My new maramatsu ex has open holes and this is kind of a wierd question but I really would like to keep the holes plugged, it isn't that I can't play with the open holes because I can and have for playing tests, concerts, and such but I just really really don't like the damp feel under my fingers so I would just rather leave them plugged. Is that strange and will it affect my playing in any way?? I don't think it will but I just want to check with some more advanced players than my self.

No, it is fine.

"...but I just really really don't like the damp feel under my fingers."

Interesting reason. I have been playing for a few years and I believe that I still have occasional problems with finger leaks when I change instruments.

we bought the open hole because we didn't want to go through the hassle of special ordering a closed hole one, plus my mom and teacher are still hoping I'll adapt to the open holes, but really it just grosses me out big time. ewww

I don't get a damp feeling. I actually prefer open holes because I like the feeling of the air vibrating...(well other reasons too). Yes I am weird

Why do your mom and your teacher want you to adapt to the open holes?
Do you have an interest in jazz flute where you need to do microtone trills and glissandos and such?

If your hands are not comfortable with the open holes, and you practice a LOT without the plugs, you can give yourself a repetitive stress injury. I doubt that either your mom or your teacher wants you to deal with that!

i have never heard of repetitive stress injury what is that all about??

nope, I have no intrest in jazz. My mom just wants me to I dunno. Its not that its uncomfortable for me to play with the open holes its just kind gross. I've been playing without the plugs though and just cleaning it pretty often.

Again, I dont understand why the fingers should feel "damp". Is this actual moisture that is gettng into the holes and then onto the fingers?

I play on a few instruments with open finger holes and dampness isn't a problem.

An example of a repetitive stress injury would be a typist who spends 10 hours every day at a keyboard developing carpal tunnel syndrome from all of the typing. Violinists commonly get a sore neck from gripping their instrument. Clarinet players sometimes get a sore thumb where they support their instrument.

If your posture (body alignment, shoulders, neck, hands, etc.) are in an awkward position when you play your flute, you might not have any problem if you practice just 30 minutes a day. But if you go to 3 hours of practice every day, your body might not cope with the positioning very well and you can get soreness, strains, and other problems.

Many flutists who put in those really long hours have made sure that their flute itself is not causing problems. My Juilliard-trained flutie friend has a Bo-pep (hand saddle) for her left hand so that holding the flute is more comfortable. Many players have trouble with an inline G if they put in lots of time practicing. If you have small hands, and covering the holes on an open hole flute causes your hand to cramp up, it is far wiser to plug the holes than to 'work through the pain'.

For me the open holed flute is great! Now for a beginner or intermediate it teaches them to arch their fingers, and play with clean posture of the hand. The purists out there who sometimes also double as Regional and State contest judges, might think the correct posture looks better. In the end the final word will be how well do you play? If you look good, and sound good, you might be able make a higher mark in a close rating situation where your performance was borderline. Posture and visible open holes for whatever reason seems to matter to some judges because they are prejudiced towards them.

For actual playing purposes, the truth is in the playing itself. Good hand posture matters only just so far. I had played a closed holed flute for the first 5 years and got an open holed one my freshman year in high school. My bad finger posture was making me struggle to play fast pieces well. I cleaned that up, and now I would not think of closing up the holes, they are my friend, and in Jazz, you can get some swoooooping sounds with an open holed flute.

Micron, you nailed it. It's so ridiculous at times what people will do to take money from you. Only really bad posture matters, and in my case in my early flute years, it did matter, cause my fingers were getting caught on the other keys sometimes. My finger tips were a full inch over the top of the keys in places. It was sad and ugly. Ah, but ugly is not important in the end, it is what comes out of the pipe that matters!

Now for a beginner or intermediate it teaches them to arch their fingers, and play with clean posture of the hand.

Maybe I am misunderstanding, but I play with flat fingers. If you would arch the fingers then wouldn't you playing using your finger tips only? If so, that would not be correct.

No, not the ends of your fingers, just the part below the knuckles. The first joint is suppose to be bent according to all the purists, and there is no way I am comfortable with that either. You of course play with the middle of the ends of your fingers covering the holes, or at least you try. It's not like the piano arching, where you DO play with the ends of your fingers. (Again, this is ALSO a purist thing, but the arching hand on piano has some other purposes, oh, another forum for that...)

The fingers cannot go straight across from the knuckles and cover the notes without a little arch to them. Notice in my picture, there is almost NO arch to mine. I am not a good flutist say the purists. I had even less arch when I played a closed hole flute and my fingers caught on the mechanisms, course it could have been my cheap 100.00 dollar Artley was the problem...Oh, and flutes do bounce better than you think....I have tested that before! :-P

Maybe I should also add that playing arched is required since you have to go OVER the mechanisms. You do to a certain degree end up arching your fingers a little whether you like it or not, unless you have figured out a way around this. I have, I pull my had around to the back more, and then let my fingers shoot more straight out, but this would not be the accepted work around from what I have been told. I have heard this from my flute teacher, somewhat of a purist, and other flutists in college. I also heard from a judge at contest once. To me if you can cover the holes, and you keep your fingers from getting all tangled on the mechanisms, then you are doing it just fine. I know what you are saying about covering the holes with just the ends of your fingers would just not work.

Oh, I know how it works:
If you have really fat fingers you can cover those holes! :-) So go eat some cheese cake and have a big glass of that whole milk while your at it! That is the perfect work around!