I keep my lips wet...

I don't keep my lips wet, but I must sometimes give my bottom lip one lick before I play the flute for the first time in the day. If my lips were dry and untouched by lip balm they would glide across the lip plate as if it were silk. After I start playing, the lip plate retains sufficient friction till I clean and put the flute away for another day.

I have heard of some licking the lip plate itself for the same purpose, but you're basically cleaning the area with your tongue at the same time. Hopefully what is there tastes good.

Hi everybody!

I am far, really far away, some 12000 Km from home and doing well. Except that I have lots of problems with my mother, unfortunately she is now in geriatric residence.

I see that my simple question arose a big storm of great ideas and some serious recommendations. Thank you all for them and for the fun reading your very original ideas.

I could have the cork of my (now) spare flute changed here and as I have it with me, I will take your reccs in account while practising. Zevang's idea is something simple to try and may be very effective.

But keep the ideas (and the fun) coming!

Greetings

Jose Luis
I'm sorry to hear about your mother, I hope everything turns out well.

Regarding the original question: I do NOT wet my lips or chin area. I do take a drink if my mouth feels dry, but I do not wet anything on the outside.

kippsix, good point!

I addopted a practice of drinking water regularlly during the day. Seems so obvious but it resolved an issue I had sometimes when my lips got dry, and consequently, my playing became horrible.

Zevang

i will not wet the resting stop because i have a rubber piece were my resting part is so even wetting that does not make it easliy to change my position. But i do wet my lips before i play it makes it easyier to play.