no moisture in my flute after playing?

[janmarie]

I just have to ask anybody here if they have played their flute for an hour or so and then went to swab it and their was no moisture on the rag? That just happened to me . It's usually pretty wet. Thanks.
Janmarie

[plunk111]

Never happens to me! I would suspect one of two things... Either 1) you were playing at an angle and the moisture just flowed out without you noticing or 2) your flute is so dry that it soaked everything up. I REALLY hope it's number 1!

Pat

[Nanohedron]

This happens to me occasionally, but it's usually during warm ambient conditions at body temperature or higher, and the flute is consequently as warm before playing; since the flute isn't cooler than the breath, condensation doesn't happen. I haven't followed the phenomenon closely, but IIRC the conditions are also usually humid. That's consistent for Minnesota, though, so I don't know if that's a big factor; but I'm confident that ambient temperature definitely counts. If I were playing in an overheated room I would expect little to no condensation.

[Raggle Taggle]

In my view it depends on how "wet" a player you are, and the type of flute wood. My blackwood flutes (after playing in) beads water and show a lot of moisture picked up swabbing. My olivewood flute, being less resinous, absorbs most of the moisture.

[janmarie]

Yes, I was playing in a very warm room! Thank you! Real glad my flute's not soaking it up. I'm so picky about keeping it humidified. That blew me away. Thanks again!
Janmarie

[greenspiderweb]

Hi Janmarie,

Sounds like you're not in danger, and glad to hear you are very picky about keeping it humidified.

Though I will add that even now, in the beginnings of Spring, it can be cold out and warm in, with little humidity either out or in-like it is here in the East right now. No rain, and low humidity-29% outside, 26% inside, with a couple of windows open a crack for fresh air, and the heater is still on. Dangerous ground for any wooden instrument, if it isn't being actively humidified! Check your guages, everyone!

Think I'll go refresh all my humidifiers, while I'm thinking about it!

[Nanohedron]

Yes, I was playing in a very warm room! Thank you! Real glad my flute's not soaking it up. I'm so picky about keeping it humidified. That blew me away. Thanks again!
Janmarie

The reason I'm more inclined to automatically suspect temperature is that my own flute is of blackwood, and sheds condensate like no one's business when the temperature difference between my breath and the flute is great enough for condensation to happen. In my case, at least, absorption has nothing to do with such a dramatic absence of the usual. But the real telltale is if you have a lined headjoint: if there's no condensation in there, you know that wood absorption in this case cannot be the issue, because when you do have condensate, no matter how well your flute sheds it, and even if you blow it out, at least a trace remains there to be seen when you peer into the embouchure hole. And it IS remarkable to play for extended periods only to see a bone-dry lining.

[janmarie]

My flute is mopane and is lined so this little experience went from weird to "remarkable" and understandable.