Flutes are delicate and a good repair person is hard to find! Follow these tips to minimize trips to the shop (but do plan on a COA every 1-2 years for proper maintenance):
How To Put Your Flute Together
Hold the body of the flute where there are no keys and gently twist the head joint into place.
Line up the tone hole in the head joint with the the first key on the body.
Gently twist the foot joint into place. The keys on the body should line up with the rod on the foot joint, approximately (adjust to fit your hand).
The sections of the flute are meant to fit together without using any grease. If you have difficulty fitting the sections together, clean them with a clean cloth dipped in rubbing alcohol.
When You Have Finished Playing
Swab your flute every time you finish playing. Take your flute apart.
Thread a small piece of lint-free cloth through the slot in the cleaning rod. Be sure to tuck the end of the cleaning rod into the cloth so that as you push it through the instrument the metal rod does not scratch the flute. Leaving moisture in the flute will cause your pads to deteriorate.
Never put anything into your case that it was not designed to hold because the pressure from papers or music can bend the rods and keys.
Keep your flute safe. It should only be on your face, in the case, or on a specific flute stand set far away from foot traffic. Do not leave it on your chair, your music stand, the sofa, the table, the floor, or the piano. If a flute is dropped or sat on it can easily bend the body, an expensive repair.
Regular Maintenance
Always play with clean hands and a clean mouth. Wash hands with soap and water (not sticky antibacterial gel) and brush your teeth before you play. If you cannot brush, at least rinse out your mouth with water to remove extraneous food particles.
Use a clean, soft cloth to wipe off moisture and finger marks after playing. Never use silver polish or any other cleaner on your flute.
DO NOT adjust or twist the head joint cork button. This button changes the total pitch of the instrument and has been adjusted at the factory. If you have any concerns, please contact your teacher.
If the pads are damp or sticky while playing, remove the moisture from them with cleaning paper. Insert cleaning paper between the pad and the tone hole, and lightly press the key a few times. Repeat this operation two or three times, applying the paper to different spots on the pad. Do not pull on the paper while the key is pushed down, which can tear pad skins. DO NOT use money to clean your keys--it is filthy.
Dr. Riner's favorite Flute accessories
Hodge Silk Swab (you can also use a clean handkerchief or bandana)
Comments
Post a Comment