1st off I'm wondering about the tuning on my Hammy Hamilton practice flute. My guess is it's more just intonation ~ less equal temperament. Right before I received the flute I began changing my finger positions. Suffice it to say I have sussed out where I want to hold & how I want to move my fingers (this is the left hand, the right hand really has not changed), but it is new ... different. Aside from the new finger positions, I have been playing only the new flute.
This (post) is all off the top of my head. So, if you're expecting a question, here goes nothing, "Have you ever started on a new instrument, made some changes to your playing at the same time, & simply, humbly been patient that the time is well spent, knowing that all those things you took for granted; comfort, musicality, agility will happen once again?"
I'd rather not go into details on the specific position, but if any of you care to describe yours, or link to photos, please do. Basically I'm wanting to get the best tone & lightest touch possible. The current result is my playing is more deliberate & slowed down. [I'll mostly listen at the session tonight.] At first there was more tension in my left hand. It is not from poor positioning. I think it is from lack of familiarity with the new positioning (thumb is fine, BTW), new instrument, & continuously playing a transverse flute ~ as opposed to playing different whistles, fifes, & flutes.
Cheers,
Ben
p.s. The practice flute is fine, for now. I will be saving for a wooden flute, in the future.
You have to experiment a lot. Sometimes with subtle
adjustments, sometimes with big ones. Be open to new
approaches. That's permanent! It applies to every instrument if
you want to keep getting better.
RH,
You're over thinking the whole process of playing flute.
The Hammy practice flute is a great way to start playing transverse, (and whack the cat without remorse).
Don't read too much into what's going on with your playing until you've got about 100 tunes in your mind. Positions will come to you after playing several types of tunes in several keys.
Relax - Think - Play - Listen
In my experience, the Hammy practice D is weak on the low e and low a, but for $100US it's an amazing player and I won't do without it. It sits on my stand waiting for me to pick it up.
Thanks Hup, that's the gist of things. Toppish, you're over thinking the low E . I cannot even remember when I only had 100 tunes in my head. Just by rough guesstimate I played about 60 tunes last night.
The O.P. certainly makes it seem as if I'm over thinking things. It's not really a question about how to relax. It's more I'd like to hear from others who have gone through the process of changing something in your playing (BTW, I began not on whistle (or recorder) but silver flute, 38 years ago, & I still have that flute & 2 others.
Last night's session ... I came in late & everyone wanted me to show off my new flute, which I don't do.* IMHO, they were the ones' overthinking the Hammy, not me. I said, "Play what you like. I'll pipe in where I'm able." If I gave in to what their wishes I doubt I would have been as relaxed. & would have drooled ... Oh, wait ~ I droool. It's one of my things.
The good news about sessions is you can let your guard down. Will Harmon says you can pick your nose, something like that. I did play quite a bit. Slipped into the old fingering & lost a bit of tone, at times. Grand fun, & it will just get better as the Hammy & me get to know each other.
*at the end of the session everyone who wanted to get a closer look had there chance. I want the other flute players to play a few tunes, but decided it's best if they wait. I'm just getting over a cold.
So, briefly ... my left hand position, before, was with the fingers slightly arched*; now I am flattening & extending those fingers. The index finger is slightly curled, middle finger is very flat, ring finger is flat & I'm playing on the pad.
*More likely I used different positions. Currently I am trying to use one position. At 1st my hand tended to tense, actually the wrist & up the tendon of index finger. After doing this for a week though it is getting to easier to find the position & my hand is not locked in position. It is becoming more natural. I think with time that while I will favour a certain position it will be easier to move, or even switch to other positions.
It's worth noting that I have done something similar with my right hand & that hand is working spendidly with no real changes. It wasn't always that way. A few years ago I bunged up the fingers, very badly, & am fortunate they work as well as they do. I spent the better part of the next year to get those fingers to do what I wanted. So, even though the right hand is a rebuild it was a goal which I want my left hand to now reach for.
