Charles Nicholson modified his flutes so as to be easy to hold and control. And he added shark’s skin under the right thumb to improve his grip. Terry’s site is very good on this, including pictures of the flutes.
I’ve sometimes pasted moleskin on the flute at strategic places, and roughened it with super glue. Sometimes I put rubber bands around the flute so as to provide a better grip for my right pinky. Lately I bought some Gorilla Snot, but I’ve yet to use it on the flute, being content to use it to gross out my wife.
Rob Sharer has his special cork stick-on for the right pinky.
I’ve sometimes fashioned bopeps of clear plastic tubing.
Well, what do we add to improve grip, if anything? What do you think of the strategy?
If you Google “Flute thumb rest” there’s all kinds of stuff out there. I would be more likely to use this type of thing on the Boehm flute since it tends to want to walk away from me. I’m really bad about keeping Eb vented with my B4 but that’s my problem.
The thumb rests I’ve seen were made to fit the Boehm flute and didn’t ‘clip on’ the
wider bore of our flutes. Broke some trying. I have used one on an A fife, but
it didn’t much help. But SOMETHING there seems a good idea, to provide a good grip
and also because my thumb tends to wander.
The Boehm flute’s keywork is clear of the body of the flute. The strap goes under the key work.
Not possible with our flutes and straps might be very close to holes, if not on them,
and also collide with blocks for keys.
Hi Jim,
I have one of these Nicholson’s flutes, but I have to find some shark skin to put in the slot. It is very ergonomic, though the upper indentation is not in the right place for my left hand. Great playing flute, especially after I made a new in tune keys foot for it.
Why not use superglue? What’s with all this girlie stuff - why can’t you just hold and play the flute without any help aids, adhesives, bits of moleskin, sharkskin, bits of cork stick-ons and stuff? Even a keyed flute isn’t that heavy.
"You think Nicholson was a girlie-man? " Jim Stone
I don’t really know - prehaps as a professional musician, practicing & performing constantly he needed some assistance to aviod damaging his hand, thumb, fingers?
Seriously, gotta go with Steampacket on this one… You play a lot, you don’t even think about dropping the flute. I’ve seen this same thread on guitar picks, ways to make them easier to hold onto, harder to drop, etc. But, if you’ve played long enough, it just doesn’t really happen.
Nicholson was Mr. Chops. He didn’t modify his flutes so that he wouldn’t drop them!
Weight has nothing to do with it. Not being able to play without add ons is a non-issue.
Nor is there a claim that this is something that everyone should do.
Some reasons:
My rt thumb wanders down the flute, which leads to pain. I usually don’t know it’s moving.
Something pasted under the flute in the rt place keeps it in place, lets me know when
it’s moved. I do this on whistles, too.
People use bopeps to provide more extension for their left index. Vulnerable sort of
finger and people find more extension helps relieve discomfort, cramping, and prevents
pain. I don’t use them now but have in the past.
The more secure the flute is at contact points, e.g. the base of the left index,
the rt thumb, the place where the rt pinky touches the flute, the easier it is
to relax the hands and the less likely it is that the fingers that cover holes will be working
to stabilize and hold the flute. This enables them to move faster and also is a hedge
against injury.
Some people may derive no benefit from these measures. But some do. Flute playing is a bottom-
up business, imo, and things that make the flute easier to grip can improve one’s playing,
even if one’s form is already good.
Also I never eat quiche! I don’t even know what it is. I can’t even spell it.
Nicholson didn’t eat quiche either! And I shave twice a day.
I don’t often agree with Jim Stone on matters concerning flutes but in this case I do.
I put a small patch of tacky grip tape to keep the base of my left hand index finger from slipping on the side of the flute. Even a small slippage from the position I find best can degrade my playing and cause discomfort in my hand. I also put a bit of tape to keep my right thumb from wandering away from the best spot.
I would just as soon not have to use the tacky tape but have found since applying it that my playing has improved over all and especially in the comfort of my hands.
I play the flute most evenings for at least an hour.
I could never hold on to a guitar pick long enough to learn how to control it so began finger picking as it is much harder to drop your fingers. I pick tenor banjo with my fingernails also.
As Jim says, not everyone needs these aids but some of us are the better for them.
Not having your thumb move to an uncomfortable spot, or - worse - a position that causes tendon issues, etc., is all part of the holding I’m talking about. If hand positions are at issue (and they usually are), then, just like embouchure adjustments and breath control, etc, they need to be constantly addressed as you practice or perform. Being aware that you’ve shifted, and shifting back while playing, is part of it all, since players often find themselves running a tune or three with a flute not equipped with pre-set sharkskin/moleskin pads, or gummy placements; not sure anyone would recommend a head vise or harmonica holder to keep the embouchure position right, either…
OTOH, if something solves an ongoing issue, it seems fine to me to find a workable solution for it. So, if something works better for you, go for it… I’ve just found that some of my solutions - even finding a different, more comfortable flute, for eg, ends up often not being the actual problem. Once the problem(s) were addressed, even the “uncomfortable” flutes suddenly weren’t.
What’s with all this girlie stuff - why can’t you just hold and play the flute without any help aids, adhesives, bits of moleskin, sharkskin, bits of cork stick-ons and stuff? Even a keyed flute isn’t that heavy.