Important Flute Questions

[sbfluter]

1) Is it my bad embouchure, or does a boxwood flute take until spit is dribbling down the sides before a good clear tone comes out?

2) If a boxwood flute can only be played when it's good and wet, but at that point you can no longer take it apart, should you never take it apart and play it all the time so that it can be played at all?

3) Why is it that I used to be able to play tunes OK but my fingers no longer want to obey me even on the easy tunes I learned long ago? Do tunes get harder as time goes on?

4) Why can I not tell the difference between any other cut and June McCormack's special DED cuts? Is there a difference?

5) Why are Rolling in the Ryegrass and the Peeler's Jackets never ending tunes that you want to play forever because they make you feel so good?

6) Did I miss any Important Flute Questions?

[kkrell]

1) Bad embouchure or a leaky flute. I had a Casey Burns boxwood that spoke easily right away.

2) It shouldn't be swelling that much, particularly with threaded tenons. I think you're probably putting too much spit into it, maybe not a narrow enough opening in your lips. Perhaps swab the flute out after a few tunes until you get a better handle on the precipitation? Don't force disassembly if it does get stuck, though.

Kevin Krell

[gurgler]

1) Leaky flute I suspect . . . sounds to me like spit is sealing the leak/s or crack/s thus making it playable . . . better to have dry seals though . . . unless you own a zoo

2) ALWAYS take it apart straight after playing, swab thoroughly and allow to dry completely before putting in a case

3) Slow fingers . . . join the club!

4) Slow ears . . . join the club . . . oh and . . . yes!

5) Senility . . . join the club!

6) Yes!

[jim stone]

Rigth, the CB boxwood flute speaks easily right away.
It's very playable.

[Jon C.]

1) Is it my bad embouchure, or does a boxwood flute take until spit is dribbling down the sides before a good clear tone comes out?

2) If a boxwood flute can only be played when it's good and wet, but at that point you can no longer take it apart, should you never take it apart and play it all the time so that it can be played at all?

3) Why is it that I used to be able to play tunes OK but my fingers no longer want to obey me even on the easy tunes I learned long ago? Do tunes get harder as time goes on?

4) Why can I not tell the difference between any other cut and June McCormack's special DED cuts? Is there a difference?

5) Why are Rolling in the Ryegrass and the Peeler's Jackets never ending tunes that you want to play forever because they make you feel so good?

6) Did I miss any Important Flute Questions?

You can get some commercial bore oil, this will seal the bore, so it will speak easier. But do check with Casey, to see if this would create a problem...

[peeplj]

Could definitely be a leak...check for leaks in places you might not normally think to look; for example, is the headjoint cork tight? Is the tuning slide snug...could it be bent and leaking there?

Oiling the flute will help it speak a bit easier, but not all that much--I suspect you have a leak.

One other thought--a lot of folks are dealing with cold weather now, and that can mean very dry skin.

Try using hand lotion right before you play...if dry fingers are having trouble sealing the tone holes, that will help.

--James

[Denny]

and is this the one that needed the tread fix?

[sbfluter]

I never thought it might be leaking since it is too tight (and I hadn't gotten around to fixing the thread). But yeah, it might be leaking at the tuning slide. For one thing, the tuning slide is all wet in between the two halves. It seems tighter in some places than others when I twist it. If I stop the end of the head joint with my hand, prop open the slide a bit with my thumb and blow through the embouchure, I can hear a slight hissing and feel air coming out.

Can I put a bit of teflon tape there just to check and see if there's an improvement? Or do I send it straight to Casey?

[Jayhawk]

NO TEFLON TAPE ON THE SLIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jack Bradshaw had a really bad experience when he did that (think slide and barrel bonded together but in a bad way).

It does sound like you found the leak...I'd check with Casey - some makers make a slide that is supposed to be dry/without grease (which would mean a repair is indicated), but others make them that require grease (which might just mean you need a $1.50 tube of cork grease).

Since no one has answered the truly important question...why are Rolling in the Ryegrass and Peeler's Jacket so fun to play over and over...well, some tunes are just great flute tunes. The notes fall in the right places and you can punch/emphasize the heck out of some of them - they have great flow. That's my $.02 on this important, but neglected, issue.