I better call Chris & tell her why I'm not at her house.
"Have you ever started on a new instrument, made some changes to your playing at the same time, & simply, humbly been patient that the time is well spent, knowing that all those things you took for granted; comfort, musicality, agility will happen once again?"
Yep. My pipers grip on keyless flute puts me on the blocks of my keyed flute and I'm having to rework my right hand to a more typical flat-fingered Irish flute grip. It feels really awkward and to my great annoyance, I keep missing the holes. And then there's the Eb venting, which is absolutely necessary on my antique flute and slowly driving me quite mad. I try to keep the faith that I will have the same degree of dexterity and comfort that I do now. I have to remind myself that pipers grip came slowly and now feels very natural.
As far as left hand I'm in pipers, and very glad for it. I fell this summer and seem to have done some damage to my left wrist. Rockstro style grip is immediately painful and would have had me off the flute.
I use the 'Rockstro' grip on the left hand. When I started with the
wooden flute, I had to use a piper's grip on the right - it was
impossible to play otherwise. But now, after about a year I use
the orthodox right hand position that I'm used to from the clarinet
and Boehm flute. It took some effort to get there, but it's gradually
getting more relaxed -- it's still a big stretch between holes 5
and 6 on my Reviol flute. I have tried out piper's on the left hand
but I can't do it - it feels really awkward and the Rockstro grip is
trouble free for me. What I'm working on now is moving my
right thumb and pinky around into different positions and
concentrating on releasing the tension that builds up there.
Changing left hand position on new flute
Changing left hand position on new flute
1st off I'm wondering about the tuning on my Hammy Hamilton practice flute. My guess is it's more just intonation ~ less equal temperament. Right before I received the flute I began changing my finger positions. Suffice it to say I have sussed out where I want to hold & how I want to move my fingers (this is the left hand, the right hand really has not changed), but it is new ... different. Aside from the new finger positions, I have been playing only the new flute.
This (post) is all off the top of my head. So, if you're expecting a question, here goes nothing, "Have you ever started on a new instrument, made some changes to your playing at the same time, & simply, humbly been patient that the time is well spent, knowing that all those things you took for granted; comfort, musicality, agility will happen once again?"
I'd rather not go into details on the specific position, but if any of you care to describe yours, or link to photos, please do. Basically I'm wanting to get the best tone & lightest touch possible. The current result is my playing is more deliberate & slowed down. [I'll mostly listen at the session tonight.] At first there was more tension in my left hand. It is not from poor positioning. I think it is from lack of familiarity with the new positioning (thumb is fine, BTW), new instrument, & continuously playing a transverse flute ~ as opposed to playing different whistles, fifes, & flutes.
Cheers,
Ben
p.s. The practice flute is fine, for now. I will be saving for a wooden flute, in the future.
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
The answer is yes times about 2000.
You have to experiment a lot. Sometimes with subtle
adjustments, sometimes with big ones. Be open to new
approaches. That's permanent! It applies to every instrument if
you want to keep getting better.
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by Hup
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
hey, how much is the hamilton practice flute? ive been down graded to surfing the web from my phone and i cant get those sites to work right :(
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by steve...r
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
RH,
You're over thinking the whole process of playing flute.
The Hammy practice flute is a great way to start playing transverse, (and whack the cat without remorse).
Don't read too much into what's going on with your playing until you've got about 100 tunes in your mind. Positions will come to you after playing several types of tunes in several keys.
Relax - Think - Play - Listen
In my experience, the Hammy practice D is weak on the low e and low a, but for $100US it's an amazing player and I won't do without it. It sits on my stand waiting for me to pick it up.
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by Toppish
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
to SteveR
Here is the site for Hammy practice flutes:
http://www.hamiltonflutes.com/practice.html
70 euro - and well worth the price.
Doc Jones may have some on hand for around $115 US
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by Toppish
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
Yes, lots of little muscles having to learn to do slightly different things quickly and without working against each other too much.
