I seem quite dependent upon my right pinky finger to hold the flute, to the point that it can start to hurt a bit, or else with my boehm flute, to the point that I can’t play quickly because I need it to hold the flute.
I’ve tried various ways to use only my right thumb, my left index joint and my chin, but the flute always wants to roll forward (both kinds, Irish and boehm, and the boehm quite a bit because of the keys). Before I know it, my right thumb is underneath the flute again and I’m back to using my pinky and it starts to hurt (or becomes loathe to lift off the eb key on the boehm.)
Your flute should be resting against the side of your left index finger’s knuckle. This should stop it from being able to roll forward.
Remember, it doesn’t hold it up…rather, you are pushing back with it, directly back towards you.
Neither does your right thumb hold it up…it pushes almost straight out from you.
With those two points of contact along with your chin, you should be able to hold the flute solidly using no fingers at all and even with your left thumb hanging free.
I’m guessing, here, but if your flute wants to roll forward, then it could be in the way you are using your left hand, it being too low at its contact point with the flute. Straightening your left wrist somewhat could effectively rotate the contact point a bit higher, reducing the flute’s tendency to roll. Edit: And, when you find the place that’s just right for you, the flute will not tend to roll, at all, and your fingers also will be free to play. You’ll know that place when you find it, as it speaks for itself.
It’s true, though, that holding the flute properly (as basic as it seems) can be a challenge at the beginning. I tend to clamp too hard with the left hand, and sometimes get cramping in the lower part beneath my thumb. The best thing is always to spend a few minutes stretching muscles before playing, and then always be looking for an easy, relaxed grip. Once it becomes a habit, you’re home free. The primary rule is: if it doesn’t feel good, you’re not doing it right!
if it still rolls and it rolls when you lift your index finger, you are not far enough down on the knuckle. It needs to be far enough down that the finger is not helping.
That’s exactly the same problem I have. When I’m paying attention, I have the flute on the proper anchor points, but when I’m not, that damned left thumb comes rocketing in to press against the flute and hold it firmly in place…causing of course, no end of pain.
The trick is finding the balance in your left hand, holding it like James described (assuming you play right-handed). When you find that it only takes enough grip from your right hand as you need to keep those fingers in place. The left hand grip combined with contact of the headjoint under your lip should anchor the flute quite comfortably.
Veni, vidi, velcro… is that off of a coffee mug or something? Although ‘veci’ isn’t too far off. according to this this wiki it means a veteran in northern Italian vernacular. So it does mean somebody who has stuck to it.
Balance is the key…when you have the flute in balance, it’s easy to hold, taking virtually no effort at all.
The good news is once you finally figure it out, it’ll quickly become automatic, and you won’t have to think of it anymore.
“Veni veci velcro” is actually a saying from when I was in college, years ago. I couldn’t tell you who came up with it or where I first heard it…it was just one of those things “everyone” said back then.
“Veni vidi visa” (I came, I saw, I shopped)
“Veni Vedi Velcro” -(I came, I saw, I stuck around) Me.
Vedi Vici Veni" -(I saw, I conquered, I came )
Veni, Vidi, Vici -I came, I saw, I conquered
Veni, Vidi, Verily -I came, I saw, I concurred
Veni, Vidi, Vista -I came, I saw, what a great view!
Veni, Vidi, Venison -I came, I saw, I ran over a deer
Veni, Vidi, Visa -I came, I saw, I went shopping
Veni, Vidi, Vegi -I came, I saw, I had a salad
Veni, Vidi, VCR -I came, I saw, I went home and rented the video
Veni, Vidi, Vinny -I came, I saw, I got an offer I couldn’t refuse
Veni, Vidi, DaVinci -I came, I saw, I painted the Sistine Chapel
Veni, Vipi, Vici -I came, I’m a very important person, I conquered
Veni, Vidi, Dei Vici -I came, I saw, God conquered
Any new physical activity takes time to learn. People do new movement all the time in a way that feels good, but is clearly not in their best interest in the long run.
I would recommend learning good technique, but doing it in moderation if it is uncomfortable at first. Learning poor technique will hamper your playing later on.
