Finger Holes - Native American Flute

[@BarryGrueter]

Very nice Clint, helping others with special needs. Thanks so much for sharing ✌️

[@WindtalkerMusic]

A very interesting video.

[@WORLDDRUMCLUB]

Another super video!

[@HelensWillowWind]

Another wonderful video...Thank you and all those who have worked to contribute to making flutes accessible to all!!!

[@michaelparry1383]

Clint, I finally got brave and ordered a High Spirits Golden Eagle flute in F#. There was a sale and I also opted to get the decorated with the turquoise objects between the holes. I thought this may help, but it actually may hurt. I have small hands and found out that this F# flute may have been a stretch for me. If I keep the band keeping it a 5 hole flute things can be OK. When I try to use my fingers to keep that hole covered, I fail often. On my G minor flute I don't have the problem, but the hole spacing is a bit different. I will keep working with it. The High Spirits flute is a beautiful and quality flute. I just need to be able to learn to us it.

[@WilliamHopperMusician]

Clint: When playing the NAF, I find that not using the finger tips helps in sealing the holes. I bring my wrists together under the flute. Not completely, but closer together as in hands in a prayer position. Then the fingers are more vertical and this makes the softer pad of the fingers lay on the finger holes instead of the tips. The fingers are reaching over the flute in a natural position and the soft pads contact the fingers holes. Arching the fingers makes the finger tips cover the holes and for me actually feels awkward.

[@stephaniechamberlain49]

Thank you for making this video. I have watched many of your excellent teaching/demonstration videos and have struggled with consistency in covering the holes. I do have Parkinsons', neuropathy in my hands as well as arthritis deformed fingers. I've considered attending your week-long Flute Harvest in LA; however, I am a real beginner, beginner and wonder if appropriate for me to attend. I've heard from accomplished flute players that you and Vera are excellent teachers. I will try some of your suggestion as well as some of the suggestions people have submitted in their replies.

[@WeberBaker]

Very helpful. I have a problem very much like the person who sent you the question. Part way through I had the idea that one could use leather cords, not too wide but thicker like boot laces and tie them on between the finger holes. These should not damage any flute (like tape might) and would not be outside the realm of many decorations. They could be cut short or left with dangling ends. You could even put a bead of two at the end of a longer one. I’ve seen a few flutes decorated in this way.

[@ClintGoss]

Outstanding idea!!

[@sevenwindsflutes]

Remember the rings to reinforce 3 hole notebook paper? So a person could place or stack these on the tuning holes and then trim gently with an xacto knife to size the hole in the ring to the hole on the flute. Might be worth a try.

[@ClintGoss]

Cool idea!

[@sevenwindsflutes]

It should be noted that if you make the hole thicker (maybe I should day deeper) it may slightly change the pitch. However I really don't think a few rings would have much impact.

[@arieswaters]

Black feather flutes in West Jordan Utah very nice and very affordable

[@RA-NAF]

My struggle with finger holes is in landing the finger on the half-hole. It's just so hard to get the half-covered hole sounding right... 😅

[@ClintGoss]

Half-holes are a challenge. I rarely use them ... especially in the first register. They can *sometimes* be useful to me in the upper register - the notes above the octave, but it is still rare. Where half-holes *are* useful to me are to "crack" an upper finger to get the flute to go into the second register ... like

[@ClintGoss]

You might want to check out the Half-Hole FluteCast: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rWWrnJ18j8uniJY

[@christianriddler5063]

What do I do if my hands and fingers are very small, it's difficult to cover the holes of the flute completely.

[@knitjudy]

I have arthritis in my hands with the thumbs being worse. The flute resting on my thumb is causing a lot of pain. I c