Chiff and Fipple Forums

Hi. I just acquired a six-key D Irish flute. Can anyone explain proper hand position and technique for use of the B flat key?

The B flat key pad is located just a little north of the B tone hole, 45 degrees fron TDC, on the inward side, and judging by pictures of other similar keyed flutes, this is the normal location. I use my thumb to support the flute, and it is located directly under the B hole. I use the pads of my fingers to cover the top holes, not pipers grip, and given this, it seems utterly inaccessible to my thumb without going through a very awkward and binding slide and contortion of the palm of the hand and thumb.

I suspect I am approaching completely wrong. Thanks for any tips.

Don't support the flute with your left thumb.
Try the 3-point system : lower lip, left index, right thumb. Seems impossible at first but if you push with your right thumb to the side of the flute instead of letting the flute rest on it, you'll see that it is possible and actually quite comfortable.

Alternatively push with rt pinky against the side of the flute. You lift it when all the rt fingers are down. The rt thumb goes more or less under the flute.
On the left side lower lip. Brace the flute on the base of the left index';that's your fulcrum. You know when you've got it right when you can play with the left thumb hanging off the flute. Practice that way sometimes.

Ahh, just don't worry about it. It will come in time. Slowly, but the answer will appear. Play some tunes where you need to use the Bb key - some Paddy Canny jigs, Crabs in the Skillet, Splendid Isolation, The Square at Crossmaglen. Keep at it and you're sure to get it.

I only ever saw Jim Stone playing a keyless flute. Luc makes one-key baroque flutes. Trying to follow specific technical advice from an internet site can be very frustrating. I do in fact support my 6-key flute with my left thumb. And I use the pads of my fingers to cover the top holes. Have been doing so for over twenty years. And I have no particular trouble using the Bb key. I just slide my thumb down a bit to use the Bb key, still supporting the flute in part with that thumb.

My own feeling is that any good music comes a place where there's no tension.

By the way, where is the C# hole?

I'm with Julia...it will come with practice, and I hold the flute similarly as well (maybe don't 100% use the left thumb but rather it sits touching both the thumb and the left index finger).

Alternately, I find Bb often half holes very well and do that as much as I use the key.

YMMV,

Eric

Agree with Julia and have been playing 20 + years, I support (a little) with my left thumb and keep it close to the Bb key and roll/slide it onto the key when needed. I used to play for quite a while with the LH thumb further up the flute until I came across a tune with Bb and then slid it down the flute, there are probably a lot of other things to concentrate on without worrying about the Bb key until you get the hang of holding/supporting it.

Thanks for all this, and it actually does make sense to me. Coming from violin, tension is your enemy, and I need to come to terms with which of these might be the best approach.

Sorry Julia, B hole, and corrected in original post. Three new tunes to learn. )

Did you just call Julia a B hole?

I had the same thought...

I dunno, 'Julia' is 'Aces' in my book. . .

Bob

For the record I often play a 6 keyed flute and do use the Bb key. But you know, what I described is an option among others
and was announced as such. I agree with those who find the Bb note easy to half hole.

I'm not sure what to call it, but a 'Bb touch key', i.e. one activated by the knuckle (for a r/h player) of your right hand, rather than the thumb of your left, makes sense to me.

(Edited to remove tasteless and ill-placed humor).

Agree with the above. Jim's suggestion to sometimes practice letting the LT hang free is a good one. My grip is a pretty standard one, and relies very little on the LT.

@Jim: Sorry. Corrected my earlier post.

Julia Delaney wrote:... . Luc makes one-key baroque flutes. ...

.. and therefore has no clue how to hold a flute?


"In order that the flute may be held at all times steadily and firmly, one of the essential conditions for good playing, its support must not be allowed to depend on any parts of the hands which are required to act, either directly or indirectly, on the finger-holes.
It must therefore be pressed against the lower part of the under lip by means of the base of the left hand first finger and the tip of the right hand thumb."

Richard Shepherd Rockstro (1826-1906), A Treatise on the Flute, 1890

As far as I know Mr. Rockstro never made a one-key baroque flute in his life, but he still seems to share my opinion on holding the flute ( or is it the other way around?)