All about the Headjoint Cork

Tags

flute intonation, flute maintenance, flute pedagogy

Recently, one of my private students reported that their band director had told all the flutes in band that you could adjust the cork placement for tuning purposes, rather like a tuning slide on a brass instrument. I would like to know where this idea originated in music education literature and pedagogy. It can be said with certainty that flute makers and professional flute teachers kindly wish that the cork assembly be put in the proper position and then left alone. Tell the kiddies to keep their hands off the crown. If the crown is loose, it should be gently snugged down and left alone. Why? Because the flute will play in tune at the pitch it was designed for, i.e. A=440 or A=442 (most flutes today at every price point are designed to play at A=442).

Piccolo and flute cleaning rods with cork measurement lines

• What is the ideal placement of the cork assembly in the headjoint? 17 mm (I have a cleaning rod that says 17.3 mm, but I honestly don’t know how you could place it with that kind of precision without a special caliper) and for piccolo, it’s 8 mm. Basically, the line on the cleaning rod should be dead center of the blow hole.
• What happens if you move it away from the ideal 17mm placement? If the cork assembly is too close to the crown, the high notes will be more flat and the low notes will be more sharp. The more you move it, the more out of tune the scale becomes. Conversely, if the cork assembly is too close to the blow hole, the high notes will be more sharp and the low notes will be more flat. (This was precisely the problem with the pre-Cooper/Bennett scale flutes. The headjoint was too short for the body, which was tuned to A=435. The intonation was horrendous). See Tuning Tendencies of the Flute
• The flute already has a “tuning slide”, otherwise known as a headjoint tenon or receiver (in flutemaker parlance). The flute is designed to play at it’s manufactured scale with the headjoint pulled out 5-6 mm or ~1/4 inch. If the student is having to pull out much more than that to play in tune, or can’t push in far enough to get up to pitch, the issue is with how the flute is resting on the lip and the angle of blowing. See Troubleshooting Tone and Pitch Issues

Now, about the cork itself. Cork is the bark of a special kind of oak tree that grows in Portugal. It has been used to seal small openings, like wine bottles and other stoppers for centuries. When compressed, it expands to create a tight seal, hence it’s use in flute headjoints and for wind instrument tenons. It is often additionally sealed into place with paraffin wax. As a cork ages in a flute, it can shrink because it loses it’s natural moisture or develop mold if the flute headjoint isn’t swabbed out sufficiently. If the cork shrinks, it can start moving up toward the crown. The student progressively tightens the crown (because it is loose) and moves the cork up to the top of the flute (which compresses the cork further and negatively impacts the intonation as described above). At this point, or if the cork is moldy, it should be replaced. Some repair people recommend replacing a cork every couple of years as a matter of course. They are cheap and take only few minutes to replace.

Finally, it can be well worth it to experiment with replacements for cork stoppers. Personally, I stopped using cork in my headjoint 5-6 years ago now. I use the Celestine Rexonator in most of my instruments, including piccolo and alto flute. It’s made of solid brass and fits over the stem assembly. It seals in with a small plumbing gasket. It’s very easy to install. It adds a world of resonance and response to the flute, improves the quality of articulation and also changes the balance of the flute in one’s hands slightly because it weighs an extra ounce or so. There are a couple other companies out there that are now offering similar devices. Also, there are stoppers made of Delrin plastic or that just leave the cavity above the assembly plate open. They all make sense in that cork is an acoustic dampener. Taking out the cork and using a more resonant material has a measurable effect on the sonic signature of the flute.

As always, if you find these entries useful, please subscribe, share with your colleagues and come back regularly. Feel free to comment. If you have a topic you would like to see explored more fully, you can contact me via IM/Messenger on Facebook or email me at dr_cate@sbcglobal.net. For information about clinics, workshops and performances, click here. Dr. Cate’s Flute Tips will be available soon in book form. Manuscript is done and editing is underway. Stay tuned for updates about pre-ordering through Amazon soon.

Dr. Cate’s Flute Camp goes Virtual

Tags

flute camp

We’ve been doing Dr. Cate’s Flute Camp the old-fashioned way for 20 years in a school, at a music dealer, in person. Now due to the world being a completely different place since March, Dr. Cate’s Flute Camp is going virtual. And you know what? I’m really excited for this new opportunity to help keep students playing their flutes, give them some ensemble experience, explore the basic skills of good flute playing, learn about different types of flutes from around the world, and learn how to properly take care of their instruments.

