Hello, this is my first post to the Flute Forum. Based on recommendations from this forum, I bought one of Doug Tipple’s tunable D flutes on Ebay today. I’ve been playing the high D whistle for a few months, and I decided to give the flute a try. I’ve never tried playing one of these, but I can play some on a cheap quenna that I bought a few years ago.
My main question is which type of finger holes should I get, the offset or the inline? I have I guess fairly average sized hands, but I don’t know how the stretch will be on the flute. I can play an alto recorder fairly comfortably if that helps.
Others who have these flutes may be of more help,
and I think that, at least, you can’t go wrong with
the offset holes. Flute takes some getting used
to and they may help, initially. It’s hard to see a downside.
You may not need them, however.
If the tipple flutes are cylindrical, they
may be an especially good idea.
I’ve been working with Doug on his designs over the past few months and I highly recommend the inline 3 piece flute if you’re in the market for a PVC flute. With this design, you can rotate the right and left hand independently as well as the head joint. Its a great flute for the money.
I went with the inline and have not regretted it. While it took me a while to get the pipers grip down, I now can find a comfortable finger position on almost any flute or low D whistle I pick up. When I bought my Tipple PVC the 3 piece was not available, but if it was I would have gone for that instead of the 2 piece. It just makes it more comfortable on the wrists.
FWIW, I was advised by a very good teacher not
to play flute with piper’s grip, so I had to convert
which took about two months. I was using it only
on my right hand. I’m sure one can play flute
well with piper’s grip, however my impression
is that this was good advice (better control,
crisper ornamentation, IMO, FWIW).. I still use
it, because I must, on my low D. Best
It is all preference that matters I personaly would go for the inline but those are personal reasons and might not apply (such as I play pipes{GHBs not UPs} so pipers grip is no problem for me).
I play GHB too, Unseen122 (for over 10 years). I started off with pipers’ grip but on the prospect of not being able to play a keyed flute I bought (and eventually sold) I quickly learned the traditional flute grip. My hands agreed with the change. Pipers’ grip on a flute made my hands cramp up but that went away when I switched grips.
I you’re really having a dilemma about the 3-piece inline or ergonomic, Bob, you can buy both and sell the less comfortable model here. That’s the great thing about flutes, they have pretty good resale-ability.
Thanks everyone for your replies. I’ve decided to go with the 3 piece flute with offset holes. I got an email from Mr Tipple about this, and that’s what he recommended. He also offered to replace it with the inline version if I don’t like it, so I can’t go wrong.
I have to completely disagree with the comment that piper’s grip somehow makes it more difficult to get crisp ornaments. What makes it difficult to get crisp ornaments isn’t the grip style, its anything that causes you to have tension or pain in your hands or restricts your freedom of motion.
I play with the pipers grip on both hands. For several of my students, the traditional classical flute grip causes cramping and pain in the left hand. In these cases, once adapted to the piper’s grip, all that tension goes away and the playing becomes more fluid, the ornaments clear, and in general the student is more relaxed and starts enjoying playing the instrument.
So, don’t take anyone tells you as gospel, including my advice. I have found that what works best for flute, and all other instruments is to do whatever it takes to eliminate all sources of tension, adjust your grip, stance, flute, posture, whatever is required to allow completely relaxed playing.