I just got a flute again. I played many many many years ago in middle schoo. I'm having trouble getting the pretty clear sound I used to get and wondered if this is to be expected. Maybe memory fails, but I don't recall it being so difficult to play well.

I'd say for you to concentrate in long notes exercises. Those that go from one note chromatically to another, say beginning at middle G and going down, an then up in 8ths through the high C, and after that down to middle G again chromatically.
Then, make intervals in the same manner, like minor 3rds goind down, major 6ths going up, and again minor 3rds to middle G. You do the chromatical stuff everyday, along with one of the intervals of your choise, like this:
day 1: chrom. + minor thirds-major sixths-minor thirds
day 2: chrom. + major thirds-minor sixths-major thirds
day 3: chrom. + fourths-fifths-fourths
day 4: chrom. + fifths-fourths-fifths
day 5: chrom. + minor sixths-major thirds-minor sixths
day 6: chrom. + major sixths-minor thirds-major sixths

The first note take one beat of 60, and the second note takes three beats of 60, followed by a breathing, and so on.
This type of exercise gives you the possibility of perceiving and correcting tone variations, along with trainning your breathing and posture.

Zevang

It is VERY normal, especially after many years of playing. Most experienced players who have not taken a break notice a significant decrease in the quality of their playing after just a couple of weeks (if not a few days), so you're very well in line with this. Unfortunately, playing flute is not like riding a bike...You have to keep after it or else you begin to lose the ability. The muscles involved in producing your embouchure are likley out of shape after years of disuse, and it will take some time to get to a reasonable strength again. I would suggest getting a book like Trevor Wye's Tone book and doing the exercises out of it to help develop your sound again. This exerecises should be done every day for greatest effect. You might also have the flute looked at if it sounds airy, as depending on it's age and maintainence record, it may need some work to seal leaks.

Sorry! Make that first sentence "many years of NOT playing"!

in other words, you lost your lip, read the above advice to gradually get it back, it happens to anyone after being away from the flute for so long

Thank you all for your great advice. I will be practicing like a demon from now on. Have to say I am really really enjoying myself. It's so relaxing. The flute I have is a Gemernheim? 2sp. I didn't want anything to complicated for right now. It's brand new though. I am going to have it inspected at any rate. I bought it on the net. But it doesn't appear to be damaged and the pads look very good. It is probably just being out of practice for such a long time. Thanks again.

just remember to focus, not force your tone. When you get frustrated, put it down for a while, then pick it up again, go for quality practice, not quantity

Have you ever heard about a brand called "Tamino"?

Zevang

I haven't...Can you tell us about Tamino?

Is there a website that has the brand Tamino on it? I haven't heard of it either. Do you know where it is made?

I wasn't asking where is was made as to judge the quaility of the flute.

Tamino... Well, that's the story.
My flutist colleague at the orchestra likes to go to Sweden to a kind of summer course, where she teaches little ones using Suzuki method.
The important in this metter is that her host teacher there, Mr.Anders Chapelon, was a consultant to this new chinese factory, Tamino, and developed a cheap flute (less than US$ 280,00) that produces a fine tone. We've played together when my colleague brought the Tamino, while I was using my 14K Sankyo, and intonation was easy.
The flute is a basic model, all silver plated, and seemed much like my old Yamaha 21-S, with a Sankyo headjoint (very similar to the NRS-1). I tried this flute. Sound comes very easily as we would wish from a student flute.
If it is just another copied flute, they did it well and heard every tip Mr.Chapelon gave them.
It isn't well known by now because it's a new brand in the market, but I'm sure you'll hear about it pretty soon. I was very impressed.

Zevang

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... And Kara, sorry, I don't know of any website of this brand. But if I find anything about it, I'll let you know.

Sounds like an intriguing addition to the market. I'll keep an eye out for one.

Stlouisgirl777, if you can, please try to schedule a couple of lessons with a local flute teacher so that they can inspect your flute personally and help you with your playing.

Fuzziness generally occurs when your lips are obsctructing your airway or your air is not focused into the flute correctly.

Try playing with this and see if it helps any:
Take your flute and try playing an A with your cheeks full of air. Focus on the note while slowly emptying your cheeks, droping your jaw, and moving you lips more center, but still maintaining the same strenth of air. Try to make the sound resonate and feel fuller. Try rolling your lips out a little bit. Try moving your jaw in and out and find a sweet spot in the sound. Move around from A to Bb to A to G to A and branch out and play around with your sound.

Now that is pretty much all you can do sight unseen while a teacher will be able to see that your lips are in the wrong place on the embouchure plate, hands are in the wrong place, flute isn't aligned quite right, flute is in bad shape, and other things that if you fix in the beginning your flute playing will be a joy.

StephenK, well reminded this subject of the relaxed embouchure.
It's worth a specific topic to discuss it.

Zevang