Category Archives: Flute Servicing and Repairs

Is it the Flute? Or is it me? – Part 2

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Flute

Is it the Flute? Or is it me? – Part 2

 

Common problems to check for on your flute:

There are some common problems to check for on your flute so that you can determine: Is it the flute? Or is it me?

Here’s part two in this series. All of the flute problems occur as the result of either simple aging, or rough/ careless handling.

After you’ve checked all these things you should have a clearer idea how much (if any) repair your flute needs, and can take it in to be seen to by a reputable flute technician or repair person.

Things to check yourself:

Pads leaking:

Finger the keys as lightly as possible, and play each note chromatically down the flute, refusing to press the key any harder than you would a piece of delicate tissue paper (or butterfly’s wings, if, for example, you were a butterfly vet.) With this type of very light fingering, the note should sound immediately, without adding any finger-pressure to the keys. If the note does note doesn’t sound clear without pressure, then there is a pad leak.

Ask yourself:

Without adding ANY finger pressure, does each note sound equally clear? If not you have a leak.

Those clever enough to find a long, thin light that can be gently inserted down the body of the flute can look for light-leaks in the pads like a real pro.

But the best bet is, when you’re returning to the flute after many year’s absence, or if you haven’t had it serviced in the past year, or in at the last two years, take it in to the most reputable technician you can find.
Pad wear and tear:

Turn the flute over, and look carefully at the pads, looking for tears, dirt buildup, and surface wear.

Any pads that show shreds of tissue, or breaks in the surface will need to be replaced by a qualified technician.

To avoid pad wear:

press very lightly on keys when playing

– never wrap your hands around keys when assembling flute

– avoid scuffing pad edges when buffing flute with a cloth swab out flute body moisture after every use

http://www.jennifercluff.com/test.htm

Is it the Flute? Or is it me? – Part 1

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Flute

Is it the Flute? Or is it me? – Part 1

Common problems to check for on your flute:

There are some common problems to check for on your flute so that you can determine:

Is it the flute? Or is it me?

All of them occur as the result of either simple aging, or rough/careless handling.

After you’ve checked all these things you should have a clearer idea how much (if any) repair your flute needs, and can take it in to be seen to by a reputable flute technician or repair person.

It’s a smart idea to use the same repair-person that the professionals do, so ask your private teacher, your nearest flute professional, or the music school staff in your area for the name of the flute technician that the top flute performers use where you live.

Things to check yourself:

Head Joint cork shrinkage. Suction-test the head joint to see if there’s a leak in the crown end due to a shrunken or loose head joint cork.

Method #1. Suction test (easiest): Wet the pad of one finger and use it to gently and completely cover the blowing hole, so that no air could escape. Use the fleshy pad of your fingerprint, and let the saliva make an air-tight seal. Create a vacuum with your mouth on the open tenon. Determine whether there is an air leak at the cork-end of the crown by listening, and feeling for vacuum pressure.

Additionally: Test to see if the suction “holds” for a few seconds after you’ve stopped creating it.

Method #2. Suction test (older method): Cover the open end of the head joint with the heel of a licked palm, a rubber stopper or large cork to totally close the tenon, or connecting end of the head joint. Next create a great deal of suction through the embouchure hole, and listen for hiss at the crown of the flute. Additionally: Test to see if the suction “holds” for a few seconds after you’ve stopped creating it.

Alternatively, your cork may be so shrunken from age and moisture (takes about 10 years, but this DOES happen) that you can slide it easily by using the cleaning rod or by unscrewing the crown several turns and pushing or pulling on it.

If this is the case, and your head joint cork slides around easily, it should be replaced. A new cork is under $15 and a technician or repair-person can accomplish this in just a few minutes.

http://www.jennifercluff.com/test.htm

Flute – 10 interesting facts

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Flute

Flute – 10 interesting facts

 

By Brendan Lai-Tong

Flute

When many people think of flutes, they think of  a transverse flute, which is typically used in bands and orchestras.

The flute has been a part of history for thousands of years and has evolved over that time into the instrument that is often seen today.

