First things first… how the woodland flute works..
That creates sound and your fingers change the pitch when covering and uncovering the holes. It's a bit more technical than that but thats basically whats happening on the inside of your flute. Your breath has moisture in it, a lot of moisture. So you will notice after periods of playing that it starts to become harder to play and starts getting quiet. That means your flute is "wetting out" (moisture trapping the windway) and needs to be removed. Heres what you do 1.Remove the totem and wipe the underside of it with a soft cloth 2.Wipe out the windway 3. Turn the flute upside down and gently tap the mouthpiece in the palm of your hand to remove excess moisture 4. Place in a safe (room temperature)area to allow remaining moisture to evaporate over night Now if you're performing, switching flutes and letting dry on a flute stand between songs should be sufficient during the performance. Try to limit continuous playtime to 15 - 20 minutes on the flute Make it a habit to remove totems after playing, It will keep your flute hygenic and free from debris and moisture contamination* for longer periods If you have to play in a climate that is "cooler" than normal allow the flute to gradually adjust to that temperature. The reason for this is NOT what you might think. It is a myth that the flute will crack if introduced from cold to hot or visa versis. The truth is that the tuning will be affected. and thats very important for flute players.
Never leave your flute just "lying around” Flutes are a precious instrument and should always be placed on a flute stand or carrying case when not in use!
Do NOT leave in direct sunlight, the UV rays can discolour and prematurely age your flute. My flutes are treated on the inside but contamination may still occur if not treated properly by removing the totem to allow to dry. But remember you can keep it clean using mild detergent and water but let dry over night but the preferred method is to rinse out with denatured alcohol.
To properly care for the finish of your flute I recommend a good furniture polish (polymer finishes) and a soft micro fiber cloth.The oil in your hands can damage clear coat finishes but believe it or not they can also polish a natural finish over long periods of time so be aware of that when ordering. So in years to come you might notice shiny marks where your fingers have held the flute that’s perfectly normal and should be considered reasonable wear and tear or simply beauty marks! I want you to enjoy your flute for many years to come and if you adhere to these simple principles it will be like an old friend to you… always there when you need them!... Blessings ~ Dickie Lee We also offer a full service on NA flutes which includes cleaning and inspection and retuning if needs be. Wood flutes can change tuning after a year or so and may require a service. We repair all NA style flutes. fee for full servicing is £60 *moisture that is not removed from the flute due to totems not being removed causes bacteria and fungus to grow inside the SAC. It is not a pretty sight please keep your flute clean!! Copyright Living Wood flutes © 2010- 2013 |
When you blow into the mouthpiece, your breath is trapped by the slow air chamber and squeezed into the flue ( the portion between the true sound hole and the slow air chamber) and is split by the edge of the true sound hole which causes the wood to vibrate because the wind is trying to move in and out of the sound chamber.
