How do you use your right hand trill keys? What is your procedure when you encounter the need for these keys?
When I was growing up in elementary school I used any finger willy-nilly. Hey whatever worked was good enough. Then I began using only my right hand middle finger to manipulate both trill keys. One day my flute teacher at the time, asked why I was using one finger to do both trills. At the time, I truly thought everyone was doing it. But lo, this teacher brought to my attention that no, not everyone.
Correct Trill Finger Positions:
This teacher told me that all 3 right hand fingers have their own trill key. No one need move into each others territory except under great duress when you need to finger creatively. I thought this idea made a lot of sense and I’ve been doing it ever since.
In my years of college and private teaching I am not sure I’ve ever seen a student give each finger a trill of their own. That seems like a large number of uninitiated trillers out there. When you are using your trill keys I see so many people try to do especially these two trill keys they do them with the same finger. I have found that when I teach this much like when I learned, that it is an easy fix. It is not one of those habits that really difficult to break such as leaving the first finger down on D and Eb (don’t even get me started down that path!). That is a difficult habit to break. But changing the fingers for the individual trills is relatively easy because, I think, it makes so much sense.
If you do not know what I mean let me show you.This first picture below left is what I used to do. That first finger moved down to the trill hey but also moved up to the lever trill key.
However, your first finger should technically only move up to the lever.
Whatever part of your first finger is easiest to reach the trill you use. Don’t put the tip on that key. You are trying to be efficient. So, just bring that finger up and hit the lever trill. When that finger is in position, then place your other 2 fingers on their respective trills. It makes so much sense.
You are never left wondering which finger to use for the trills in tricky spots.
Try this and see what you think. You might like it!
Have fun!
Doctor Flute
Watch me demonstrate this:
FluteTips 49 Every Trill Has its Own Finger
