head/flute angle.

ErikT · Post by **ErikT** » Tue Oct 16, 2001 2:21 am

I'm posting this both to generate some lively discussion and to see what the general thinking is.

I'm wondering, do you think that we play with our heads cocked to the right because there is a benefit or is it because we're lazy or does it show a certain amount of humility/shyness to noodle away to oneself?

In my own thinking, I've got to say that it is an unattractive pose. I much prefer to see someone standing and playing straight and making eye contact with those that they're playing with/for. I've been trying to correct my own habit of playing lopsided lately, but I am wondering if anyone else sees this as a bad habit, or if I'm just delusional. Maybe it's just my old flute teachers (that did think of it as a bad habit) coming back to haunt me.

What do you think?

Peace,
Erik

Post by **rich** » Tue Oct 16, 2001 9:12 am

On 2001-10-16 04:21, ErikT wrote:
I'm posting this both to generate some lively discussion and to see what the general thinking is.

I'm wondering, do you think that we play with our heads cocked to the right because there is a benefit or is it because we're lazy or does it show a certain amount of humility/shyness to noodle away to oneself?

I'd say that people play with their head angled to the right to avoid having to stretch their right shoulder too far back when they play facing straight ahead. At least I did!

A classical flutist pointed out to me that I should rotate my head left to reduce the strain on the right shoulder. I hadn't thought of it myself. No problems since, except when I'm leaning my right elbow on my right knee. How's <i>that</i> for bad posture?

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: rich on 2001-10-16 11:13 ]</font>

eskin · Post by **eskin** » Tue Oct 16, 2001 9:48 am

I generally tilt my head to the right primarily to reduce the strain on my left wrist. I'm holding the flute in the standard way on my left hand, using piping fingering on my right hand. Generally, the proper position for flute playing while standing would be with the left slightly foward, the body rotated to the right, the head slightly to the left and with a slight tilt to the right, allowing the hands to rest comfortably on the flute with proper position of the headjoint at the lips. At least that's what they taught me back in my classical flute days...