Eric

[Denny]

*usual disclaimer* contact Casey first

So you already had the answer...

It's called a suck test 'cause you're supposed to suck not blow. (Matters more with keyed flutes)

Teflon tape or whatever you're using on the threads. Do clean it off after.

The loose/tight could be caused by both the inside and outside tubes being slightly out of round. (A common fix for a loose tuning slide is to pinch one of the tubes slightly out of round.)

The thread thing is not that hard to do...

[Casey Burns]

You wrote:
1) Is it my bad embouchure, or does a boxwood flute take until spit is dribbling down the sides before a good clear tone comes out?
2) If a boxwood flute can only be played when it's good and wet, but at that point you can no longer take it apart, should you never take it apart and play it all the time so that it can be played at all?

A few things I'll answer here since asked here. First of all, it is probably best to ask the maker these questions directly as you will get the best answers per what is required including to keep any warranties. Some of the answers inthis thread conflict with my advice - for instance, any teflon tape used on my flutes voids their warranty as this commonly results in cracked sockets. Teflon gives the impression of a good fit when the fit is way too tight! On Casey Burns Flutes - do Not use teflon tape!

Your flute sounds under oiled. It should be oiled well inside and out with a good quality commercial bore oil. Saliva will leach this out so this should be done as needed and on a newer flute (yours is probably only 3-4 years old at most) this should be done more frequently.

generally on all flutes its best to avoid getting any saliva inside. Moisture does condense from your breath on the inside - this is essentially distilled water, not saliva.

Secondly, there should be some thread grease on the tenons - use the plumbing wax for installing toilets that I recommend, available from any hardware store. The sockets should be firm but not overly tight. Similarly if the tuning slide is loose, a little bit of the same substance can be used in between the inner and outer slide. If the joints tighten while playing, unwind a few turns of thread rather than allowing them to swell to overtight. You can't do this with corked tenons which is why I do not use cork.

Thirdly, given Santa Barbara's dry climate - especially with the Santa Ana winds that have been in the news lately, you may be letting your flute dry out way too much in between playing. I'd keep it inside tupperware with an instrument humidifier when not playing - keep it at 35% RH minimum which is the minimum in my workshop environment. If you are adjusting the tenon thread to fit before playing when dry, then playing it to wet, any wood will swell - even less hygroscopic woods like blackwood. The point is to keep the wood at one humidity and not allow for such wide variation. And keep an eye on the threads while playing.

If this fails, I could certainly reseal the socket and tenon areas if/when the flute is sent in for servicing/checkup. This would retard any swelling.

Casey Burns

[skh]

1) Is it my bad embouchure, or does a boxwood flute take until spit is dribbling down the sides before a good clear tone comes out?

It may be that the flute is leaking, as has been suggested above, but it may just as well be that you need a few hours to get your best tone. Practice a few more years and you will know.

Really. Flute playing needs time and patience. It does not help to tell yourself that you are without talent, it does not help to change or suspect the flute, it does not help to think too much about it, it does not help to discuss it on the net, just play.

And the obvious disclaimer, I'm not there yet either, so what do I know.

peace,
Sonja

[sbfluter]

Thanks everybody, and thanks Casey. I have oiled my new flute (new to me) several times. I oil my flutes pretty frequently. I don't know the history before it got to me.

The slide is dry, not oily or waxy. I'll try putting some wax on it. I haven't put any teflon tape or done anything to the flute other than clean some dirt off with rubbing alcohol and oil it liberally.

It just seems odd that about when water is running down the side is when it starts to sound good. Until then, I begin to wonder what the heck I'm doing wrong. I get out of breath, can't get any of the low notes to come out without a struggle, the high notes sound breathy. Then, out comes the water and out comes the pure sound again, and I'm relieved.

I'm glad somebody answered my truly important question about rolling in the rye grass. It's almost as much fun to play the tune as I imagine the actual act of rolling in rye grass ought to be.

[Il Friscaletto]

In addition to all of the technical advice, i recommend taking a few days off.

:)

[sbfluter]

I rewound the thread. It had been wound to create two layers. When I rewound it the same length made a single layer. I also put some bol-wax on the slide.

I noticed an immediate difference in the sound I could make, plus after playing for a while, no water ran down the outside and I can take it apart without any stress.