip. BUT my 2 K-9 teeth are allowing me to form a very good sounding embochure! Crazzzy-eh? So there is hope for those of you with dental worries. I must say the surgery was dreadful, but now that i’m healed more or less, I’d be happy to flash the results in St, Louy this year!
I almost don’t wan’t the implants (teeth that is- you funny funny people .
I’ve actually been wondering about this very question… broke a tooth (not a front one) recently and had a terrible dream about all of them falling out, in crumbled pieces. It made me worry about whether folks who need dentures have to learn all over again.
Then there was a post (on the whistle forum) about older flutists returning to whistle when they no longer have the wind or the teeth to keep fluting.
It’s certainly a relief and encouragement to hear about a someone who can still play even toothless. Way to go!
Its been a few years since my lower implants, as posted on the last one above, and I’m still challenged to keep the flute in one place as I play. I’m trying to cuddle it into the chin groove and find a comfort zone there. Sometimes I go back to raising the flute more on the lower lip but that’s hard to sustain.
Flutes are a challenge! But I love 'em.
Stay with it.
Edited: Its easier to play a larger style flute, Pratten, than a smaller one but still challenging. The Healy rests better on the lip and the JonC better in the chin groove. Go figure.
I play w/ a piper’s grip, so I 'm pressing the flute in the groove of my chin. While waiting at a light, I made the embochure face, which is different from the typical angry Miami F-YOU-get-outa-my-way-I’m-driving face, but not much..and noticed that my lower lip, when stretched across the 2 K-9 teeth is essentially a straight line. I spoke with a pro flute player and she concurred that more upper lip hang over yeilds a harder tone. I mean more edge..good edge..
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