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No, not the kind that you'd use with an ambulance...no, no injuries here....just some way to stretch my fingers so that I can reach hole 3 on the 2.1 chinese root end mujistsu flute I recently acquired.
I like this fat flute with is 1 1/2 inch diametre. Sounds really good when I cover the holes in an unorthodox manner, readjusting my lower hand in order to get a seal on hole 3. But using the conventional arrangement of fingering, I can't make the stretch between hole five and hole three.
I was toying with the idea of selling this flute and being a bit more particular in my next purchase to insure that the hole arrangement is a match for my finger/hand size and arrangement. But before I take leave of this fine flute I thought, I'd check in with the group here in case there's some approach to fingering for fat flutes and small hands that I might have overlooked.
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When I had my 2.9 sometimes my hands would cramp up so before playing it I would stretch each hand using the opposite hand, alternately putting the thumb and pinky of one hand between each finger of the opposite hand and stretching them gently to capacity. I would do this several times between the fingers of each hand to warm up before playing. (Did this description make sense?)
Last edited by ABRAXAS (2009-05-24 23:37:26)
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Hi Airin,
I have seen at least one player use their pinky to reach #3, and I used that method for a short time to reach #3 on a 2.4 flute I had. I do not think that it is ideal because it didn't allow for quick technique when it came to honkyoku, particularly chi meri no kan using shading. If you can pull that off, you will be in better shape than I was using that "alternative" fingering.
Best,
Michael
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I use the pinky method on a lot of flutes. Like anything else it just takes some time to get used to and practice. Look at some of my youtube videos to see the degree of dexterity that is possible with this fingering and it takes strain off the wrist as well.
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Pinky?! Good idea! I'll experiment with that finger, good for it to have something to do once in a while other than just hanging about while the other fingers are doing all the work!
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Yeah the main thing is your pinky has to be fat enough to seal the hole.
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This reminds me of...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifKKlhYF53w
Perhaps we need a shakuhachi analog.
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Pretty entertaining video Kaz, thanks for posting the link.
Last edited by airin (2009-05-27 21:45:49)
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