Here are ten facts you may not have known about the flute:

  1. A musician who plays the instrument can be referred to as a flute player, a flautist, a flutist, or, less commonly, a fluter.
  2. There are many different sizes of flutes within the family: piccolo, alto, tenor, bass and contrabass.
  3. Standard concert flute is pitched in the key of C, and has a range of approximately 3 octaves.
  4. Alto flute is pitched in the key of G
  5. The instrument has been made out of lots of different materials throughout history including: bone, wood, glass, ivory, plastic, resin, brass, nickel silver, silver, gold and platinum.
  6. Theobald Boehm helped create the modern Western flute. He started improving design and the fingering system of the flute between 1831 and 1847. Most flutists had adopted Boehm’s changes to the design by the second half of the 19th century.
  7. George Washington, James Madison and Leonardo da Vinci all played the instrument.
  8. Flutes are considered one of the earliest instruments and date back to Germany over 35,000 years ago.
  9. Many cultures have their own version of the instrument. For example, one of the most popular traditional Japanese flutes is the the Shakuhachi.
  10. The earliest use of the word “flute” was in the 14th century

We hope that you enjoyed these facts. Please feel free to chime in if you have other interesting flute facts!

http://blog.sheetmusicplus.com/2013/01/30/top-10-facts-about-flute/

Daily Flute Maintenance – Part 3

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Flute

 

Daily Flute Maintenance – Part 3

 

Exclusively Flutes does not recommend anything other than very basic cleaning, and maintenance be carried out by flute owners, unless they are confident in their abilities.

Occasionally your flute may develop some minor problems, which can be easily remedied between services; two of them are outlined below.

 

What tasks can you complete yourself, between services?

Sticky Pads
If you have a sticky pad, (that is, a pad that makes a sticky clicking sound as you play – NOT a key that is stuck shut), you can easily remove the stickyness by placing a piece of cigarette paper under the key, and gently closing it. This gives the paper an opportunity to absorb the stickiness. Release the key and remove the paper, and test to see whether it has worked. If it has not worked, you should try it again with a fresh piece of paper, but failing that, you may wish to hold the key closed whilst pulling the paper out.

Flute repairers cringe at the thought of this, as it damages the pad.

If this has still not worked adequately, some musicians even go to the extreme of adding a small amount of talcum powder to the cigarette paper, before placing it under the pad. Obviously, each of these is a less-than-ideal situation, and should generally be employed in emergency situations only. A better technique is to moisten the cigarette paper with alcohol (ethanol), let it sit, then open the key and remove. It should be noted that some companies manufacture their cigarette paper with a small strip of glue down one side – simply fold the paper in half, joining the glued edges, to prevent transferring this glue to your flute. Bear in mind that any cleaning of a pad shortens it’s life.

 

Stiff Joints
If you are having difficulty assembling or disassembling the flute, the joints may need cleaning. Firstly, take a clean dry cloth and wipe the joints to remove excess grease and dust. Reassemble the flute and see whether this has helped. If not, see a professional flute specialist. Under no circumstances add cork grease, petroleum jelly or any other lubricant. While these may appear to help, the joints on metal flutes are designed to work best when clean and dry. All lubricants attract dust, which acts as an abrasive. If you doubt this, ask any flute maker.

 

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Flute/Flute_Maintenance

Professional Flute Service

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 Flute Service

Professional Flute Service

You should have a flute service every 6-12 months.

In a routine flute service, the technician should complete tasks such as:

  • removing any dents from the body of the flute.
  • check all pads for wear, and make necessary replacements.
  • a small amount of shimming.
  • a full clean of the flute, including under the mechanism, removing most dust and tarnish.
  • inspection of the case, to ensure it is adequately protecting the flute.
  • cleaning and oiling of the mechanism, to keep it running smoothly.
  • inspection and necessary replacement of any worn or missing felts or corks.
  • inspection of the instrument for air leaks, and make necessary adjustments.

Specialized Tasks

Various further tasks in addition to a flute service may be required to bring your flute to full working order.

Often this would be to treat damage inflicted upon the flute, such as a dent in the body or head joint, a bent key or a snapped spring. These things can be costly to repair, so you are best advised to take good care of your instrument in the first place!

Exclusively Flutes can carry out all your flute service requirements, and any repairs such as dent removal, cork or felt replacement, spring replacement, or even minor areas of silver plating. Ask about our competitive prices.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Flute/Flute_Maintenance

Daily Flute Maintenance – Part 2

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Flute

Daily Flute Maintenance – Part 2

Routine

If you wish to keep your flute in tip-top condition, and protect the silver plating, and pads, you need to develop a post-playing routine.

