Chapter 7: Putting It All Together: The Flute and You
Figure 7-4: The three balance points.
Right thumb
Left index finger
Chin
Follow these steps to familiarize yourself with the flute’s three balance points:
1. Assemble your flute and place it in your lap, with most of the keys facing you.
2. Slide your left hand underneath the flute tube, placing the top of your left-hand index finger between the first two keys you see on top of the flute (the keys lined up with the company name on the barrel).
3. Place the base of your index finger on the side of the tube, keeping it between those first two keys.
You can use your left-hand index finger to lift the flute slightly off your lap as you’re completing the next steps.
4. Count up three keys from the footjoint socket and place your righthand thumb underneath the tube right at that point.
5. Now place your right-hand pinky on the D#/E% key, which is the rectangular footjoint key closest to the body of the flute.
Let your fingers fall where they may on the flute’s other keys for now, but don’t grab the keys — these steps are about holding the flute using just these few balance points.
6. With your left-hand index finger, right-hand thumb, and right-hand pinky on the flute as described in the previous steps, lift the flute and put the lip plate on your lower lip.
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