Flute Methods Class

Fundamentals of Tone Production: Hand Position

Description:

 Left hand: bend wrist slightly, rest flute on joint of index finger, curve fingers so they
hover naturally above each key.

 Right hand: thumb under F key or first trill key, fingers curved, and wrist straight.

Key Points:

 There are three constant balance points: chin; left index joint, and right thumb.

 Hold the flute lightly. Never grip flute tightly, which leads to muscle tension.

 Keep right hand fingers from resting on the mechanism.

 Keep all fingers close to the keys.

Teaching Strategies:

 Encourage students to use a mirror when practicing to check up on hand position.

 A good way to teach the correct right hand position is to have student reach forward for
an imaginary book lying on a shelf.

Common Problems and Recommended Solutions:

Left Hand:
 Wrist too straight. Bending it slightly will enable all fingers to reach their keys. An off-
set G key is highly recommended for smaller hands.

Right Hand:
 Thumb juts forward from underneath the flute: Keeping it under the flute will ensure that
it’s one of the three important balance points.

Both Hands:
 Pads of fingers extend over the edges of the keys. Using a mirror will help correct this,
as will using an open hole flute from the beginning.