When you have finished playing the flute, disassemble it, placing each piece carefully into the case.

Take your cleaning rod and your cleaning cloth, and insert one corner of the cloth into the hole in the rod, and pull through approximately 2-3 inches. Begin twisting the rod so that the cloth winds around, covering the entire length of the rod. Gently push the cloth-covered rod through each segment of the flute, checking to see if all moisture has been removed.

If you have difficulty removing the moisture from the headjoint, experiment with wrapping a small amount of the cloth around the bare end of the stick before inserting it. You may need to wrap the cloth more tightly in order to swab the flute completely, and conversely, you may find that the cloth is simply too bulky to fit into the flute. If this is the case, try wrapping it thinly, or perhaps using a smaller cloth. Do not force the cloth into the flute – this can be costly to repair if it becomes lodged. This procedure should be performed after each use of the flute, before the instrument has had a chance to dry out.

Once the inside of the flute is dry, take your polishing cloth, and gently remove all marks from the surface of the instrument. Place all pieces back into the case, and close the lid, ensuring the instrument is positioned correctly. Cleaning cloths should be stored somewhere other than inside the flute case, as this can squash the keys and cause unnecessary stress. Consider tying them around the handle of your case, or folding them neatly and keeping them in a case pocket.

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Flute/Flute_Maintenance

Daily Flute Maintenance – Part 1

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Flute

 Daily Flute Maintenance – Part 1

 

As the flute is played, moisture builds up inside the tube.

Whilst the instrument is designed to cope with this, it is best to wipe it out after each use, in order to prevent decay of pads, corrosion of the flute, and a bad smell.

Several items are needed as part of the daily cleaning kit.

Cleaning Rod

The cleaning rod, which should have been supplied, is a long rod (approximately the length of the body of the flute), with a hole in one end. Rods are commonly made from plastic or metal, but wood is best, as it prevents scratches on the inside of the instrument. The cleaning rod is commonly kept in a special compartment inside the case.

Cleaning cloth

The cloth you use for cleaning the inside of your flute should be lint-free, soft, and quite absorbent. Some flute manufacturers provide a loose-woven gauze-style cloth. Ensure that the cloth is of a reasonable size, so that it can be adequately cleaned.

Polishing cloth

This is a soft lint-free cloth that is used exclusively for gently removing fingerprints from the surface of the instrument after use. Do not use a designated “silver polishing cloth”, as the chemicals in these cloths will damage the surface of the flute.

 

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Flute/Flute_Maintenance

Types of Flutes

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Types of Flutes

 

Flutes

Flutes

 

 

Modern flutes are actually made in several different sizes.

The one with which we are most familiar— soprano or concert flutes—are considered musically the most versatile and satisfactory, and it is therefore by far the most commonly used. Other sizes, however, are useful for special purposes.

Sizes of Flutes
From top to bottom:
Bass, alto, soprano with B foot, soprano, E-flat, piccolo
Photo courtesy W. T. Armstrong Co.

 

Alto flutes are wider and longer than the soprano and starts a half octave below it, on G. Its tone is very rich and mellow. Because of the larger volume of air, it requires more breath and is slower to respond. (This size of flute was previously referred to as bass, and in Europe it is still sometimes mistakenly called by this name.)

Bass flutes start one more half octave below the alto, on C. It is so long that the head joint has to be curved a full 180 degrees to allow the flutist to reach the mouth hole. Its tone is extremely deep, and even more breath is required than on the alto.

F-flat flutes are a slightly smaller version of the soprano. Its main use is for children whose hands are not yet large enough for a standard flute.

The piccolo is a small flute with a high, shrill tone. Most piccolo flutes are made in the key of C, playing one octave higher than the concert flute; another type, the D-flat piccolo—formerly popular but now becoming obsolete—plays one note higher. There are two major models of the piccolo: the metal cylindrical-bore model, which is easier to blow and has more stable intonation; and the wooden, conical-bore model, which is less shrill. Various combinations are also available.

Playing the piccolo requires a very tight holding of the lips, and a careful attention to intonation; you will find it difficult to switch between piccolo and flute unless you regularly devote time to each. When buying a student model, make sure it has been designed so that you can close all keys without hitting others.

