Here we go. I am seriously contemplating getting a flute for ITM. I did Highland pipes competitively about ten years ago and have knocked about on pennywhistles since then, so I have at least a small inkling of what this entails.
Anyways, my problem is that I play both pipes and whistle “left handed” meaning my right hand is positioned above my left. As a beginner, should I start from scratch and learn to play “correctly” or use the skills I already have to get going as quickly as possible?
Also, I assume flutes come “right-handed” and “left-handed.” ??
My gut sense is to bite the bullet and get a right-handed flute. My rationale is to develop flutish skills cleanly and deliberately. The practical reason would be to allow a normal flute to be upgraded with keys in the future. And/or borrow and lend other peoples’ instruments if that occasion should arise.
As to the obvious yawn-inducing query - what flute? I’m thinking Delrin. M & E’s Rudall looks nice and sounds nice from clips I’ve heard.
On the high protein worm diet, I think that I would stay with a left-handed flute. Hey, if you are a lefty, then why not play a left-handed flute. Makes sense to me.
If you’ve played the pipes left-handed then I would definately stick to that for the flute. You will know from your whistling that your fingers probably “work” quite nicely when used left-handed so why change. In actual fact, you are probably way ahead of the game as far as fluting goes insofar as your fingers are happy with the concept of gracenotes and strikes and the like. Your G & D gracenotes and D strikes in particular will prove very useful in your fluting. (You may have guessed that this is the route I took).
So I would stick to left-handed (why make life difficult?) and my one piece of advice from one ex-piper to another, would be to stay away from pipe tunes, at least while you’re learning. Obviously they don’t use the full range of the flute, and you may well cause your poor fingers some confusion. Pick a few of the session standards and set off from there.
Check out this page for some discussion on left-handed playing.
But it does make it very difficult getting satisfactory left handed flutes.
I know of only 4 or 5 left handed flutes from the middle 19th Century ( including my Pond Hall & Firth shown on Terry’s site c 1850 ).
Recent ones, certainly of quality ,are very hard to find.
I am trying to arrange the sale of a good one ( from a B of a vendor looking for a fat profit to a worthy poor purchaser at no advantage to myself ). He won’t find it easy to get others.
Perhaps keyless ones are best to start on !
If Brian Finnegan can do it …
If RAMA sees this perhaps he will ring me. I have fallen out with my internet provider who, having said they wouldn’t charge me for dial up access while the broadband was down took £128 Onetel AVOID
I an suing them now !!!
I suppose makers can make you a “goofy handed” flute and even later get the thing keyed. I would say go for it and use what you learned already. You are right about it not being easy to try other flutes easily and the resale value would be affected; but heck this is an investment to make music not money.
I have a funny story, though. Playing in a pub in a tourist area as I do, you meet some real characters from all over. One time during the band’s break I saw a guy go up and take my six-key McGee out of the stand. I started heading over there pretty damn quick, but not before he raised it to his lips and started playing - left handed! Didn’t sound too bad and he wasn’t a bad player in spite of the keys and blocks in the way. He played well enough to know better than to grab a flute without asking - but that is another story!
However, the strangest thing I’ve ever seen was a Canadian fellow who sat in with us for a few tunes. He played his flute goofy handed, but with the flute sticking out to the right as usual. His right arm was all cranked up in a knot and his left was stretched WAY out to reach the bottom tone holes. He looked so odd and twisted and uncomfortable I had to laugh …till he started playing. That wiped the smile off my face because he was GOOD!
So I guess the moral of the story(ies) is that it’s about the music. Whatever works … well … works! Doing it “right” is for the classical folks.
I agree you should stick to lefty playing. There are quite a few of us here who plays lefthanded (including me). The flute is hard enough to learn without having to change to a righthanded grip that you may never be as comfortable with. Many pro’s play lefthanded as well.
I also think you’d make a wonderful choice of flute to get the M&E R&R. It’s a tremendeous band for the buck… Yes: I have one, it’s my primary flute. And it’s got lefthanded keywork fitted
I am a complete beginner, and I am left handed too; I play the flute the "normal’ way, however. The first time I tried playing a bamboo flute I picked it up the ‘normal’ way, probably by chance. I tried switching hands to see if that made a difference, but I do not think there is really an advantage for me to change, since, well you need both hands anyway to play the flute. That said. since you are already playing similar instruments, I think it’s all right to play with the hands switched.
But if you plan to try out keyed flutes, that might be a problem later on.
You may have a left handed flute done for you, but I suspect it will not be cheap.
Here’s a twist that complicates things slightly. . . I also played recorder in an early music group in college but. . . right-handed! The fingerings and playing style are, however, very different fom ITM, as i am sure some of you know. Playing Irish music is much more natural for me left-handed - when I flip positions I immediately start thinking “Praetorius” and tonguing everything. Flipping back, it’s jigs & reals. It’s extremely confusing for a small mind like my own.
I’m left handed at writing, guitar, and most other things, but right handed for flute, welding, scissors, and a bunch of other things. In some cases it doesn’t matter which hand I use, but I’d say go with what you feel suits you. When I first bought a flute I was dead set on stepping up to a keyed model. Now I’m just as dead set on not bothering. I would humbly recommend that you decide what suits you and go with it. If you are going to be playing the flute for the next 5-10 years, or the rest of your life, to hell with budgetary considerations. I’m sure you won’t be the first person around here who’s got flute spending issues.
A few months back I asked a similar question. I am very left-biased but play whistle the “usual” way, and play (at!) saxophone the same. I gave up classical guitar as a teen after six years as my right hand just wouldn’t play fast and accurately enough.
So, when it came to flute I bought a keyless which really felt strange held out to the right and I got really nowhere…even slowly…but feels good to the left. So, I took a unilateral decision and finally got hold of a keyed leftie which I hope never to need to sell .
I’m a lefty playing righty. Both hands are working pretty equally in general. Bottom line you will have more options available to buy a flute if you’re playing righty. Do what feels right. Seamus Egan plays whistle lefty and flute righty, probably vice versa too, so it can be done.
I think you should play left-handed, since you’re more comfortable with that. Also, you’ll be able to throw in the odd taorluath, and the very occasional grip, and you’ve got those. Plus, there are always D throws and G-D-E gracings that work.
Be careful of “handed” flutes. Many MANY makers angle the holes of a flute for right- or left-handed players. Unless your hands are absolutely tiny, or injured, when looking for a keyless get one with the holes inline. That way, it could be played by a righty or a lefty. As for keys, sure, the blocks are handed, but if you get post-mounted keywork it won’t matter.
Andrew’s comments really only apply if your goal is to play an original period instrument. I don’t think that’s worth considering as a factor, since there are (in my own opinion) very acceptable and even preferable options being made today.
But it’s all up to you. We just want you to be happy.
