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> Why is that bad? It's never bothered me. Presumably because of https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31480/gorilla-arm https://www.techopedia.com/definition/

by derefr 4y ago

> Why is that bad? It's never bothered me. Presumably because of https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31480/gorilla-arm https://www.techopedia.com/definition/31480/gorilla-arm. If you're only playing the flute for an hour a day, you might not notice it; but if you're doing it for eight hours a day, as a professional performer, your arm muscles are going to be tired and shaking at the end of each day. And they don't have to be! Also, re: the page linked in the sibling comment (https://www.flutespecialists.com/product/flute-lab-vertical-headjoint/ https://www.flutespecialists.com/product/flute-lab-vertical-...): > The Vertical Headjoint allows flutists who thought they would never play the flute again to do so. I take that to mean "people with Parkinsonism, and other conditions that mean that holding your arms up becomes hard."

scottlamb 4y ago
> If you're only playing the flute for an hour a day, you might not notice it; but if you're doing it for eight hours a day, as a professional performer, your arm muscles are going to be tired and shaking at the end of each day. Maybe? I've done 4+ hour days and my arms were fine. [edit: I recall my embouchure/lips giving out on particularly long days, not my arms!] I wasn't a big weight lifter or anything at the time either. If I tried that right now, when I'm way out of practice, it might be hard at first, but I think I'd be fine again before long. Muscles adapt to use. Your arms are bent and not really that far out when playing the flute, and flutes aren't that heavy. > I take that to mean "people with Parkinsonism, and other conditions that mean that holding your arms up becomes hard." Interesting. Yeah, that's great if it makes that kind of a difference for someone. I'm not sure there's any widespread demand though.
MandieD 4y ago
I had to quit after college with shoulder and wrist pain, and I’m an average-sized woman with no unusual health problems. Getting a student flute with closed holes, offset G and curved head joint let me play again at all, but I can’t bring myself to sell my silver Yamaha (they used to make intermediate flutes from solid silver, kids! They also made them in Japan!) If I thought I’d play enough, I’d consider a vertical head joint, even at that kind of outlay.
- scottlamb 4y ago
  Wow, okay, yeah, maybe it is a wider experience than I'd realized. Thanks for sharing. I'm a 6' tall man and seem to have more of my length in my torso than most, so I might have long arms too. Maybe that's part of why it hasn't been a problem for me.

by derefr 4y ago

scottlamb 4y ago

> If you're only playing the flute for an hour a day, you might not notice it; but if you're doing it for eight hours a day, as a professional performer, your arm muscles are going to be tired and shaking at the end of each day. Maybe? I've done 4+ hour days and my arms were fine. [edit: I recall my embouchure/lips giving out on particularly long days, not my arms!] I wasn't a big weight lifter or anything at the time either. If I tried that right now, when I'm way out of practice, it might be hard at first, but I think I'd be fine again before long. Muscles adapt to use. Your arms are bent and not really that far out when playing the flute, and flutes aren't that heavy. > I take that to mean "people with Parkinsonism, and other conditions that mean that holding your arms up becomes hard." Interesting. Yeah, that's great if it makes that kind of a difference for someone. I'm not sure there's any widespread demand though.

MandieD 4y ago

I had to quit after college with shoulder and wrist pain, and I’m an average-sized woman with no unusual health problems. Getting a student flute with closed holes, offset G and curved head joint let me play again at all, but I can’t bring myself to sell my silver Yamaha (they used to make intermediate flutes from solid silver, kids! They also made them in Japan!) If I thought I’d play enough, I’d consider a vertical head joint, even at that kind of outlay.

scottlamb 4y ago
Wow, okay, yeah, maybe it is a wider experience than I'd realized. Thanks for sharing. I'm a 6' tall man and seem to have more of my length in my torso than most, so I might have long arms too. Maybe that's part of why it hasn't been a problem for me.