Ok friends,

I received my first flute, the five hole bamboo. My first question is;

How do you maintain control, or hold, on the flute when you play all holes uncovered? It gets really precarious trying to hang on with nothing opposing your thumbs underneath. In my case, being that is a 5 hole, I guess my left hand ring finger should stay in place, but I wonder how it will work with my soon to be arriving 6 hole.

...and I guess pinky's should come in to play, but I find them lifting with the rest of my fingers. I think I'm beginning to answer my own question.....practice, practice, practice??

Well, pointers and suggested practice techniques will help, so please indulge me.

Thanks.

Well, I'm no expert but I just use my pinkies and thumbs to balance the flute. I'd say do whatever works. You certainly don't want to drop that baby and damage it!

I don't find that my pinkies are very useful either, but I do tend to rest the flute a bit against the underside of my index finger on the right hand (when I'm not playing the hole) for additional stability--maybe not the best technical practice, but it comes naturally to me and doesn't seem to affect my playing. You are right about keeping the ring finger of your left hand in place on the 5-hole flute (assuming you play left hand up). On the 6-hole flute that finger will still be down 90% of the time and very rarely, if ever, will you play all holes open. With practice, you'll learn you hardly have to grip the flute at all and your fingers will float up and down the holes almost instinctively.

As for practice tips, I try to play various scales every day (Flutetree.com lists most every scale you can imagine), and I try to play them various ways. I might, for example, see how many times I can go up and down the scale on a single breath. I might attack each note as I do with a tu tu tu or du du du or ku ku ku. I might double tongue each note slowly and steadily with tu-ku, tu-ku, tu-ku (or tu-du); or I might triple tongue each note with tu-da-ka, tu-da-ka, tu-da-ka (or tu-da-ku). Again, the key is to move up and down the scale at a slow, steady pace, and only gradually increase your speed as you get better at it. I do this only five or ten minutes a day, by the way. The rest of the time I just play out my little 'ol heart wherever it wants to take me.

A flutemaker I'll not name told me just the other day that there's only one stupid question: "Honey...are you in the mood?"

Hold it like a 6 hole flute, with the ring finger on your left hand in the space where the sixth hole would normally be, and the thumb behind it.

Then, you never have to worry, as that finger can retain your grip on the flute.

When playing a six hole, the thumbs and pinkies, must balance the flute.

Thanks!!

As usual, you've all been very helpful.

Hi Keldar,
Glad I'm not the only one trying to figure this balance thing out... (I still "drop it" once in a while!) I think that you hit the nail right on the head. Practice, practice, practice. Like any new skill, fluidity and speed will come more readily with consistent practice. I believe that my own body will "teach" me where to hold the flute and how to balance it. I don't know about you...but sometimes I tend to THINK too much and not FEEL enough. I'm trying to trust my instincts a little more these days and quit trying to figure things out so much. I know I probably didn't help you too much, but I sure hope it helps you to enjoy your flute a little more! Best Wishes!
Your Fellow "Newbie,"
Tom

Thanks Tom...it does help.

I think you are correct about thinking too much about it. I'm already finding myself getting more comfortable with playing, but I really want to be cautious about developing bad habits from day one. I think unconsciously lifting my left hand ring finger is a big "no-no".

Playing on a bamboo flute with that huge open mouthpiece already occupies more than one brain cell in forming my mouth correctly to keep from overblowing, I can't afford another. My brain ain't that big.

Try rolling that last finger off the hole so that your finger is still touching the flute, but the hole is uncovered. Rather than just lifting.

Also, play with the flute more horizontal rather than pointing down and vertical. This also helps as you aren't fighting gravity so much and your thumbs can take more of the weight of the flute.

And if all else fails...You could always put some "Velcro" on the spots where your thumbs rest at the bottom of your flute!...but then you also have to glue some Velcro tabs on your thumbs as well... Many Blessings...Robert

Thanks freckledsophie....those are excellent tips.

...and Heartsong Man....what can I say? That absolutely would work!!

I now have a section on my Flute Care and Accessories page to show what I think is the proper way to hold a Native American Flute.
Just go to Spirit of the Woods Flutes and click on the Flute Care and Acces. button. The information is towards the top of the page with pictures.

Ed
Spirit of the Woods Flutes
http://www.spiritofthewoodsflutes.com

You very seldom have all 6 holes uncovered. The 6 hole gives you some variation, but only on the rare occasion will you have all 6 open.

Being a clarinet player I will offer the idea of using a deerskin wrap as a thumb rest. I don't think it would detract from the flutes visual appeal to much and it would not degrade the voice of the flute. I have one end blown bamboo flute I made in the 80's and I have never had any problems with it slipping from my hands.

Good idea!

[quote name='Keldar' date='Jun 17 2008, 09:06 PM' post='4664']
Ok friends,

I received my first flute, the five hole bamboo. My first question is;

How do you maintain control, or hold, on the flute when you play all holes uncovered? It gets really precarious trying to hang on with nothing opposing your thumbs underneath. In my case, being that is a 5 hole, I guess my left hand ring finger should stay in place, but I wonder how it will work with my soon to be arriving 6 hole.

Hi Keldar, actually when I play I place all fingers on the flute (including pinkies). I never gave this a thought until you asked the question, but when I just played the flute I noticed that I never lift the pinkies off the flute for any configuration or playing sequence. Give this a try because if you play using this method you'll not have a problem of balancing the flute, you'll always have two fingers on top and two on the bottom.


Barry G