Instead of the full day format we’ve had in the past, we are condensing the instructional part of the day down to two hours. During the course of each one week camp, each student will also get a 30 minute lesson from one of our highly qualified staff. We are also expanding the number of available sessions to three for junior high students and three for high school students, starting the week of May 18.

If you or your students can benefit from an online camp experience over the summer, go to fluteline.com and follow the links to Dr. Cate’s Flute Camp and the easy online registration. You can read all about our award winning staff and learn more about our camp activities. Price for each session is only $100.

Do’s and Don’ts of Flute Care and Feeding

Tags

flute maintenance

Helping our students take proper care of their instruments is an important part of the instruction we provide, especially when the kids first start playing. It is important to give the kids accurate information so flutes play their best.

Headjoint and flute body

• Use a soft cotton, silk or microfiber cloth as a swab. The flute should be thoroughly swabbed after every use. Thread a corner of the cloth through the slot on the cleaning rod and run it through the body and footjoint. Fold the cloth over the end of the cleaning rod and gently push it all the way into the headjoint and then rotate the cleaning rod to thoroughly dry the headjoint out.
• Use a clean microfiber cloth (different than the swab cloth) to gently wipe off fingerprints on the flute. Avoid coming in contact with the pads. They can tear and fray with friction.
• The lip plate can be wiped with isopropyl alcohol or “green juice” to disinfect as needed. Once every month or two, dip a cotton swab in isopropyl alcohol and wipe gently inside the blow hole. The tops of the keys can also be wiped with an alcohol prep pad and open holes cleaned with alcohol and a cotton swab. Be careful to keep the alcohol away from the pads, since it will dry out the pad skins.

Tenons

• Do keep the tenons squeaky clean. It is a friction fit that shouldn’t need any lubrication. I use alcohol prep pads to clean oil and dirt off the tenons. You can also use paraffin wax (apply liberally, put the pieces together, twist gently back and forth, take apart and thoroughly wipe off the tenon of both pieces with a soft cloth)
• For piccolos with a cork tenon, do use a little cork grease once in a while when there is resistance when assembling the instrument. This is similar to clarinets and oboes
• Don’t ever use petroleum jelly or slide oil on the tenons of flutes or piccolos. It just makes a gummy mess. The petroleum jelly attracts dirt and gets thick and gummy. I saw a wooden school piccolo recently that someone had put petroleum jelly on the cork. Yuck! It was a mess to clean up.
• Using pencil graphite on tight tenons. This one can be controversial with some people saying yes and others no. Trevor Wye, the internationally know flute pedagogue showed me this trick. Clean the tenons thoroughly as above. Take a pencil with a soft lead and gently trace circles on both surfaces of the tenon. Put the pieces together and twist gently back and forth a few times. Take the pieces apart and wipe with a soft cloth. My experience is this is a temporary fix only and only on beginner or intermediate flutes
• For loose footjoint tenons, a small swipe of clear nail polish on the body tenon (let it dry thoroughly before assembling) will hold a loose tenon temporarily until it can be properly adjusted by a repair technician.
• Best solution for ill fitting tenons is keep them clean and have it adjusted by a repair technician.

Mechanism

• In a pinch, check out Quick Fixes for Common Mechanical Problems. These are a few things I’ve picked up over the years that teachers can try until the flute can go to the shop for proper repair.
• Leave oiling the mechanism up to the pros. This is absolutely not something students should be attempting on their own.
• Bent keys – again, best to leave this for a qualified repair person.

Pads

• Do swab the flute out thoroughly after playing. Also do blot the pads with tissue paper or use a product like the BG Pad Dryer, especially if you blow wet, like I do.
• Don’t ever pull tissue paper or a BG Pad Dryer out from a closed key. You will rip and/or fray the pad skin necessitating pad replacement.
• Don’t ever use a dollar bill to blot sticky pads and don’t pull them against a closed key like above. The ink just makes the pads dirty, or worse, rips or frays the pad skin.
• Yamaha Powder Paper can be useful for sticky pads if used sparingly. Pads tend to get sticky with the change of seasons or humidity. A few judicious gentle blots can go a long way. Some techs don’t like them because they say the powder clogs the pores in the pad skin
• So called Pad Savers. If they are used to swab the instrument, they should not be stored inside the instrument. Pads deteriorate faster because they hold the moisture in the instrument. The Pad Save gets moldy. If the flute is swabbed with a cloth first, then the Pad Saver can be stored in the flute.

One more big don’t…..Don’t store your cleaning rag in the case, pushing down on the keys. It will put the instrument out of adjustment more quickly. Ask your local repair technicians. Tie the rag to the handle of your case, or better yet, get a case cover. Store the cloth in the case cover.

