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Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by Trumpet player on 9/12/2024, 7:58 pm

I’ve heard a lot of different ideas about Bb. I understand that Thumb Bb is good for most flat keys and the 1 and 1 Bb is necessary for when B natural comes into play.

I’ve also heard from people who prefer using thumb B flat for beginners, that for most other notes (with the exception of high F# and B natural) that it doesn’t matter which thumb you press.

So my question is, why are the fingering charts marking the rectangular thumb key as the correct thumb to play for all of the other notes if it doesn’t matter which thumb you play?

Am I making sense? Probably not. I’m a trumpet player trying to teach a flute class and I am having trouble wrapping my head around this Bb key stuff. Any help would be appreciated.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by Curious on 9/16/2024, 12:43 pm, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

I teach thumb Bb in the beginning. I teach 1+1 when we learn the chromatic scale. My kids like learning a "new way" to play the Bb.

As for why beginner books typically mark 1+1 Bb...I don't know. I just mark thumb Bb in their books when the Bb is introduced. On their fingering charts in the book, I have them circle chromatic fingerings.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by retireder on 9/15/2024, 7:42 pm, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

Wanna have some fun? Go to a flute convention and yell out "Thumb Bb should be the primary fingering!" Or the opposite. Then run.

With that said, I agree that both should be taught. I myself (as a doubler) use thumb Bb most of the time. There was one of the historic greats - Rampal maybe? - that used thumb Bb exclusively.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by V.C. on 9/14/2024, 5:36 pm, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

Teach beginners ROUND THUMB Bb. Scratch out the 1-and-1 fingering on your beginner fingering charts. Introduce B natural when needed, then Lever Bb when needed. 1-and1 is a Bb flute fingering, but it's the clunkiest one, and the least-used among professionals.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by Pretzel Guy on 9/13/2024, 11:07 am, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

Most of the fingering charts use 1 and 1 as the primary fingering. Since the chart is based of that fingering, all of the other fingerings use it as well. In Europe it is much more common to start flutists on 1 and 1 as they are more often times being set up to play in sharp keys with an orchestra.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by Do This on 9/13/2024, 9:55 am, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

Teach them that it's "situational." As you've stated, there are times where one fingering is needed over the other, but you should set a "default" and then find the variances from that default.
My preference is the thumb on the b-flat key.

I think the fingering charts use the b-natural key because "that's how it's always been."

Remember, orchestra's have been around a lot longer than bands. Orchestras play in keys that, mostly, utilize b-naturals so it was more common (necessary) for flutes to put their thumb on b-natural.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by lkpr on 9/13/2024, 9:49 am, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

You are making sense and it is confusing. Basically, I teach (I am a flute player) all my beginners to use double thumb Bb. Everyone has their own opinion so others may say otherwise. And honestly there is no wrong or right in this.

I prefer double thumb because when they are playing in flat keys there are fewer mistakes being made with accidentally playing b natural. I do show them both fingerings, but explain why I have them use the double thumb key. I teach my students to look at the key signature and if there are flats use the double thumb for all their notes - high Gb is later taught and explained with my intermediate students. I also teach that A# is fingered with the lever and not 1st finger. This is a personal preference. My reasonings are 1. it lays under the fingers more easily for fast passages. 2. It teaches them to think of A# as a different note than Bb.

To me the importance is correct notes and easy fingering. If the fingering is easier why do it the hard way? The keys are there for a reason, don't make it harder than it has to be. Not all flute teachers think the same way and that is fine. The end result and what works best for the player is what is important.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by Flutterific on 9/13/2024, 9:16 am, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

I always teach my flute players thumb Bflat and have them keep their finger on the B flat side. By the time we introduce B natural or high F sharp they are much more familiar with the instrument and it is not a big deal to learn how and when to place your thumb on the natural side. At the end of the 6th grade year we learn what situations warrant the natural side. More often than not its on the flat side.

I also teach lever B flat in addition to 1 and 1 B flat but I am a weirdo I think

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by Retired on 9/19/2024, 6:31 pm, in reply to "Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

A natural guy should B sharp with his teaching

For it is important for the Premier section not

too B flat but, to B natural.

Well, that is what all the Natural sharp people say....

On another NOTE Karen North (not Ollie's girl)

says

"To B or not to B ? That is the question !!

B Flat flute fingering

go to http://www.allegromusicpublishing.com/post/to-b-or-not-to-bflate-flute-fingering

and

Have fun with the flat side of the world

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by 3 Bbs on 9/13/2024, 7:17 am, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

Use thumb Bb (I call it double thumb) if there is a flat in the key signature (unless there is a C flat or a lot of B naturals)

Use chromatic Bb (lever) otherwise. 1+1 is situational (like going from F to Bb in long tone 1A from the blue book).

Why do they mark the rectangular thumb key (I call that single thumb)? Because they have to mark in one of them. If you never learn thumb Bb, then you would never have to use that other thumb key.

Re: Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand

Posted by Professional lute on 9/13/2024, 5:47 am, in reply to "Flute Bb fingerings, I don’t understand"

The natural starting position of the thumb is the B lever. The regular occurrence of B-flat in band music means that we could switch the natural starting position to B-flat. Anticipate the problems this will create: missed B-naturals due to stationary thumbs, missed key signatures such as C, G, D due to muscle memory, special planning for note changes between B-flat and B.

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