I'm sure there have been threads about this before but I can't find them.

How do you know if a child's arms are long enough to play a flute? My quite-small-for her-age not quite nine-year-old has decided that she would like to try. I'm not sure if the music school would let her start mid-year - they sometimes will if the child is already enroled for another instrument and the teacher has a space. Before spending what will no doubt be some considerable time (this being France) trying to persuade them that she would like to start before next September I would like to know if her arms are long enough.

I have an old Trevor James flute which I can get her to hold but I need to know what I need to be checking.

Please don't suggest that she could start anyway using a curved head-joint as the music school (for whatever reason) doesn't like them and won't start the children on them.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=a9qvzCc31Ec you may like to look at this she is seven and playing on normal flute. Not ideal arm or hand position but she seems to manage and is extremely talented http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=PuQVs2Ch1LY&...feature=related she is 8 looks like she has better positioning. I think as long as she doesnt feel uncomfortable stretching for the keys, or has to turn her head to accomodate she should be fine. My guess is it wont be long before she grows into it. My nephew was the same small and we managed without curved head.

The thing to check for is tension. Both arms and fingers should looked relaxed, even if they are near full stretch.

When I started teaching at my current school I inherited a just-eight-year-old pupil who was very small for her age. She has always played with a straight head without problems. In contrast I currently teach5r4 a much taller nine-year-old who still plays with a curved head because her arms are too straight and tense with the straight head.

Try asking a specialist flute shop? They might even be able to give you measurements!

How much (if at all) should she turn her head?

I had flute lessons for a year when I was eleven (so some considerable time ago) and whilst I can still get notes out of it (and for a couple of years, about ten years ago, did play it regularly in a small group) my technique is non-existent.

none i would have thought you turn your head and you cause tension

Just a thought - if a standard flute is too much of a stretch at present, how about starting her off with a fife? Cheap as chips for her to have a go and she can start developing embouchure etc. Probably a better bet than struggling with an over-sized instrument and developing bad habits at an early stage. You could even get a couple and learn together.