Chiff and Fipple Forums

I'm about to post a couple of audio clips on "Youtube" of Peter Horan, one flute solo and one with Fred Finn, and was looking at the front cover of the cassette tape sleeve. I've also recently been watching the Comhaltas tribute DVD to Peter Horan called "Still Beating Time" [ recommended if you can find it ].
I noticed on both that Peter Horan seemed to play with both "pinkies" - the little fingers of each hand - nearly always anchored on or near the posts of the Eb key and G# key. Has anyone else noticed this ? Are there any other flute players who do this ? I'm not disparaging it or anything - it obviously worked for Peter - just interested in any opinions on this, as it's not something I've seen any other flute player do.

PS - https://youtu.be/hJwWoh0GCjg

Peter Horan playing 3 reels on flute - you can see what I mean on the front of the DVD cover.

You have a bit of a view of the left hand placement here:



This one doesn't quite have the depth of field you'd want for this (and bad light) but you can see both here, just about:

Fantastic pictures! What years would those have been taken?

That would have been around 2005. They were launching 'Fortune favours the Merry' that week. It was the middle of the day and they were just settling in a bit, Maurice Lennon, Cathal McConnell, Ollie Ross, Peter Horan and Gerry Harrington at that point but it was one of those session that just keeps going with people dropping in and dropping out for a while. It kept going for 36 hours I believe.

Horan seemed to be around a bit at that time, shortly after he was at Feakle. I walked into Pepper's and he was playing with Jackie Daly Jackie waved me onto the musicians bench with the two of them (I didn't really want to, I don't like being put on the spot).

As much as I'm in awe of the quality and quantity of Mr. Gumby's photos, I'm astounded at his ability to locate them in what must be a rather sizable collection. Since I use the "it's around here somewhere" system of filing photos and graphics, I salute whatever method he has. x 10.

Best wishes.

Steve

[Thread revival. - Mod]

Reminded of this discussion after seeing this video posted on Youtube one hour ago. Seems to confirm my observation.
https://youtu.be/oyYfFBP5a18?si=SvX8hgtUoOcUTw8S

Not a fluter, but I was taught to keep both little fingers anchored on the whistle (late 1960s). Nowadays I play with the left hand pinkie anchored, but the right hand one not.

I do know one Irish fluter who keeps his lower-hand little finger anchored fulltime, even when playing E.

I just don't have much range of motion or dexterity with my ring finger if my little finger is anchored.

What works for me is keeping the lower-hand little finger off for E and F# and anchored for A, B, C natural and C sharp.

G depends on the notes preceding and following.

I will say that I initially learned flute the way I saw the older guys playing, using the lower-hand ring finger as an anchor for A, B, C natural, and C sharp, with G depending on context. Watch Mary Bergin to see this in action (if she hasn't changed her fingering, that is).

While this works perfectly well on flute and high whistles, having the lower-hand ring finger down for B in the 2nd octave doesn't work on many Low Whistles, so when I gave up flute for Low Whistle I had to change.