The Point of Posture

A Glance at Flute Playing

Sit up. On the edge of your seat. Back straight. No, not droopy, a 90° angle. Every flute student has heard dozens of ways on what posture should or shouldn’t be for us flutists. Proper playing posture encourages proper breathing, prevents strain and injury, and promotes proper playing technique. There are many aspects to proper flute playing posture. The key lies in knowing how to find what works for each individual player.

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Before we begin, I must make a blanket statement regarding the flute: Playing should be painless - not uncomfortable. It is my sincerest urging that you part ways with any instructor that tells you otherwise.

With that warning out of the way, we may begin to explore the components of flute posture. Nancy Toff remarks that “Good posture assures that the body is in the position most conducive to breathing and thus to the production of the best possible tone.”[1] Keeping breathing in mind when discussing posture is key. There are several main points to posture: foot position, hip position and how it affects our back (when playing sitting down or standing), the position of our arms in relation to our ribcage, our shoulders, and the angle of our head. The checklist works from the ground up. One could argue about flute angle being part of this, however, the checkpoints encompass it, and I find that the less I mention it, the more the student settles into a natural playing position.

Working through our checklist, the first element of flute posture is foot position. Whether sitting or standing, a flutist’s feet should be firmly planted on the floor with some space between them. I hesitate to say shoulder width, as everyone is different, but refrain from allowing your ankle bones to be touching. Shift your weight between the two and find the point by which your body weight is evenly distributed. Think of your feet like roots to a tree – when spaced and flat on the floor, they allow you to fully support yourself, and thus, your sound. The next step on our checklist is hip position. When seated, one can rock forward and back in their seat to find the point for which is most comfortable. This position should should feel supported and should not apply any unnecessary pressure on the back. When standing, the hips should be in line over the ankles, with the knees loose (as opposed to locked. Please note that locked knees make for a high possibility of fainting!). Hips over ankles is a gentle reminder to my students to check the alignment of their body overall. Our hips are most commonly out of line when we bend our torso, whether forward or backwards, which engages the the hips in the opposite direction. The hips can also move out of line when bracing through one leg or the other, hence the need for equal weight distribution.

Next on our checklist is the position of our arms in relation to our ribcage. Elbows should be away from the ribs, allow them to lead the upper arms away from the torso. Be mindful not to bring them out so far that they are trying to parallel the floor. Often, I hear students describe this aspect of flute posture as a beach ball in their arms. While this is an effective illustration of keeping our elbows away from our ribs and our arms up, it often gives way to hyper-raised elbows and high shoulders.

This potential issue brings us to our next point on our checklist: our shoulders. Our shoulders should be “relaxed but without letting your shoulders drop.”[2] One of my favorite exercises to work on this is nicknamed the Swinging door. The exercise explores the extremes of our range of motion, both up and down and side to side. Start by playing a middle F or another comfortable note. While continuing to play, move from your general playing position, slowly bring the foot of your flute up towards the ceiling and then back towards the floor. Explore both extremes of this, with the flute too low and too high. Slowly find where you feel the most relaxed and explore breathing in this position. Breathing here should be free of tension and your sound should be well supported. Now, with this point of reference, slowly move your arms away from your body and then back towards you. Continue to play your note and explore both extremes of this aspect of playing as well. The slow movement allows the player to find at what point they are feeling most relaxed and comfortable. When we are at our most natural playing position, our shoulders are fully relaxed, our body released from tension, and we can play with a full and supported sound.

Our last point in our checklist is the angle of our head. The head should be balanced on the neck and centred – as opposed to tilted in either direction. Students can commonly be observed tilting their heads towards their right shoulders when in crowded groups or in their classes. When this posture is repeatedly practiced, it can become habit. I find myself often reminding young flutists to keep their ears away from their shoulders. I have found this reminder to be gentler than the string analogy – think of yourself as if you are being pulled upright by a string – as I have noticed the string analogy can warrant unwanted tension in the student’s posture. The chin should be lifted and away from the collar, keeping the airway open and allowing the jaw to remain relaxed.

Posture is an integral part of playing and this light exploration of the subject is but brushing the surface of the many points of proper playing technique. Playing can be as natural and free as we allow it to be, so practicing relaxed and comfortable posture can ensure our ability to play long term and keep us free from injury. It is my hope that this list assures you and your student a starting place for exploring the point of posture.

[1] The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers, Nancy Toff. Page 84.

[2] The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers. Nancy Toff. Page 84.

Works Cited

Toff, Nancy. The Flute Book: A Complete Guide for Students and Performers. New York, NY, Oxford University Press, 2012.

Musically yours and forever cheering you on,

P. S. 

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