Left hand pain

[lesl]

It's more slender in outside diameter than most other wooden flutes I've
played. ...combination of the McGee's slender body and hole layout

I'll jump in because I had this happen when I went from M&E (fatter) to
Olwell (narrower). I got first cramps in the top thumb and then in the top
fingers across the back of the hand. I thought it was the diameter.

So I got some of that clear plastic tubing from a hardware store and made
a home-made bo peep out of it. I used it between the top hand pointer
finger and the flute. On and off for a few months.

But then the main thing that cured the problem was doing long tones on
the new flute (without the bo pep if you can) because it seemed that it
was the hands trying to compensate for something out with the
embouchure.

As a test I'd tried to finger some tunes without making a sound. Not a pain
or a cramp anywhere, no bo peep. That clinched it for me, it was the
embouchure.

Hope that helps, good luck.

Cheers, Lesl

[glauber]

because it seemed that it was the hands trying to compensate for something out with the embouchure.

As armchair diagnostician, that's where i put my money too. That's why i think altering the angle of the blowhole may help. I'm sure you will figure it out.

Long tones, as Leslie said, get used to the way this flute sounds and feels, give yourself permission to sound different from what you're used to (or not as loud). Your sound may get worse before it gets better, but one day this flute will start to love you back.

I wonder what Terry's going to say.

[Dana]

I agree with everyone that sometimes tension develops in one part of the body unconsciously, especially when we are trying very hard to make something happen in another area, i.e. new flute, different playing style with different embouchure. The thing that concerns me is the left hand pain and cramping, especially in the first finger. Sometimes cramping is due to tension or faulty positioning, but at other times, the cramping is simply a function of how we must adapt our body to hold the flute. I'm all for making it as ergonomic as possible. You only have one set of hands, and you want to play for a lifetime.

I'm speaking as a professional orchestral flutist that now has a slightly misshapen shoulder capsule. I saw a wonderful physical therapist, that helped me avoid surgery by teaching me stretching exercises. I brought my flute in so he could see what was involved when I play. When he saw the posture one must have to play the flute, with the left arm folded inwardly accross the body, he remarked that all those years of playing probably caused the injury I have now. (I guess the only way to completely avoid this would be to play a vertical instrument!)

Anyway, I guess my point is, do whatever you can to save your true instrument, i.e. your body. As much as possible, we want the flute to be an extension of our body, rather than forcing ourselves into unnatural positions to bring our body towards the flute. Hope all goes well for you!

[cocusflute]

You just have to make your hands stronger.
I too was once a 125 pound weakling whose hands hurt when I played the flute.

[jim stone]

Jeez!

[herbivore12]

You just have to make your hands stronger.
I too was once a 125 pound weakling whose hands hurt when I played the flute.

And look at you now!

However, I'm 6' 2" and like 240 pounds of manly flute player, so I dunno if my hand strength is at issue . . .

(Is playing flute "manly", really? Sure, *we* think so, but the brass players are always taunting male flutists . . . Maybe that's why I came later to this instrument, after years of horn, trombone, and tuba playing. Had to become secure in my maleness, y'know.)

I'm trying some things, maybe making progress; will let folks know if I figure it all out.

[cocusflute]

Nobody taunts this flute-player.

[Nanohedron]

(Is playing flute "manly", really? Sure, *we* think so, but the brass players are always taunting male flutists . . . Maybe that's why I came later to this instrument, after years of horn, trombone, and tuba playing. Had to become secure in my maleness, y'know.)

Never quite comprehended the stereotype...it's always someone else (the taunter) who makes the phallic connotations. Do the math. Also, there's nothing inherently feminine about playing it; trad flute's a pretty athletic undertaking.

During a break at a performance, one of a party of priests out on the town said to me, "You know what they say about flute players..." and I made a broad point of rolling my eyes at this. Not satisfied with the aforementioned lameitude, he later went on to inform me (for I was by then swabbing out) that many oboe players use a peacock's tail feather to do the job. Said I, "Ah, that's too f**king precious for me. Oops; sorry, Father!"

[Nanohedron]

Back on topic: I'm always stretching my hands, especially the left one. I have to, or I have hell to pay otherwise. The most effective stretch for me is to splay the hand as if imitating a starfish while simultaneously stretching the fingers in an upward curve. Maybe this can help some people.

[herbivore12]

Well, things are improving.

What's helped (and here, a blanket "thanks" to all who posted advice):

--A couple of minutes of stretching before playing. Not just a brief stretch, but systematic, pay-attention-and-do-it stretching.

--Consciously moving my LH thumb on occasion to ensure I'm not gripping the flute with it. By the same token, reminding myself to relax.

--Rolling the head of the flute towards me just a teensy bit more than before. It took only a short time to adapt to the slightly diffeent embouchure (or angle of attack, anyway) required.

--An hour with my Alexander Technique-certified buddy. I can see how regular practitioners of this stuff might become True Believers; it's an interesting, and apparently effective, approach to body awareness and balance. For a while after that lesson, I felt about three inches taller and much more balanced, sitting, walking, standing. Of course, I'm back to lumbering around like a disheveled bear again now, but I'm paying attention to the body position stuff we discussed while playing flute, and it seems to help.

The improvement is encouraging to me, so I'm sticking with it. I'm hoping the improvement will continue; I still hit that cramping wall that makes me put the flute down for a few minutes (I try to do that *before* the cramping gets beyond mild), still only on the one flute. If the improvement remains steady -- as I hope -- I'll be happy. If the discomfort remains, I'll try a few suggestions Terry had about dealing with the issue, which may in fact be a function of the way my not very flexible hand relates to this thinner flute body. This may involve experimenting with flat, piper's-style fingering on the left hand. I'll give it a while, though, to see if the problem continues to improve.

[glauber]

During a break at a performance, one of a party of priests out on the town said to me, "You know what they say about flute players..."

That they're great kissers, right?

[herbivore12]

During a break at a performance, one of a party of priests out on the town said to me, "You know what they say about flute players..." and I made a broad point of rolling my eyes at this.

A friend just told me this one (those easily offended by humor directed at the priesthood, please stop reading)

"A pedophile, a rapist, and a priest walk into a bar . . . and that's just the first guy!"

He claims he heard it told *by* a priest, so, you know, that means it's okay. . .

[glauber]

Hello, herbivore,

i'm glad it's getting better. I came across this site when i was looking for something else, and they have some articles that may interest you:
http://www.flutelab.com/ergonomy.htm
http://www.flutelab.com/posture/posture.htm#wrists
http://www.flutelab.com/Solutions/solutions.htm