As always, if you find these entries useful, please subscribe, share with your colleagues and come back regularly. Feel free to comment. If you have a topic you would like to see explored more fully, you can contact me via IM/Messenger on Facebook or email me at dr_cate@sbcglobal.net. For information about clinics, workshops and performances, click here.

A Few Words About Flute Maintenance

Tags

flute maintenance, flute pedagogy, flutes

When was the last time your students had their instruments in the shop? How much of an impact do you think an instrument in poor condition has on a student’s ability to practice, prepare and perform? How often do you play check students’ instruments? What do you do to ensure that students get high quality instruments from the start?

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of adjudicating for a junior high Illinois MEA District band audition. The majority of the students I heard perform were playing on the flutes they started with, though maybe 15% of them had step-up instruments. There were a number of kids I heard whose flutes were in such bad shape that it was impossible to evaluate their performance because they could barely make a sound on them. There were even a couple kids who I was amazed could make any sound at all because their flutes were in such bad shape. On questioning these kids, I learned that their flutes had never been in the shop since they began playing 3-4 years prior. Fortunately there was a repair person on site from one of our local dealers that I could send them to, but it was too late in terms of their audition.

In my own studio I regularly find that the students and their parents have no idea that a flute needs regular maintenance. Frequently, my recommendation that the instrument get serviced regularly is something that never occurred to students or parents. When they get repairs, the students are amazed at how good they sound.

Here are some pointers on maintaining instruments in good playing condition:

• Make sure the flute is a quality brand to begin with. The reputable dealer in your area is the place to go for quality name brand instruments. Steer families away from inexpensive online “deals”. You truly get what you pay for.
• Communicate to parents that instruments need to go in the shop every 12-18 months to stay in good shape regardless of whether or not there is an emergency repair. It’s like maintaining an automobile. You wouldn’t drive around and never change the oil. The engine will eventually seize up.
• Many dealers have service contract agreements that are very reasonable for regular and emergency maintenance. Encourage parents to pop the few bucks for the convenience and peace of mind.
• Quick Fixes for Common Mechanical Problems are no substitute for regular maintenance. If you need to use a quick fix, the flute needs to go to the shop as soon as possible afterwards.
• If instruments are well maintained, a quick fix may never even be necessary.
• Play check instruments for leaks and check the headjoint cork to make sure it is tight and in the correct position. A loose cork will make the flute sound bad. An out of place cork will negatively affect the intonation of the flute.

If you find these entries useful, please subscribe, share with your colleagues and come back regularly. Feel free to comment. If you have a topic you would like to see explored more fully, you can contact me via IM/Messenger on Facebook or email me at dr_cate@sbcglobal.net. For information about clinics, workshops and performances, click here

An Oldie but Goodie

Tags

flute maintenance, flutes

It has been a busy week of travel and performance for me, so I’m sharing an old post from last year that got a lot of views the first time around “Quick Fixes for Common Mechanical Problems”. There is nothing worse than having a kid come to you the week of, or even the day of a concert or solo contest with a flute that isn’t playing. Here are a few suggestions for maintenance and what I call “chewing gum and rubber band” solutions for last minute emergencies. They won’t work in all cases, but often they will at least tide the student over until the flute can get proper service on their flute.

See you next week with a new flute tip. Thanks for following Dr. Cate’s Flute Tips! If you find these entries useful, please subscribe, share with your colleagues and come back regularly for more flute tips. Feel free to comment. If you have a topic you would like to see explored more fully, you can contact me via IM/Messenger on Facebook or email me at dr_cate@sbcglobal.net. For information about clinics and workshops click here.

Gadgets and Gizmos

Tags

accessories, flute balance, flute fingering, flute technique

Sometimes flute players can use a little help when it comes to balancing the flute in their hands. This can be to assist young players in developing efficient hand positions or for comfort. One of the easiest and cheapest things you can use is a foam pencil grip cut lengthwise.

You can put it underneath the C key as a left hand cushion or you can cut it in half and put it under the F key as a right hand thumb guide. Because the grip is round, it will stay on the flute really well. However, it can fall off. You could use a little bit of a removable adhesive to make it stick to the flute, while making it easy to take off if necessary.

  

There are also several adaptive devices that are affordable and readily available. For the left hand is the Bo Pep finger saddle. It provides a little more thickness to the body of the flute and a very secure depression that the inside of the index finger rests in. Here is what it looks like on the flute:

If it is properly placed, it won’t interfere with the C key. It’s also really comfortable.

