Finger force and playing speed

Bobj · Post by **Bobj** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 11:21 am

I think small finger movements will enable fast playing.

It seems to me that the finger force needed to get a good seal on a whistle hole is related to how much finger movement is used between notes.

I find I have to press down fairly hard to get a good seal, or I won't get a clean note. As a result of pressing down hard on the holes when I try to play fast, to unseal the holes ends up with large finger movements.

If I was able to get a good clean seal with a light touch, I think I could play a lot faster.

I've watched videos of good whistle players with relatively small finger movements, and I was wondering how they manage to get a good finger seal on their whistle holes with apparently a light touch?

Whats the secret?

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 11:24 am

I'm working on this myself. It's probably a combination of practice and careful placement. Depending on your whistle and your hands, there will be certain positions that are better seals than others. The trick is to get these seals on the first try, so you don't have to press harder to force a seal. IMO, anyway.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 11:26 am

On 2002-10-11 13:21, Bobj wrote:
I've watched videos of good whistle players with relatively small finger movements, and I was wondering how they manage to get a good finger seal on their whistle holes with apparently a light touch?

Whats the secret?

Practice? And is it a secret?

BTW If you watch Mary Bergin herself, you'll notice that she holds her left hand (and that's the lower hand for her) quite far away and flicks her fingers down for taps with a very large movement that looks like it comes from the wrist.

_________________
/bloomfield

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Bloomfield on 2002-10-11 13:27 ]</font>

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 11:29 am

Avanutria's right...more than anything else, it's a matter of practice. I just lightly rest my fingers on the holes and have no trouble getting a good seal...but that's probably because I've been twiddling around with whistles and recorders off and on for about 15 years now!

(My, how time flies!).

Anyway, if you're having trouble, a couple of things to check: First, make sure it's the pads of your fingers that are covering the holes...not the tips. A lot of beginners make the mistake of curving their fingers too much, trying to use the finger tips to cover the holes. Your fingers should be only slightly curved (some players even keep their fingers fairly flat).

If you're still having trouble, a different whistle may help. There are differences in the size of the tube and the size of the holes themselves that can make getting a good seal a little harder (or easier) for beginners.

And of course, practice, practice, practice!

Redwolf

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 11:31 am

People say exactly the same thing about finger movements on saxophone. It's good advice. But if you play better breaking it, and can't break the habit fairly easily, just go straight ahead. On every instrument you'll see many a virtuoso who seems to break one or more of the cardinal rules.

TonyHiggins · Post by **TonyHiggins** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 11:37 am

Before you worry about force and distance, make sure you hand is angled properly and the whistle hasn't rolled slightly so the holes are not right up at the top. Sometimes angling your wrist so your fingers approach the whistle at a comfortable angle can make a difference in sealing the holes. Also, whether your fingers are straight at the second knuckle or slightly bent may make a difference. Figure out what's right for you. Get those right before deciding how hard to slap the holes, which may be a compensation for a bad hand posture.
Tony

klezmusic · Post by **klezmusic** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 12:03 pm

Regarding hole coverage, finger pressure, and speed - I will be covering these and other issues in the afternoon session of the all-day whistle workshops I am conducting at Lady of the Creek on Saturday October 26.

For more info, please see http://www.ladyofthecreek.com

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 12:06 pm

On 2002-10-11 14:03, klezmusic wrote:
Regarding hole coverage, finger pressure, and speed - I will be covering these and other issues in the afternoon session of the all-day whistle workshops I am conducting at Lady of the Creek on Saturday October 26.

For more info, please see http://www.ladyofthecreek.com

What's the matter? No one signing up?

Sandy Jasper · Post by **Sandy Jasper** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 12:48 pm

I'm with Redwolf, take a look at what part of the fingers you are using to cover the holes. I don't use any pressure to get a full seal, my fingers just naturally and fully cover the holes, this should not be a chore!

Turn your whistle over and rest your fingers on the back of the tube (no holes) No tips now! Find the most comfortable position. Th index fingers of each hand are almost resting at the first joint. Once you have a hold of the whistle that feels really good (no work here!) Turn the whistle back over. Now place your fingers over the tube the way you did on the back, don't focus too much on the holes, more on comfort. Now try playing.

The secret here is the fact that there is more soft flesh up the fingers that there is on the tips. Your tips are smaller and tighter so they need more pressure to cover holes than all the flesh up the fingers!

Good luck,

Sandy Jasper

markv · Post by **markv** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 1:00 pm

On 2002-10-11 14:06, Bloomfield wrote:
On 2002-10-11 14:03, klezmusic wrote:
Regarding hole coverage, finger pressure, and speed - I will be covering these and other issues in the afternoon session of the all-day whistle workshops I am conducting at Lady of the Creek on Saturday October 26.

For more info, please see http://www.ladyofthecreek.com
What's the matter? No one signing up?

and from an accordian player too.

BrassBlower · Post by **BrassBlower** » Fri Oct 11, 2002 1:07 pm

Unless you have incredibly speedy fingers (which I don't), ornamentation is easier and cleaner with smaller finger movements (no wonder some people say "tap" and others say "strike").

FWIW, something that has helped me considerably in executing cuts is to raise all of the fingers between the grace note and target note, and not just the finger over the grace note. Once again, this is best done with small finger movements.

Bobj · Post by **Bobj** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 8:12 am

Practice is of course a good idea. but I want to avoid practicing improper technique.

I think I'll focus on wrist/finger positioning for now.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 8:15 am

I think I will wait until the October 26 workshop so I can learn the proper way to play them.

Hi Wendy! I'm Looking forward to meeting you.

Kathy

thurlowe · Post by **thurlowe** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 12:47 pm

Something small to add... if your instrument is well balanced in your hands, your fingers are much freer to move. I learned that early on as a classical flute player. As a whistle player, when the tube feels light on my thumbs, my fingers feel fleet, and while usually my fingers stay close to the body, sometimes I enjoy adding the exaggerated "slap" of a fingerpad onto a tone-hole to make a note or ornament stand out.

E = Fb · Post by **E = Fb** » Sat Oct 12, 2002 2:11 pm

If you have dry skin, a little lotion can help seal the holes.