How do you guys hold your flute?
Recently i dunno if some of you read my post on another thread but i occasionally get tingly hands when i play, the more nervous i am the worse it is. In my grade 8 last week i practically lost all feeling in my hands bleurgh, it was HORRIBLE.
It may be RSI although i doubt that as i only really experience it when i'm really nervous. I'm gonna have a week off flute soon though (when im on holiday xD) and see if rest fixes it incase it is RSI.
Anywhoo after that long explaination!...
I was wondering if it may be the way i hold my flute. I did think that in the exam too. Well i pull my flute pretty far back towards my body. My teacher taught me to do so, as i used to have trouble with the high notes and this would help.
I just read though that the flute should be far (well not far, but the elbows are far away from the body) from the body as this can help with breathing and wrist pain. So maybe this is the cause for my wrist/hand problems?
I really wanna get rid of this problem as i'm really worried >_< Especially as i wanna be a professional flautist
Anyway, i'm not sure how to hold it now.
Sorry for the extremely long explainations there xD

Do you guys hold it pulled into your body or pushed slightly out?

Hi

I used to hold my flute quite close to my body (elbows in), but since having an open hole flute, i've learnt to lift my hands up and put my elbows out (not too much though) (something to do with covering the holes properly) . My hand positions on the flute are better and fingers are more relaxed now. Before, I was quite tense, but now using the proper posture, finger fluency etc. is much better.

When I get nervous, my hands sometimes tense up, not so good when playing a solo.

I hope you find out the problem - could be the way you hold the flute, but who knows.
Have you seen your GP?

no i haven't but if it happens again i will. i expect they'll just tell me i have RSI and tell me to rest my hands though.
i'm pretty hmm about it. when it happened in my exam last week it was AWFUL, it's never been as bad as that and now it's left me really worried.
i'll try doing the same posture as you mentioned and following that, resting my hands too, and hopefully that may work. i really hope it does. my brother always told me 'if you get rsi or hand problems your days as a flautist are over'
thanks for helping btw

Awwww . Do you practise alot, just a suggestion, maybe you are over-practising .
I know someone whos little fingers lock when nervous - she doesn't know why either and her doctor was none the wiser.

lets see whether a weeks rest will do the trick.

that's okay

have a nice holiday.

I do practise quite a lot actually =/ Infact once my flute broke from being over played... haha oops. Well saying that i only practise for like atleast 2 hours a day generally. I do play 8 other instruments though x_x But i only ever practise flute and violin xD I did think maybe i over play but there are people who play for MUCH longer than me and are completely fine. But then no-one is the same... (haha i keep contradicting myself here 'i do this, but then this, but then i do this, but then...' xD)
I've just been fiddling around with postures, pushing it a little further from my body helps my right hand/arm a lot, my left arm tends to ache though.
Anyway hehe
Thanks for your help, it's very much appreciated

Oh dear . I've had screws come loose, that's about it though......
wow! your dedicated......I try to practise every day, but it doesn't quite work .
yeah, the new posture thing will feel strange at first, but it will be better in the long run .


I don't know if you do flutey finger exercises at all.....Trevor Wye's books are very good (might help)

haha yeah i had screws come loose then one of the tubes (dunno how to explain it, like big long screws xD) popped right out :| i couldnt tell at first though and it took me quite some time to figure out why my flute wasn't working. and it was the day before a tv audition x_x!! i was in quite a panic lol
ooh yeah finger exercises may help good suggestion hehe
im gonna try my new posture tomorrow haha and see if it helps
as for your posture improving when you got an open holed flute, im gonna be getting one too not for quite some time though... it's £1,750 and i haven't got a job yet. so maybe this time next year i'll have it xD
what model is yours?

I was told once that the flute should be held at more of a 45 degree angle to your body, raather than pulled in towards the body. It may make you achy for a little while, but with patience and perseverance perhaps it will make the tingly thing go away.

Ooh, thanks I'll try it, and i'll let you know what happens.

If this only happens when you get nervous, could it just be tension?
I can't quite picture your posture, but your elbows should be away from your body, left elbow say about 6 inches, and there should be room to cuddle a nice big teddy bear in the shape formed by the right! Does this make any sense????
Also keeping your general pose fairly straight even if you move around with the music as you play, I always feel this should be a 'moulded' body move, by which i mean keeping the upper body moving as one in order not to affect airflow, tone etc. I have seen some people just move their arms for example and this instantly affects what you are doing and the sound you produce!
Next time you perform try doing some small relaxation exercises beforehand such as rolling the shoulders around in small circles or imagining you have a helium balloon attached to your head and rise up straight with it slowly!
Anyway I hope this has been helpful,would be interested to know what others think

Ooh i liked the teddy explaination Hehe no really though, it does help a lot =] And when i move when i play, i do move my arms and stuff :| Never thought about how that may affect my tone and stuff either and probably 'irritate' (totally couldnt think of the right word) my hands or whatever.
Thanks all for the advice I'm gonna give it all a go!

Miyazawa Br 402 RE

Ooh cool. Wish i could afford that one xD i'll be getting the Miyazawa 302 if i can afford it, if not then the 202.

Yeah, i'm still paying my mum back lol. (lots of debt from various instruments ).