Right Hand Technique for Flute - Pinky Problems

[@flutechannel]

Oh the pinky! Any other fingers or combination of fingers you find problems with? Let me know in the comments! Be sure to like the video too! It helps a lot!

[@parvgosai]

Can you do one of the right hand thumb placement?

[@Xavier-mz1wt]

F#-G trill please, especially the ring finger and moving it fast

[@LoveDoveMember]

A flat to G please

[@ag3ntverse875]

My pinky keeps locking and refusing to bend sometimes when i need to use it for anote, not sure if its because im too tense or if its just something i can practice and it'll go away. Its been messing up alot especially when I'm going on the higher register, any tips?

[@LouisYungling]

THANK YOU SO MUCH! The oil of the pinky really helped and now I will spend a few minutes with the suggestions you gave. I will post my results later.

[@flutechannel]

Hi Louis! IT was a real pleasure doing this video thanks for inspiring us to do it! Looking forward to the results. Always feel free to ask questions anytime!

[@AleAsLison]

Oh my god that C sounds so well! I have trouble with C and Csharp, they dont sound as good as I would like to. Anyways thanks for the tips! Will slide the finger from now on! :D

[@julianoalberto]

Great video, made me find many mistakes I didn't know I was committing!

[@GameroftheWinds]

This is one of the reasons why whenever I can afford a professional flute I will be getting my flute custom fitted with left hand pinky extension keys for low C and B. Most professional flute makers actually offered this as an option back in the 1960s but it was an unpopular customization so they stopped advertising it but when I called a couple of the top pro flute makers (Brannen and Muramatsu) they both said they still offer it as a customization and the extra cost was actually not much. This will not only make my low note life so much easier but it also allows for trilling between low C# and C and Low C to B which are otherwise physically impossible which is sad because they are lovely trills.

[@flutechannel]

Love this! Hope all it helps! Wishing you all the best and happy practicing!

[@dreamsnetwork9132]

that oil trick saved my life thank you!!!

[@mendesmica]

nice video as always. this a serious major issue on the flute. any tip on this subject is really valuable.

[@carmenfreeman4374]

I will practice the slide, too. Thank you.☺

Amelie I'm glad to hear that you also love the thumbport. I've bought one from Emily Beynon four years ago. Though my teacher is definitely against it, I continue to use it, because it's an absolute necessity for me!

[@flutechannel]

if it helps and prevents future injury, keep it. Glad it helps Andre!

Yes, when I don't use it, then suddenly I get a lot of pain in my thumb. So I keep it. It helps of course to stabilize the flute, but that's not my main concern, rather a useful side effect.

[@ElizeuFerreira]

I live on Brazil. I love your videos. Thanks. I was playing the exercise 44 from Paul Taffanel "Complete Method" and I have difficult to switch between C B and then to low C.

[@Post-ModernCzechoslovakianWar]

I'll have to test these tips out, thanks. I haven't been practicing super consistently lately, cause I've been busy with some stuff, but hopefully I'll get back to a simple regimen again.

[@flutechannel]

When you get the chance to try it out, let me know how it went. Thanks for watching

[@TheMiacmoi]

Hello Amelie. Thank you for your videos :) I have a question please, does it matter if the foot joint is too inside or too out?

I think this has a lot to do with the relative length of your fingers. For me it helps if I turn the foot joint a little bit inwards.

[@susanhd]

I can't quite see but looks like your thumbs are like mine, they bend backwards at the end. I'm finding that is making it hard to get a stable position for the flute on my right hand. I've never noticed it before but have just been trying an open hole flute and getting the right finger position is suddenly a lot more important! I came looking for a video that mentioned the thumb port to see what others think of it so that little mention is really interesting. Thank you.

[@victorcarribe6103]

A very good & very understanding teacher 👍👌👏👏👏👏👏. I wonder if new pads might make a difference for me?

[@PaulThomas2]

Great advice again. Thank you.

[@flutechannel]

You are so welcome Paul!

[@tarotangy]

I have a problem with the "re mi re". I used to raise and lower my arm (the teacher once made a joke about me accelerating the bike). your video was a great find

[@dontaber6964]

I constantly struggle to find a right thumb position that allows free movement and good key coverage for all fingers, and have come to the conclusion that, at least for my hand shape, it does not exist. Thank you for the thumbport suggestion. I just ordered one. I might also point out that Trevor Wye's practice book 2, Technique, begins with an exhaustive set of right pinky exercises.

[@flutechannel]

those pinky exercises are excruciating! I think will make a video about thumb placement in the right hand and ways to combat discomfort. Its a thing that a lot of flutist struggle with but with time can be manageable. thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@rabethtube]

thank you for explanations!!

