Keeping the right hand little finger down?

[sinebar]

Is it appropriate to always keep the RH little finger down while playing the D high whistle? It seems to help stablize the whistle.

[seisflutes]

If it works for you, sure. Some people do, some don't. Personally, my little finger is down a lot of the time, but not always. It comes up when I do E rolls and so on.

[anniemcu]

Is it appropriate to always keep the RH little finger down while playing the D high whistle? It seems to help stablize the whistle.

I do. Now, whether that makes any difference to the experts or not is another question...

This question has been asked here before, and think the concensus was that 'if it works for you...'

[pipersgrip]

it is all of what you like, if you want it up like sipping a cup of tea, then have it up. if you want it down, then keep it down. whatever is most comfy for you.

[sinebar]

it is all of what you like, if you want it up like sipping a cup of tea, then have it up. if you want it down, then keep it down. whatever is most comfy for you.

Thanks all, I can control the whistle better by keeping the pinky down so I will continue. I just didn't want to develop a bad habbit.

[pipersgrip]

glad you found the way

[Key_of_D]

Well for me since I'm a left handed player, it would be my left pinky that isn't always down...

I've always played whistle with the bottom hand pinky off the barrel of the whistle, although it does move up and down free from hitting the whistle when I go to play E rolls, or simply transitioning from or to E; although when that happens the pinky is left relaxed, and therefore curled. But this is me.

I think it's all about what works for you, and this is just one of those things, you have to decide what works for you best.

[FJohnSharp]

I saw a guy once who played with his upper thumb OFF the whistle most of the time, using his lips and his lower thumb to hold it in place. I wondered if it gave him some advantage in A and B rolls but when I tried it it didn't help.

[cavefish]

whatever works

[mutepointe]

i find sticking my pinky out is a great way to get invitations to teas. folks know i will have wonderful manners when i can play a set and never once lower my pinky.

[Wanderer]

I usually play with the whistle mostly off of the tube. One some notes (like C#) the pinkie comes down below the bottom note to stabilize the whistle.

more and more, though, I'm finding myself keeping the bottom hole(s) closed, after reading about it on Brother Steve's site (which seems to be down at this exact moment ).

[Key_of_D]

I usually play with the whistle mostly off of the tube. One some notes (like C#) the pinkie comes down below the bottom note to stabilize the whistle.

When this happens, I just use the B3 finger, or the ring finger on the bottom hand, on the B3 hole to play C#. Although I can think of at least one tune (Tobin's Favorite) where I leave B1 and B2 down and B3 is left up for one of those passages in the tune, but this is me however. Brother Steve's section on Not Lifting a Finger has some great insight on this matter.

-Eric

[pancelticpiper]

On Irish flute at least, seeing someone always having their pinkie down except for D is The Mark Of Someone Who Is Really A Boehm Player. This is because on the Boehm flute the pinkie must be down on its key, even for E, but is lifted for D.
I was in the habit, like many Irish flute/whistle players, of keeping down my bottom-hand ring finger for notes G, A, B, and C. However on some of the big-bore neo-whistles high B (and sometimes high A) sound harsh or may not sound at all with that finger down.

[SteveB]

panceltic piper wrote:

"On Irish flute at least, seeing someone always having their pinkie down except for D is The Mark Of Someone Who Is Really A Boehm Player."

Yeah, like this guy,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHcDY76a_eY

obviously a boehm-playing poser trying to have a go at the wooden flute.


cheers,

SteveB

[jemtheflute]

[quote="pancelticpiper"]On Irish flute at least, seeing someone always having their pinkie down except for D is The Mark Of Someone Who Is Really A Boehm Player. This is because on the Boehm flute the pinkie must be down on its key, even for E, but is lifted for D.[quote]

I'll admit I started on Boehm 30 years ago, but I switched to 8-key about 25 years ago and only rarely touch Boehm. However, although not developed to the full classical extent, I've kept the Eb key use in my playing. This is a GOOD THING on 8-key flute, as it is how they were designed to be played! That weak bottom E (and other notes) is massively improved if you vent the Eb. Personally, I'd advocate that totally key-less flutes should be banned/and or retro-fitted with the Eb key. Many fine flautists in ITM never touch their Eb key, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be a good idea for them to acquire the habit! Using it has other advantages, but this is becoming too much of a Flute Forum post....back to whistles.

I totally concur with the people who are saying, do what works for you..... Myself, my flute habit transfers to whistle and my R little finger (I do irrationally detest that American term "pinkie"! In Britain, "pinkies" are usually a baby's toes!!!) goes up and down as if playing a phantom Eb key. Thus it acts to stabilises the whistle on notes with few other fingers down, especially open C#. But I don't, and haven't ever, really thought about it while playing - it just works. My personal opinion is that it makes more sense to stabilise with the little finger than with BH3 as it can't interfere with intonation. I haven't read up on the sources mentioned about playing with something like piping "half-closed" fingering, but in general I'd expect it to be disadvantageous in terms of intonation and strength of tone on a whistle which is specifically designed to be played "open". That doesn't mean that one should not make use of such fudged fingerings on swift passing notes involving awkward finger changes, but I'd say, avoid them on sustained notes.