Angled versus straight head joint

gododdin · Post by **gododdin** » Mon May 21, 2007 1:01 pm

I've read a lot about how turning in the head joint can help with comfort on the flute and have been playing with it turned in a bit. I'm now nearly 6 months in, and my (occasional) teacher has said that I should try to play lining the holes all up in a straight line. His reasoning is that it is easier to line them all up accurately rather than adding another variable (difficulty of replicating the exact angle of turn on the head joint each time the flute is assembled). I have to admit that this makes sense.

So now I'm playing like that instead, but it is difficult and I'm tempted to turn the head in a bit. But I think I know what he'll say when we eventually get around to another lesson...

I'd appreciate your thoughts and guidance on this.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Mon May 21, 2007 2:11 pm

most recently

gododdin · Post by **gododdin** » Mon May 21, 2007 3:51 pm

Sure, I saw and participated in that interesting thread, but I didn't think it was quite the same. The question I'm asking is specifically about turning the head joint (embouchure hole) relative to the other holes (rather than the angle/position of the embouchure hole as relative to the lips).

Hope that makes sense - it's been a long day...

Cheers, G

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Mon May 21, 2007 4:24 pm

well...assuming that the holes are up then it was in the other thread.

I align the far edge of the embouchure hole with the center of the tone holes, more or less and move it a bit if the sound is off ... and move it later, sometimes as I warm up.

aim the tone holes up and turn it 'till it works best for you

Berti66 · Post by **Berti66** » Mon May 21, 2007 10:46 pm

also in that other thread: experiment yourself.
every body is different and only YOU can find out what suits it.
nothing that a teacher says, is written in stone.
you are allowed to try things out yourself and find your own opinions there.

happy playing
berti

chas · Post by **chas** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:31 am

As my teacher told me, the variation in most players from day to day is greater than the uncertainty in how you have the holes lined up. That doesn't sound like a very good reason to play with them aligned. If he said you'd sound better, that would be a good reason, but I don't know as I'd agree. Quantz suggested having the far side in line with the toneholes in the 18th century. Grey Larsen suggests it in the 21st century. That's good enough for me. (Note that I did use the word suggest, as they both say there will be individual variation.)

flutefry · Post by **flutefry** » Tue May 22, 2007 9:40 am

There's two issues here that are sometimes conflated. One is to find the right position of the headjoint relative to the lips (eg the thread Denny referenced). Once one has found that position, a second problem arises, which is the position of the body relative to the fingers and hands. So think of keeping the head joint fixed, and rotating the body until the hands are comfortable.

Many baroque flautists do not have the upper and lower pieces in line so that each hand is optimally positioned. Rolling the top (left hand) piece in can alleviate the bent wrist, and rolling the bottom (right hand) out is often seen as well.

Others have said this more eloquently than I.

Hugh

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Tue May 22, 2007 10:01 am

from Terry McGee's site
see And the Alignment? ::nod to Hugh::
and Rockstro on holding the flute

gododdin · Post by **gododdin** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:12 pm

Thanks for the responses all! Terry McGee's site is a treasure trove of information. The use of dots to line up the various sections of the flute does away with any uncertainty - it's so obvious, I don't know why I didn't think of it.

It's okay for me with my polymer flute, but what do people use to mark their priceless Olwells, Wilkeses etc?

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Tue May 22, 2007 12:15 pm

worry less ... play more

tin tin · Post by **tin tin** » Tue May 22, 2007 1:38 pm

gododdin wrote:Thanks for the responses all! Terry McGee's site is a treasure trove of information. The use of dots to line up the various sections of the flute does away with any uncertainty - it's so obvious, I don't know why I didn't think of it.

It's okay for me with my polymer flute, but what do people use to mark their priceless Olwells, Wilkeses etc?

A tiny dot of nail polish works well on the silver rings and/or the wood. You can scrape the dot off with a fingernail. Hot pink looks especially nice with blackwood, I hear...

talasiga · Post by **talasiga** » Tue May 22, 2007 5:45 pm

Yes, during my 14 years with an Irish flute I have, these past couple of years, discovered the joys of an inturned head so that outer edge of embouchure lines with tone holes running at 12 o'clock.

All the concert professional bansuris I have (and I have had various bansuri since 1970 or so) require inturning of the bansuri so as to obtain the advertised concert pitch. By that I mean:- if a good bansuri is sold as A440, my experience is you will only get that pitch with inturning.

I am still learning and will keep an open mind.

I have always found Terry McGee's site stimulating reading.
Thank you.