[@flutechannel]

Glad it was helpful!

[@courtneyharris2619]

Another great video. All your tips are so great. I would’ve never thought to oil my pinky with my skin. It definitely helped!

[@flutechannel]

natural oil! well wax but you know what i mean :)

[@albertilius]

But is your straight pinkie position (articulation stuck... quite painful!) a good option to start? I use to avoid that on other insturments and now that I am beggining with flute I think is a crucial point on getting a good (and health) techique... a discussion about that is what I was looking for in this video. BTW I admire your videos and adverts, thanks! =)

[@flutechannel]

Super glad I could help and thanks for watching. The pinky is all about how comfortable you are. It doesn't have to be exactly like my finger. A slight bend is okay. Mind is a bit straight but I wouldn't follow that, find what is comfortable. Try it and see after a while if you feel comfortable keep the position, if not try another type of placement. It's for you to discover. Hope that helps.

[@albertilius]

@@flutechannel Yes, Its time now to experiment which position i feel better and slightly reorganize the whole hand position. This was critical for me for the left hand on double bass. BTW I enjoy so much learning flute! thanks!

[@liam3779]

Thank you so much for the video Amelie! Btw, is your flute entirely Sterling Silver?

[@flutechannel]

Yes it is

[@LoveDoveMember]

I'm in 5th grade band and this definitely helped me

[@LouisBertrandTech]

I get a cramp in my pinky and it stays stuck straight out, almost curved the other way. Any suggestions? Finger calisthenics?

[@flutechannel]

hmmm let me think about that and Ill tackle that question on our next Livestream which should be 11am Sunday EST. Be sure to watch!

[@flutechannel]

I would look into swan neck splints online it may help keep your finger in place.

[@thegreatga13y]

Hey there, super late to this but your comment interested me. What do you mean by cramp? My pinky tends to lock in place and it's super frustrating, is that what you experienced? If so, did you end up finding something that helped?

[@LouisBertrandTech]

@@thegreatga13y Exactly, it locks up, almost reverse flexed. I can work it out by stretching and rubbing, but yes, super annoying.

[@LadyNicoMura]

i have a question: why is it called "faking" (1:25)? the tone doesn't sound any different if you don't use your pinky - does it?

[@madelineveggie3931]

I have a simple question about playing the higher C (first finger) and C# (all open) for the higher octaves. The open C# sounds so hollow and can be off key, a little flat. My church folk mass director says it sounds off when I play C# above the G clef especially. Is there an alternate fingering that I am not aware of? I checked the Gemeinhardt fingering charts and other flute makers' charts and didn't see alternate C# fingerings. Does the E flat pinky on the right hand have to be used (to open the hole)? Please advise!

[@flutechannel]

For C# there isn't you just have to practice with a tuner on that note and a drone and get really personal with that note. A drone will help ( a couple apps might have them ) train your ear to change on the fly to be in tune with the other instruments during rehearsal. The Eflat should stay but you can experiment there is no rule against it. But its good to have on for balance when you gotta switch to another note. Hope this helps. Also just know that C# is one of the worst notes on the flute, we all suffered from its pain many times. So your in good company.

[@braxenb2242]

Sooo when I play my flute I’ve been feeling some pain in my middle back on my left side so I was wondering what solutions I could use for thaf

[@jackie6421]

Love your videos!!!! :)

[@elcaballero3430]

Thank uu i learned a lot to you

[@flutechannel]

Glad I could help

[@haleyanderson2258]

Does a Sterling silver flute help you produce a fuller sound that projects more?

[@flutechannel]

sometimes! but there are a few types of metals that warrant generally different results. There used to be even brass alloy flutes which projected a lot.

[@haleyanderson2258]

I noticed that your flute really projects a lot and has a really full sound and I was trying to imitate your tone

[@flutechannel]

Aww wow. That’s awesome. I would try the 5 minute warm up for flutists in a hurry video as well. Thanks for watching

[@trumpetboss5483]

B C C# C LOOP OR TRIPLET B C C# B C C# OR OPPOSITE LOOP OR PINKY CIRCLE B C C# D#'LOOP AND OPPOSITE MOTION LOOP GOOD LUCK TO ALL ! And thank you Emily

[@TheGalwayfan]

My hands are just plain small so I struggle to hit those notes. My pinky has arthritis and is permanently bent now 🙁

[@jayveeaurea9091]

New pads every 5 years is very good.

[@hannah-ys9yq]

Hiiiiiii

[@SueKnits]

Too bad i cant see at all what your pinky is doing :(