For the right hand thumb there are a couple different devices available. Which one you choose depends on the size and shape of the thumb. If the player has a short to medium size thumb that is nearly straight, I like the Thumbport. It is designed to rest against the ribbing underneath the F key, between the kickers. It provides a little shelf that the thumb goes underneath that helps with balance. It frees up the fingers from holding the flute so they can move more freely.  If you have a very long thumb or one that hyperextends at the first joint, the Thumbport won’t work so well for you.

 

Bo Pep also makes a thumb rest for the right hand that goes directly under the F key. This device can be used by almost anyone, but is especially good for people who have long and/or hyperextending thumbs. It gives a flat and stable platform from which to balance the flute.

We have looked at the pros for these devices. There are a few cons to consider.

• The Thumbport seems to only work well for people with medium to short and/or straight thumbs. Not a good choice for long and/or hyperextending thumbs.
• The BoPep products are made of a hard plastic which can scratch a flute.
• The foam pencil grips can slide even though they do stay in place really well. This is a minor issue for an advanced player but it might be helpful to use a removable adhesive to attach it to kids’ flutes.

Also, I really don’t believe there is a one-size-fits-all solution for balancing the flute correctly. These devices can be helpful, but they are by no means necessary in most cases. And providing one device exclusively over others for your students can cause more hand position problems than you ultimately solve for them. Check out the previous posts on balance and hand position, It’s All About Balance and Flute Balance and the Right Hand.

If you find these entries helpful, subscribe, share with your colleagues and come back regularly for more flute tips. Feel free to comment and ask questions. What do you want to know about flute pedagogy? Maybe the answer to your question will be the next flute tip. Find me on Facebook or email me your questions at dr_cate@sbcglobal.net. For information about clinics and workshops click here.

Quick Fixes for Common Mechanical Problems

Tags

flute maintenance

We all know how hard kids can be on instruments. They think it is nothing to bang their flute against a metal music stand or manhandle the flute when they assemble it. And then there are the mechanical problems that arise just from being played all the time. Here are a few tips about care and feeding of flutes and a few tricks I’ve picked up over the years doctoring student flutes until they can get to a qualified repair person.

Care and feeding:

• Keep hands away from keys when assembling. Improper handling during assembly results in bent keys (especially the Ab key and footjoint keys).
• Keep the tenons clean inside and out. I buy alcohol prep pads by the box and keep them in my case just for cleaning tenons. No cork grease, petroleum jelly or other lubricant is needed. In fact, these cause more problems than they solve.
• Swab the flute out at least daily, if not every time the flute is played.
• Make sure the headjoint cork is snug and properly placed using the mark on the cleaning rod.

Quick and easy fixes (until the flute can go to a repair shop):

• Check the end screws and steels. The most common problems are the thumb key steel and upper end steel back out fairly often. Sometimes you will see the footjoint steel back out. Very easy fix.
• Check the balance between the combination keys. If you push the A key, is the Bb above it fully closing? Also combinations with the F, E and D with the F# key above them. Turn the adjustment screws a little at a time and check the balance between the two keys.
• For loose or stripped screws, put a dot of white glue or clear nail polish over the head of the screw to keep it in place. Tell your tech you did this. Removes easily.
• If the adjustment keys are turned in as far as they will go or they won’t move, you can shim the kicker with a little piece of a Post-It note. It’s temporary but can tide you over in a pinch.
• For tight tenons, take a soft lead pencil and draw in circles on the outside of one piece and the inside of the other. Put the tenon together and twist back and forth gently (keep hands off the keys). Take it apart and and wipe off any excess graphite with a soft cloth.
• For a loose tenon, first clean it thoroughly with alcohol or paraffin. Take some clear nail polish and put one swipe on the exposed surface. Swipe 1/3 to 1/2 of the way around. Let it dry thoroughly before assembling. It should hold until it can go to the shop. Be sure to tell the repair tech the nail polish is there. It comes off easily.
• To clean out a moldy flute that hasn’t been swabbed, take a sturdy paper towel and wet it. Wring the paper towel out thoroughly and thread it into a cleaning rod. Wrap it around the cleaning rod and insert into the flute. Twist the cleaning rod around and push it through the flute. Repeat as needed until it is clean. Final swab with a clean, dry cloth. You might want to wear plastic gloves. It’s pretty gross.

If you find these entries helpful, subscribe, share with your colleagues and come back next week for another flute tip. Please comment and feel free to ask questions. Maybe the answer to your question will be the next flute tip. Find me on Facebook or email me at dr_cate@sbcglobal.net. For information about clinics and workshops click here.