The fingerings for all these flutes are basically the same as on the concert flute, but transposition is necessary when reading music.

http://www.markshep.com/flute/Finding.html#Sizes

Checking out a Used Flute

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Buffet Crampon Paris - Used Flute

Buffet Crampon Paris – Used Flute

 

Checking Out a Used Flute

Used Flute joints

Used Flute joints

If you are buying a used flute, the list below will help you to determine its condition. Unless you are familiar with flutes, however, I strongly recommend that you bring along someone who is, to help you evaluate it.

Or you could bring the used flute to a repair shop for a professional judgment.

Keep in mind that, although you might think a used flute is truly beyond repair, most faulty conditions can be and are corrected during a standard overhaul in any repair shop.

In fact, the best bargains can often be found among used flutes that “don’t work”—they sometimes require only a simple regulating adjustment, accomplished in a few moments.

Pads. These are the soft inserts in the keys that actually make contact with the holes. They should not be torn or yellowed and dried out in your used flute.

Springs. These should be strong enough so that the keys return to resting position with a firm motion.

Action. The action should have a solid feeling. There should be free movement of all keys on the used flute. No key “clicks” should be heard. Try wiggling the keys sideways—there should be very little movement.

Tenons. The joints should fit together snugly on a used flute, but not tightly. There should be no side play when the used flute is assembled.

Head joint cork. Try pulling straight out on the crown (the piece at the very top). If it moves, the cork inside is too loose.

Mouth hole. This should have no nicks or scratches, especially on the edge you blow toward. This repair is expensive.

Dents (metal flute). Small dents on the body of the used flute will have almost no effect, but dents on the head joint can cause tuning problems.

Finish (metal flute). The condition of the finish has no effect on the playing of the used flute.

http://www.markshep.com/flute/Finding.html

Flute Types

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Flute

Flute

 

Flute Types

Though quality of construction is generally related to brand name and to position in the flute “hierarchy,” the sound and playing properties of a flute don’t necessarily follow the hierarchical pattern.

These properties are determined mainly at the mouth hole, and the dimensions of this part of the flute are so critical that no two flutes ever sound or play exactly alike. So, while it’s a good idea to buy according to name and hierarchy, you should also choose on the basis of the individual flute.

I should state here that a beginner does not need a top-quality flute. The respect due a superior instrument demands that it be reserved for someone with a developed skill and a deep commitment. Generally, you are ready for a finer flute when you find it makes a difference in your playing.

Plateau Model, French Model

Two models of the modern flute are manufactured today: the plateau model and the French model. (In Germany, Italy, and Eastern Europe, the French model is not generally available; in France, it is practically the only one used.) The main difference between the two is that the French, or open-hole, model has holes in the centers of five of the keys.

There are several advantages to this: the holes are said to give a very slightly clearer, louder sound, because the air vibrations are less muffled; some of the third octave notes have slightly better tuning; and on some notes, extra effects can be achieved by half-holing—covering only half the hole of a depressed key, in order to bend the note sharp. These effects are especially useful in some styles of jazz or in imitating various kinds of foreign music.

On the open-hole flute, when you press down one of the open keys, you must also close off the center hole with your finger so that no air can escape. This requires more strictness in the holding position, which you might consider either an advantage or a disadvantage.

Another difference between the two models is that the French model usually has a G key in line with the rest of the keys, while the G key on the plateau model is “offset” slightly. (Compare the illustration above with the Parts Chart at the beginning of this article). Though the in-line G has the advantage of “forcing” the left hand into a proper, vertical position, it is actually a somewhat clumsy arrangement; the offset G fits the hand much better.

The French model flute is slightly more expensive, both in initial purchase price and in maintenance costs.

Other Options and Variations

B foot joint. This style, available in most countries, has an extra key on the foot joint, enabling the flutist to play one note lower in the first octave.

Thin-wall construction (metal flute). The thinner walls give a higher, thinner sound that is more responsive but somewhat harder to control.
Open G-sharp key. This key arrangement is commonly found in Eastern Europe.

The lever played by the left little finger closes its hole when pressed, rather than opening the hole, as on most current-day flutes. This is the form of the mechanism that originally appeared on the modern flute, and a good case can be made for its superiority.

Find out more for your new or used flute here.