Flat or curved fingers?

kehaulani · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 9:00 am Post subject: Flat or curved fingers?

I have been increasingly aware of just how many players actually don't “Strike the valves hard, lift the fingers high". I see a lot of relatively flat-fingered playing.

Does anyone have any insight into which is more efficient and why, holding the hand as you are holding a tennis ball then pressing the fingers straight down, or using more flat fingers and using them more as levers?

Thanks.
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cbtj51 · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 9:29 am Post subject:

Great question! For me as a young 1960s Drum and Bugle Corps Soprano screamer and because of the configuration of the G Bugle of the period, I was a right hand dominant player and that translated to flat finger playing on trumpet; more pressure on lip because of the stranglehold and "octave key" involvement. That remained my habit until I stopped playing altogether in 2000. Now 7 years as a comeback, I am very much a left hand gripper (light), I have released the "octave key" resulting in a very light right hand grip involvement, hence more finger agility and control, MUCH less lip pressure, more relaxed approach to playing. If I could talk to the younger me...

Mike
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mafields627 · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 9:35 am Post subject:

In my students there is a tendency to lift the finger tips from the finger button, straight up in the air, when it's not being pushed down and then bring the fingers down flat. It's a tough habit to correct.
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tptptp · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:18 am Post subject:

For me, finger arthritis has caused the "tennis ball" form to be much slower than the "lever" technique.
I can't see how it could matter how it's done, as long as the player can play the notes. I'm interested in the views of you academic guys.
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zaferis · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:42 am Post subject:

Drop your hand to your side, shaking it out, let your fingers hang naturally.. then bed at the elbow without changing your hand position -> that's what I look for.. a "naturally" relaxed backwards "C" with the fingertips then resting on the mother-of-pearl, the tip of the thumb rests under the leadpipe touching the valve casing between the 1st & 2nd valves (not bending/flexing/or moving off to the side). The knuckle of the right hand (big knuckle - metacarpophalangeal) equal to the height of the mid-point of the valve stroke-optimizing the lever action at the knuckle (no other or excess movement needed) "...the trumpet is hard enough, lets not make it harder with sloppy technique..." and over time can help us stay away from repetative movement injuries.
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mike ansberry · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 10:58 am Post subject:

Robert P · Heavyweight Member Joined: 28 Feb 2013 Posts: 2596

Al Hirt played flat-fingered. If you watch enough Doc video you'll see him play curved and flat-fingered. Maynard also shifted around. Maurice Andre played flat-fingered. I'm sure you can find examples of various great players doing it different ways. Didn't your boy Bix have his own unique way of addressing the valves?

My conclusion is do whatever you find works best for you.
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nltrumpet · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:30 pm Post subject:

All good answers and insight here so far. I don’t know if this is a universally-accepted technique, but some horn players will slide their fingers further down the paddles (rotary valves) and play flat fingered and further up their fingers. Some believe this helps with smoothness when moving to different fingerings in slow melodies. A few trumpet players have adopted this approach, but I don’t think it works for me.

Jeff_Purtle · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 2:41 pm Post subject:

Here’s an article I wrote several years ago with pictures to explain what Claude Gordon taught and why. It matters especially when you are working for more speed and all the breath control accomplishments in Clarke’s Technical Studies.

https://www.purtle.com/jeff-correct-hand-position

Jeff
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kehaulani · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:28 pm Post subject:

Jaw04 · Posted: Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:33 pm Post subject:

A lot of great players use flat fingers, but I prefer the round relaxed right hand technique with fingertips only on the valve caps. My favorite players play this way and so do I. It also aligns with correct guitar, piano, and woodwind technique for multi-instrumentalists, which we should all be to some extent.

JensenW · Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2022 1:56 pm Post subject:

Bill_Bumps · Veteran Member Joined: 07 May 2019 Posts: 157

JoseLindE4 · Heavyweight Member Joined: 18 Apr 2003 Posts: 791

Notlem · Veteran Member Joined: 20 Nov 2021 Posts: 127

Hmm… any correlation between on the pinky hook and in the pinky hook. I always play on it, fingers curved. However, when I have to be in it, they are flatter…

I would have to rewatch a bunch of videos, but if my memory recalls, most with flat fingers are in the pinky hook.

Then again, my memory has had better days, could just a video or two I remember with seeing players with fingers flat out… who knows.

-marc