Ah the dilemma of playing the flute and wearing a bit of facial hair!

Over the last few years of playing the rim blown flutes I have been clean shaven and have been able to play most flutes I get my hands on with no problem. Not sure why but it has simply been easy for me to get the right embouchure,possibly due to the way my lips and chin are.Who knows. But I admit I thank God every day for this and am happy to have such an ability.

But... about a month ago I started to grow back my handlebar moustache and under the lower lip patch (soul patch they call it )and within a few weeks noticed that my ability to play them had dropped off the radar!! I have been taking shakuhachi lessons for the last month and not touched the rim blown Natives since then and could not make a sound! Yikes!

I truly didn't think it had anything to do with the facial hair.


So this morning I shaved it all off again and became clean shaven. The first thing I did was take down the shakuhachi and the Native rims,the Anasazi,Hopi and Mojave.

The shakuhachi playing was much easier and better focused than before and now I know why I was not playing as well these last 2-3 weeks. The real test was when I tried the rims. Wow!!! Immediately I was achieving sound and scales.In less than a minute I was back to where I had left off and playing them just fine.

So...have any of you fellows experienced such issues with facial hair?

And just for fun here are the before and after pics of what I looked like with and w/o the facial fuzz:

A few years ago:



Last month:



And today:



I feel MUCH better now!!While I have had a moustache most of my adult life,I prefer to be able to play my flutes than to have the lip hair. Just the way I want it to be for right now.

Jim

I've had a beard and mustache for decades...so don't know any differently

I would not shave to play flutes better....just adapt

Mustache and a goatee, no problems with the rimblowns (including the shak) here (to be fair, I've never played without them - hummmm... wonder if I shaved them if I could go on tour! )

Clear(ly) "hairy" Notes,

Thanks Jim, now I know why you're doing better with the Perry Yung shaks than I did! And, I now have a built in excuse for the problems I'm sure to have with the MGA Desert Flute when it arrives Monday. I've had my beard and mustache since 1975 and I ain't gettin rid of it!

Jude

I would never expect anyone to shave for the flute experience. But I figure I can grow it back anytime I want and that's always an option. For now,it is clean shaven while the shakuhachi lessons continue!! BTW, thanks Jude!!!


Jim

I've played the NAF for over 10 years ... mostly with a beard and stash. I recently purchased my first rim flute and can hardly get good notes beyong random shining moments. Granted, I really haven't spent much time with it, but I like to blame it on the facial hair, too! And so ... thanks for supporting my excuse, I mean, for confirming my observation. Plus, it HURTS when the little hairs get pulled!!! (not as much as when they get caught in the harmonica though). I'm afraid to shave now, for if I STILL couldn't play without the hair, then what would be my excuse?

The moustache was not the problem for me.The soul patch underneath was and for some men it might not be a hindrance at all. But in my case it was indeed and without it I have been overjoyed at the ability to once again "blow Ro" and play the Native rims again. Facial hair is a part of a man's lifelong journey whether we decide to shave it everyday or not.And I have always loved the stache.But right now the flute is foremost in my mind and heart and so the handlebar will simply have to wait until later on.

Besides,my wife sure likes it better without! :-)

Jim

First, my compliments to you sir, that is one fine mustache.

I have not been clean shaven since 1985 and have no intention on shaving. I would have to change my name
I do keept the beard trimmed fairly close and do notice a difference when it starts to get bushy. So, like some others, I have a built in excuse.

Ed

'Interesting. I have been wondering if the reason I can't get a sound out of my Oldman Anasazi is because of my facial hair. 'Not ready to shave yet, though.

Gasp!

What this finding might mean for archaeologists!

Ancient Pre-Puebloan (Anasazi) flutes may have been played primarily by. . . I hesitate to even think it. . . women!

Not so fast.......I've seen more than a few women with facial hair.

Were they Anasazi women?

I had a full beard for almost 17 years.shaved it to a gotee,now for almost 8 years.I will be shaving that soon,down to a stash.That's as far as I go.
Maybe it's not the hair but how you hold your jaw.Your just not holding your jaw right.

Well Back in the day, When I was 19 years old. I had an full grown beard of 1 1/2" inches thick and some people come up to me and ask, if I was over 50. When I told them I was actually 19 at time, They would not believe me. At least I never got carded when I would buy an bear when I went to night clubs.

I first read this tread with bemusement, thinking that it probably made no difference in my playing. No matter what, goatee or not, I would never get the hang of rim blown flutes. Alas, as fate would have it a trimming error led to the need to shave my goat, leaving only a mustache. Believe it or not, I could suddenly find that sweet spot, and can actually play with some consistency. I'm no MGA, Scott August or Peter Phippen, mind you, but I actually think there is a future for me with these flutes. Miracles do happen.

Dave

Reading through the last few posts, I'm realizing what a strange thread this is. People are buying bears and shaving goats. What's next?

Gee, my mustache doesn't bother my playing much.....

Mine either, but that beard ....