Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

I am wondering what players tend to do with their 'little fingers' while playing, Do you have them 'loose' away from the flute, or do you place them on the flute ?
I have been playing with them 'loose' but a friend commented that he places them on the flute. I am now practicing this and note quite a shift in how the posture feels. It requires more effort to manipulate my 'ring' fingers, but it adds an interesting feel to the total placement in that it seems to almost strengthen the individuality of all the other fingers.

If I were playing a seven or nine hole flute, the pinkies would be involved on the flute itself.

Kel