I’m new to the flute, having bought my first flute (Dixon 3-piece polymer) a few months ago. Progress has been slow, but now I can actually coax a tune out of the thing now and again.
I’m considering ordering a Casey Burns Folk Flute. However, I play using the flat-fingered “piper’s grip” (due to my small and inflexible hands). I notice from the pictures on Casey’s website that the Folk Flute has Casey’s signature offset tone-holes, which I presume is meant to improve the ergonomics for the standard finger-tip style of playing. My question is; will this present a problem for a player using piper’s grip?
SteveB - I play pipers grip on the right hand and have a CB Boxwood with the offset ergonomic holes and it is not a problem. I needed to make a slight adjustment when I first played it but no problems after.
Also Ithink there is a small hands version.
You might actually call Casey and talk with
him. He is quite good at making flutes
people with small hands can play.
Steve---- I guess a good question would be, on the Dixon, what part of the fingers are you covering those holes? i.e. the flat pads of the fingertips, or the pads between the finger joints?
I have a Casey Burns ergonomic mopane with no offset holes and it is very easy to finger; I use the flat pads of my fingertips and not the ‘tips’. I also have a Dixon and I think the CB is an easier reach for small handed people (I should quantify that I’m female-- so my money is that my hands are even smaller than yours).
Since I don’t have several CB’s flutes to compare, maybe others can add details about the folk flute and the pros and cons of offset holes.
I agree with jim that a call to Casey would be good to see what he can do for you.
Casey can definitely customize the hole to fit your hand. When I visited his shop I mentioned that I played pipers’ grip when I first started learning (because I’m a piper) and eventually switched to the conventional grip. Casey said he could fit the holes to pipers’ grip if I wanted.
I guess I should have been more specific, by “piper’s grip” I meant covering the holes with the pads between the finger joint vs. the standard grip which uses the flat of the fingertip pad.
Thanks alot for the feedback. According to Casey’s web site, the Folk Flute does not come with any “customization”, but I’ll give him a call and see what he can do for me.
Yes, talking to Casey is likely to help.
Let me suggest that you consider the
possibility of getting a flute you can play
with standard, non-piper’s grip.
I believe in the long term you will
be better for it, I made the shift
myself, as instructed by teachers,
and profitted. If anyone can make one for you that
you can play that way, Casey can,
and unless there is a genuine
physical disability, once you get
it you will be able to expand to
other flutes, too. FWIW