Of course what is good technique is sometimes difficult to figure out without help. Oh… and it will feel good eventually.
Sometimes the position that initially seems most comfortable
leads to injury. Sometimes the position that initially seems
awkward and less comfortable, is the
safest and most comfortable in the long run.
Holding a flute is an art and a science and, as the
instruction books i’ve read about concert flutes say,
one the player may review and fine-tune all her
career.
As to the grip that involves bracing the rt thumb on the
side of the flute, it certainly isn’t for everyone. I think
a lot of people find it unstable. More power to those
for whom it works.
There’s nothing the matter per se, Diane, with the grip you
are using, relying on the rt pinky. It’s standard. A good idea
is to check with a teacher in your area, IMO. Someone who
can see what you’re doing. May save you
some grief.
I use the base of the end joint on my ring finger, RH, to balance the flute. That, and the flute is resting on my thumb, RH.
I don’t like to use my little finger to balance the flute because it would make it too hard, if not impossible, to use the Eb key. I want the little finger free to have continued easy access to the Eb key.
Whatever you learn isn’t set in stone. As your playing develops you can change bad habits and modify what you’re doing to make playing easier for you. There are many ways of holding the flute. I doubt you will learn how to hold the flute by reading words. I don’t think the words matter.
The most important things are: always to be learning new tunes, to play inside your comfort zone, and to love to play.
cadancer’s right, and I should clarify. Any new endeavor involves an adjustment period. Holding a flute may feel awkward for a while, but it shouldn’t hurt! Pay attention to form until it becomes natural. Then just follow your muscle memory.
Right, and the body is changing, so that a position that worked
for a long while may need to change.
John Skelton told me once that he likes to play with his rt pinky
‘waggling free.’ I didn’t have the presence of mind to ask
how he braced the flute.
As you know, it’s possible, when playing whistle, to brace the
whistle by keeping the ring finger, rt hand, on the D hole.
The rt pinky isn’t used. This simplifies some fingering, in fact.
I think a fair number of Irish flute players use something like
this–however it seems to be usually done along with the
rt pinky. (Possibly Diane this might bring some relief
to your pinky?)
I balance a (keyed) flute with my rt pinky on the Eb key.
I’ve got the spring set so that the key isn’t going to open
without a bit more pressure. I know some people use the
key this way, but vent it. Maybe one day I’ll do this.
There is an occasional assist from R 3 on the D hole.
Grey Larson, who has long and sinous pinkies, I believe,
puts his rt pinky all the way over on the block that holds
the Eb key in place.
Just to add this thought: increasingly it seems to me that
working on a more neutral left wrist position is really worth
the effort. A teacher I respect a good deal advised me
to do this, saying that many people cock the wrist a good
deal (feels comfortable), and it really can lead to
carpal tunnel and other difficulties. A more neutral
position is not very comfortable, initially, and the
position of L1, L2, and L3 may need to shift too.
I was beginning to run into wrist problems and this
effort seems to have helped a good deal.
Well, I can’t really make my left wrist straight otherwise the hole to blow in isn’t anywhere near my face and I’m not about to break my neck trying to reach it. A slight bend in my wrist doesn’t seem to hurt me at all. My left hand never hurts playing the flute.
Maybe my fingers are just small but there’s not a lot of room between the knuckles and the ends of my fingers. I can, with some effort to remember, get it so that the flute is close to balanced without the aid of the pinky, but find I really need it to help me a) press down harder with my fingers and b) keep my fingers nearby to the holes so I don’t lose them.
It’s just that if I don’t concentrate my right hand thumb will come around to hold the flute below instead of staying on the side, pushing the flute away from me. And that’s when my pinky becomes the main stabilizer.
I find holding the keyless Irish flute “correctly” (if I can remember to, and if what I’m doing can be called correct) easier than holding the boehm at all. My pinky is put to work on the boehm. But I admit some of the work it’s doing is just holding the darn flute and keeping it from rolling away and off my hands, under the guise of pressing the Eb key. Which I come to conclude is wrong every time I have to play a D.
The primary rule is: if it doesn’t feel good, you’re not doing it right!