Hi. I just acquired a six-key D Irish flute. Can anyone explain proper hand position and technique for use of the B flat key?
The B flat key pad is located just a little north of the B tone hole, 45 degrees fron TDC, on the inward side, and judging by pictures of other similar keyed flutes, this is the normal location. I use my thumb to support the flute, and it is located directly under the B hole. I use the pads of my fingers to cover the top holes, not pipers grip, and given this, it seems utterly inaccessible to my thumb without going through a very awkward and binding slide and contortion of the palm of the hand and thumb.
I suspect I am approaching completely wrong. Thanks for any tips.
Don’t support the flute with your left thumb.
Try the 3-point system : lower lip, left index, right thumb. Seems impossible at first but if you push with your right thumb to the side of the flute instead of letting the flute rest on it, you’ll see that it is possible and actually quite comfortable.
Alternatively push with rt pinky against the side of the flute. You lift it when all the rt fingers are down. The rt thumb goes more or less under the flute.
On the left side lower lip. Brace the flute on the base of the left index’;that’s your fulcrum. You know when you’ve got it right when you can play with the left thumb hanging off the flute. Practice that way sometimes.
Ahh, just don’t worry about it. It will come in time. Slowly, but the answer will appear. Play some tunes where you need to use the Bb key - some Paddy Canny jigs, Crabs in the Skillet, Splendid Isolation, The Square at Crossmaglen. Keep at it and you’re sure to get it.
I only ever saw Jim Stone playing a keyless flute. Luc makes one-key baroque flutes. Trying to follow specific technical advice from an internet site can be very frustrating. I do in fact support my 6-key flute with my left thumb. And I use the pads of my fingers to cover the top holes. Have been doing so for over twenty years. And I have no particular trouble using the Bb key. I just slide my thumb down a bit to use the Bb key, still supporting the flute in part with that thumb.
My own feeling is that any good music comes a place where there’s no tension.
I’m with Julia…it will come with practice, and I hold the flute similarly as well (maybe don’t 100% use the left thumb but rather it sits touching both the thumb and the left index finger).
Alternately, I find Bb often half holes very well and do that as much as I use the key.
Agree with Julia and have been playing 20 + years, I support (a little) with my left thumb and keep it close to the Bb key and roll/slide it onto the key when needed. I used to play for quite a while with the LH thumb further up the flute until I came across a tune with Bb and then slid it down the flute, there are probably a lot of other things to concentrate on without worrying about the Bb key until you get the hang of holding/supporting it.
Thanks for all this, and it actually does make sense to me. Coming from violin, tension is your enemy, and I need to come to terms with which of these might be the best approach.
Sorry Julia, B hole, and corrected in original post. Three new tunes to learn. )
For the record I often play a 6 keyed flute and do use the Bb key. But you know, what I described is an option among others
and was announced as such. I agree with those who find the Bb note easy to half hole.
I’m not sure what to call it, but a ‘Bb touch key’, i.e. one activated by the knuckle (for a r/h player) of your right hand, rather than the thumb of your left, makes sense to me.
(Edited to remove tasteless and ill-placed humor).
Agree with the above. Jim’s suggestion to sometimes practice letting the LT hang free is a good one. My grip is a pretty standard one, and relies very little on the LT.
“In order that the flute may be held at all times steadily and firmly, one of the essential conditions for good playing, its support must not be allowed to depend on any parts of the hands which are required to act, either directly or indirectly, on the finger-holes.
It must therefore be pressed against the lower part of the under lip by means of the base of the left hand first finger and the tip of the right hand thumb.”
Richard Shepherd Rockstro (1826-1906), A Treatise on the Flute, 1890
As far as I know Mr. Rockstro never made a one-key baroque flute in his life, but he still seems to share my opinion on holding the flute ( or is it the other way around?)
“In order that the flute may be held at all times steadily and firmly, one of the essential conditions for good playing, its support must not be allowed to depend on any parts of the hands which are required to act, either directly or indirectly, on the finger-holes.
It must therefore be pressed against the lower part of the under lip by means of the base of the left hand first finger and the tip of the right hand thumb.”
Richard Shepherd Rockstro (1826-1906), A Treatise on the Flute, 1890
Doesn’t work for me I’m afraid - I think with music instruments you adapt what’s recommended to your particular needs for instance a classical guitarist will hold the instrument in a different way to John Doyle.
If I’m playing a fast reel with lots of rolls like the Maids of mount Cisco I need LH thumb support to steady the flute. I haven’t heard Mr Rockstro play but perhaps he was more into slow airs .
Don’t know if you’ve ever done this, but, if not, suggest you see a teacher of Irish flute and take a lesson or two to get started.
This isn’t a brush off. You can save yourself much time and grief. Obviously people go about this in different ways.
Not the case that one size necessarily fits all. But there are some standard ways to start.
I’m doing it one of the standard ways, as taught me.
This way:
Hold the flute with just the rt pinky down (I can’t myself use the rt thumb; it’s an alternative but I use the pinky)
Press outish with the pinky. All fingers off the holes. Thumbs off the flute.
Use the base of the left index as a fulcrum and press out with the lower lip and chin against the flute.
This is called the three point method of holding the flute. It will secure the flute with lots of stability, without using other fingers at all. Practice this.
Add the thumbs. It’s OK for them to do some work in stabilizing the flute but they shouldn’t be doing lots of work. If you feel they are doing lots of work, return to the three point position.
Add the other fingers. These are doing no work in holding the flute–they are free to cover holes.
It’s good to follow these steps in picking up the flute and holding it, and to review them occasionally while holding it.
It gets you a secure, relaxed grip where the left thumb is free to leave the flute and work the Bb key.
Again, emphatically, This is NOT the only way to hold a flute. It does work for lots of people and you may find it a good place to start.
[One popular variant is to use the rt thumb pressed against the side of the flute, not the rt pinky. It’s still the 3 point method, with the thumb pressing out instead of the pinky. I’ve tried this and can’t get enough stability this way, though obviously plenty of others can. I would recommend using the pinky initially, cause it’s easier initially. But whatever…]
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