Hi guys, as some of you know i started off playing whistle and low whistle, so naturally I have a pipers grip on the flute. For months now, I have been trying to switch to normal grip because the pipers grip puts a little strain on my hands. My problem with the normal grip is that I have a very hard time lifting my L1 finger, it is so hard for it to go up for cuts, or C. Any advice would be great, thanks.
Jon
I’m guessing, here, but it seems as though you might have the flute too high on the side of the LH finger. See if moving the flute more toward the base of the finger helps.
and have a look at your posture, try turning your body around to the left a bit or do just the opposite and move your arms to the right…whatever makes you relax more.
just a thought…pipers grip on flute is not as easy, but I think it is what you are used to, there are quite a few players that still use pipers grip.
berti
much like Cork…
The flute needs to be far enough toward the wrist, on the joint, that the finger is free. (and relaxed)
From the elbow to the point on that joint that the flute rests is straight.
Keep the flute held to your mouth with your elbow…not hand.
This may be more of a visualization thing…
If you press from the elbow you might be able to relax the hand more.
Later when your elbow gets wonky we’ll worry about that. 
You do know that you would have none of these problems on a trombone, don’t ya?
I use natural grip aka piper’s grip.I turn my torso a small bit to the right and my left arm’s almost horizontal, and right in front of me. I play from the shoulder, and my flute’s held horizontal. Try a few positions and i hope you’ll find what you like best.
Jon,
I use the normal grip and the flute rests directly on the crease or wrinkle at the very bottom of my L1. I think I even have a permanent little dent there now.
It took me quite a long time before I could get that finger (L1) to work properly. If you can do the piper’s grip with the left hand, I’d do it. Piper’s grip seems better for the L1, but difficult to learn on flute. So, you’ve got the choice of learning piper’s grip on flute, or learning to lift that L1 on the normal grip. Your choice.
Michael
It may be helpful to fashion a ‘bopep’ out of clear plastic tubing.
You can buy this tubing at a hardware store. It’s cheap.
Cut off a section an inch or two long, slit it lengthwise
and put it on the flute as a rest for your left hand.
This gives more extension to L1 which can facilitate
its movement.
Jim,
does this also relieve tension. Seems like it might. I think I just may try this!
Arbo
it, effectively, increases the outside diameter of the tube…what lets the fingers be a bit straighter, less cramped
thank you guys for the great info and tips. i will start trying them.
Basically it gives you a less cramped position and facilitates movement.
So yes, I think it does relieve tension. I was running into finger
pain and this helped, though after a year or so I found I
no longer need it.
Jim,
I went ahead today and outfitted both my Pratten and R&R with a band as you suggested. I bought some black, 1" diameter rubber hose, cut a section just wide enough for my left fore finger to rest against it comfortably, slit the tube and placed it around the flute. This left me with a gap of approximately 3/8 ". I then wrapped electrical tape around the tube to hol it in place. I will let you know how this works out. It felt strang at first, but after a couple of minutes I hardly noticed it.
Arbo
Another position you might try is to change the thumb is placed. Instead of holding it the normal way I turn my thumb and bring it down so it is on the bottom of the flute and is parallel to the flute. This is especially helpful if you have small hands.
If you are comfortable with the piper’s grip, then just stick with it. I nearly had to give up on playing keyless flute because I have very small hands and was in great pain every time I tried to use the standard grip. I switched exclusively to piper’s grip about 8 years ago and never looked back. When I play, the left thumb is under the instrument pointing towards the right side of my throat. I am able to keep my hands very relaxed with this grip.
Here’s a video showing how I hold the instrument:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pupQyQBTcrQ&feature=related
Piper’s grip is fine, IMO,
however lots of people who CAN use ordinary grip
have some trouble initially. Sometimes
adjustments do help (not that Eskin is denying this).
Anyhow best not to give it up without a fight, IMO.
One learns to adapt.
About plastic bopeps. The clear plastic tubing should
be available in hardware stores. Anyhow I’ve never
had trouble finding it. It comes in different widths.
Looks pretty good. And it closes naturally over
the flute without needing tape to secure it.
So one can take it off and put it back on
whenever. Nothing to it.
We know that Nicholson physically modified his
flutes to make them easier to hold.
In that spirit I’ve bought moleskin and pasted
rectangles of it on my flutes at various places.
First, to make a left hand rest (I no longer need a bopep).
Second, as a rest for the left thumb–this is very helpful
in training my left thumb to go in the optimal place for it.
Before this it wandered.
Third, under the flute between R1 and R2, to make a
right thumb rest.
Fourth, a small piece where my right pinky contacts the
flute.
THEN I put superglue, a bit of it, on the outside of the
moleskin, which, remember, is stuck to the flute
by its adhesive. This makes the moleskin very rough.
It becomes more comfortable with slight use but
remains rough.
The result is a very secure grip–the flute is solid, it has
no tendency at all to move or slide in one’s hands.
Then one practices holding the flute this way, with
one’s hole-closing fingers off the flute.
Then one adds them in the most relaxed fashion
one can. You simply practice playing with them relaxed.
You do this periodically for a few minutes everytime
you play.
This really can help get a functional and comfortable
grip. As the fingers that close the holes are doing
no work in holding the flute, which is rock solid
in your hands, the grip is a whole lot more easy
and relaxed.
Michael Eskin certainly shows how easy the fingering appears with pipers grip with both hands. I have observed bansuri players use the the same fingering technique. I use a modified standard grip with my left hand and pipers grip with the right. Using piper’s grip, since the fingertips can extend way over the holes, the fingering of the flute is somewhat self-adjusting, relieving tension in the hands and wrists.
Jim, with all of the attached moleskin and tubing on your flute, I wonder if you take it out in public that way? I’m only joking, of course, because I know what you reply is. You do.
The key is put your hands where they are comfortable, then put the flute there, not the other way around…
Jimbo, i think you really should try piper’s grip 
Yes, I’ve used it, sometimes for months
at a time. In my case ‘normal’ grip seems more agile.
The ends of fingers better fit holes, they’re
more sensitive too, and my belief is that curved
fingers move faster. Also ‘normal’ grip
is less likely to create problems with
keyed flutes.
Initially it can be less comfortable and seem awkward,
but I think that people who find it this way can often,
with some effort and thought, make it
doable and comfortable.
Lately I’ve been working to somewhat straighten my
left wrist, which I’m succeeding in doing.
Obviously plenty of people prefer piper’s grip.
That’s no problem. Nothing wrong with it.
And if people initially find normal grip
awkward, uncomfortable, there’s a strong
possibility that you can work that out–and
also that you will be glad you did.
I have only been playing flute for less than 2 weeks, and I have been using the normal grip. Pipers grip seemed faster and more natural, but I want to eventually get a keyed flute, and I hear that the normal grip is better for that. Is that true? If it is I’ll just keep practicing with the normal grip, and I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it, but if not I’ll just go with the piper’s grip.