Hello fellow flute players! I have a qusetion that I haven't seen addressed here before, your advice please.
A year ago I purchased a new flute, YMH 784. I tried several and although it wasn't my favorite, it fit my price range. Since getting it and playing alot I find that I get tired and achy shoulders (R>L). I'm sure my shoulder ache is from that flute because when I play less I get less pain. Last week just for fun I picked up my old flute, the difference in weight was quite noticable (it however only has a C-foot).
So my qusedion is do flutes vary much in weights? Do most people find it matters? And if so why don't manufacturers give flute weights in their "specs". Do flutists buy flutes with C-feet because they're lighter?
Thanks for your help,
Andrea
flute weights
Moderators: Classitar, pied_piper, Phineas
Flute Weight
Hi Andrea;
Unfortunately, the weight of a flute is not a major factor in shoulder pain. The average flute weighs between 400 and 600 grams -1 to 1.5 lbs. The average human hand weights twice that.
I have experience in this field. I spent 7 years working in physical rehabilitation. Part of that time was spent working with musicians from such places as the Aspen Music Festival and Indiana University. However, your physical aches-n-pains are real, just for other reasons. Body position changes with each flute. While one might think that the scale of a flute means the keys are always spaced relatively the same between one maker and the next. Angle of the keys; post, rib and key length greatly affect the biomechanics of EVERY wind instrument. Move your little finger just 3mm in either direction, and your whole hand changes position to accomodate that subtle change. Along with hand changes comes accomodation of arms, shoulders, neck and spine.
Playing a musical instrument is just as demanding as playing a sport. Stretching exercises and lifting weights can improve your performance stamina. Unless you have a physical defect with your shoulders, neck and spine, simple exercises will alleviate most stress felt with a new instrument.
If your pain is persistant, worsens while not playing, or becomes chronic, consult your MD.....ASAP!
Unfortunately, the weight of a flute is not a major factor in shoulder pain. The average flute weighs between 400 and 600 grams -1 to 1.5 lbs. The average human hand weights twice that.
I have experience in this field. I spent 7 years working in physical rehabilitation. Part of that time was spent working with musicians from such places as the Aspen Music Festival and Indiana University. However, your physical aches-n-pains are real, just for other reasons. Body position changes with each flute. While one might think that the scale of a flute means the keys are always spaced relatively the same between one maker and the next. Angle of the keys; post, rib and key length greatly affect the biomechanics of EVERY wind instrument. Move your little finger just 3mm in either direction, and your whole hand changes position to accomodate that subtle change. Along with hand changes comes accomodation of arms, shoulders, neck and spine.
Playing a musical instrument is just as demanding as playing a sport. Stretching exercises and lifting weights can improve your performance stamina. Unless you have a physical defect with your shoulders, neck and spine, simple exercises will alleviate most stress felt with a new instrument.
If your pain is persistant, worsens while not playing, or becomes chronic, consult your MD.....ASAP!
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flutepicc06
- Posts: 1353
- Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 11:34 pm
Re: flute weights
[quote="ava]
So my qusedion is do flutes vary much in weights? Do most people find it matters? And if so why don't manufacturers give flute weights in their "specs". Do flutists buy flutes with C-feet because they're lighter?
Thanks for your help,
Andrea[/quote]
Flutes can vary noticeably in weight. As Masters7 pointed out, the real weights usually don't change very much within flutes of a given material, but you can definitely notice a difference between flutesn of different materials. My Tom Green is the heaviest C flute I've ever picked up. Most people don't find that it matters, unless they have some previous arm/shoulder injury. While my Tom Green is quite weighty as flutes go, it does not affect me negatively. Manufacturers don't directly give flute weights in their stats, but knowing the basic dimensions of a flute (bore diameter, length, and wall thickness), as well as density of the material, you could figure it out if you wanted to. Some flutists by a C foot instrument because it's lighter, but these are generally the players who have injuries, as I mentioned above. Other wise, it's usually because they've realized that for the most part a B foot is useless (The low B appears in roughly 80 pieces), and see no reason pay for the extra work and materials involved in producing a B foot they don't need, or carry the extra weight. If you're experiencing pain from playing, you need to figure out why, or it could result in long term damage (carpal tunnel, RSI's, etc.) down the road, which could potentially end your flute playing altogether. if you don't have a teacher, go to one (one versed in Alexander Technique would be excellent), explain the situation, and do the exercises, stretches, changes in hand position or posture, etc. that (s)he describes.
So my qusedion is do flutes vary much in weights? Do most people find it matters? And if so why don't manufacturers give flute weights in their "specs". Do flutists buy flutes with C-feet because they're lighter?
Thanks for your help,
Andrea[/quote]
Flutes can vary noticeably in weight. As Masters7 pointed out, the real weights usually don't change very much within flutes of a given material, but you can definitely notice a difference between flutesn of different materials. My Tom Green is the heaviest C flute I've ever picked up. Most people don't find that it matters, unless they have some previous arm/shoulder injury. While my Tom Green is quite weighty as flutes go, it does not affect me negatively. Manufacturers don't directly give flute weights in their stats, but knowing the basic dimensions of a flute (bore diameter, length, and wall thickness), as well as density of the material, you could figure it out if you wanted to. Some flutists by a C foot instrument because it's lighter, but these are generally the players who have injuries, as I mentioned above. Other wise, it's usually because they've realized that for the most part a B foot is useless (The low B appears in roughly 80 pieces), and see no reason pay for the extra work and materials involved in producing a B foot they don't need, or carry the extra weight. If you're experiencing pain from playing, you need to figure out why, or it could result in long term damage (carpal tunnel, RSI's, etc.) down the road, which could potentially end your flute playing altogether. if you don't have a teacher, go to one (one versed in Alexander Technique would be excellent), explain the situation, and do the exercises, stretches, changes in hand position or posture, etc. that (s)he describes.
Last edited by flutepicc06 on Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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flutepicc06
- Posts: 1353
- Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 11:34 pm
The weight won't change based on posture, just the muscles and strength of those muscles that you need to use to support it. Weight is a measure of the force of gravity on an object, so as long as you're in the same place on Earth, if a flute weighs 1/2 pound perfectly horizontal, it weighs 1/2 pound perfectly vertical.~Stormy~ wrote:It also depends the posture in which you are playing your flute..... I found that if it points to the floor it feels differnet weight than when it is out straight.....
I play a Yamaha 874-H and it is significantly heavier than the flutes my colleagues play. But it also helps me get the rich, dark tone I love so much... so I just need to exercise more, ha! 
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