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by David50
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
Thanks Hup, that's the gist of things. Toppish, you're over thinking the low E
. I cannot even remember when I only had 100 tunes in my head. Just by rough guesstimate I played about 60 tunes last night.
The O.P. certainly makes it seem as if I'm over thinking things. It's not really a question about how to relax. It's more I'd like to hear from others who have gone through the process of changing something in your playing (BTW, I began not on whistle (or recorder) but silver flute, 38 years ago, & I still have that flute & 2 others.
Last night's session ... I came in late & everyone wanted me to show off my new flute, which I don't do.* IMHO, they were the ones' overthinking the Hammy, not me. I said, "Play what you like. I'll pipe in where I'm able." If I gave in to what their wishes I doubt I would have been as relaxed. & would have drooled ... Oh, wait ~ I droool. It's one of my things.
The good news about sessions is you can let your guard down. Will Harmon says you can pick your nose, something like that. I did play quite a bit. Slipped into the old fingering & lost a bit of tone, at times. Grand fun, & it will just get better as the Hammy & me get to know each other.
*at the end of the session everyone who wanted to get a closer look had there chance. I want the other flute players to play a few tunes, but decided it's best if they wait. I'm just getting over a cold.
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by Ben Steen
I know I said I didn't want to go into specifics
So, briefly ... my left hand position, before, was with the fingers slightly arched*; now I am flattening & extending those fingers. The index finger is slightly curled, middle finger is very flat, ring finger is flat & I'm playing on the pad.
*More likely I used different positions. Currently I am trying to use one position. At 1st my hand tended to tense, actually the wrist & up the tendon of index finger. After doing this for a week though it is getting to easier to find the position & my hand is not locked in position. It is becoming more natural. I think with time that while I will favour a certain position it will be easier to move, or even switch to other positions.
Did I say briefly?
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by Ben Steen
Work again, I'm really late
It's worth noting that I have done something similar with my right hand & that hand is working spendidly with no real changes. It wasn't always that way. A few years ago I bunged up the fingers, very badly, & am fortunate they work as well as they do. I spent the better part of the next year to get those fingers to do what I wanted. So, even though the right hand is a rebuild it was a goal which I want my left hand to now reach for.
I better call Chris & tell her why I'm not at her house.
Cheers!
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by Ben Steen
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
"Have you ever started on a new instrument, made some changes to your playing at the same time, & simply, humbly been patient that the time is well spent, knowing that all those things you took for granted; comfort, musicality, agility will happen once again?"
Yep. My pipers grip on keyless flute puts me on the blocks of my keyed flute and I'm having to rework my right hand to a more typical flat-fingered Irish flute grip. It feels really awkward and to my great annoyance, I keep missing the holes. And then there's the Eb venting, which is absolutely necessary on my antique flute and slowly driving me quite mad. I try to keep the faith that I will have the same degree of dexterity and comfort that I do now. I have to remind myself that pipers grip came slowly and now feels very natural.
As far as left hand I'm in pipers, and very glad for it. I fell this summer and seem to have done some damage to my left wrist. Rockstro style grip is immediately painful and would have had me off the flute.
# Posted on September 29th 2010 by ElaineT
Re: Changing left hand position on new flute
I use the 'Rockstro' grip on the left hand. When I started with the
wooden flute, I had to use a piper's grip on the right - it was
impossible to play otherwise. But now, after about a year I use
the orthodox right hand position that I'm used to from the clarinet
and Boehm flute. It took some effort to get there, but it's gradually
getting more relaxed -- it's still a big stretch between holes 5
and 6 on my Reviol flute. I have tried out piper's on the left hand
but I can't do it - it feels really awkward and the Rockstro grip is
trouble free for me. What I'm working on now is moving my
right thumb and pinky around into different positions and
concentrating on releasing the tension that builds up there.
# Posted on September 30th 2010 by Hup