Spring Cleaning

It's that time again -- the flowers are blooming, the temperature is rising, sun is shining, and many of you may be doing a bit of spring cleaning around the house.  It's a great feeling to get everything nice and clean, enjoying fresh air blowing through the windows as you work.

It's also a great time to give your flute a bit of spring TLC -- tender loving cleaning.  We are all very conscientious about swabbing our flutes out thoroughly and wiping the outside down with a cloth after playing.  However, there are a few spots that might get overlooked, and since we've shared posts on these in the past, we took a bit of "inventory" of our cleaning posts to help you!  Below is a list of flute areas to target in your spring cleaning, along with some corresponding posts.  Click on the italicized titles below to view the posts:

Th Embouchure Hole:
A Case of  the Gurgles

The Embouchure Hole and Key Holes:
A "Hole" Lot Cleaner

The Riser:
Cleaning the Riser

Plug-Os
Cleaning Your Plug-Os

No Extras Needed

So you're done with a rehearsal or practice session, fold your polishing cloth neatly, place it over your flute, and close the case.  No problem, right?  Well, actually, we had a student flute in the repair shop this week, and when our Repair Technician, Rachel Baker, opened the case, she noticed a cloth over the flute, which prompted this little reminder...

Don't put anything in your flute case except the flute.  If you have a cloth covering the flute, it will press against the keys when you close the case.  Rachel mentioned that polishing cloths can be kind of bulky, and not only do they exert unnecessary pressure on the mechanism, they can also get caught on key pads, causing the pads to tear.  As for other items -- maybe a swabstick, pencil, etc. -- if they are placed in the case, they can move around, bumping into the flute and causing damage.

Placing additional items in the case outside of the flute is definitely not a good thing -- and placing them inside the flute is also a no-no.  You don't want to leave your swab in the flute after your are done swabbing out.  Rachel says, "You get all the moisture out, and then you put it back in" if you leave the swab in the flute.

There is one exception to the rule -- an anti-tarnish square. These can be placed on the flat area of the case on the far left, as you'll see in the photo below.  Other than this small anti-tarnish square (usually a strip or a very small sponge-like material), make sure there are no "extra" items in the case or on the flute.  Remembering the simple rule of "nothing goes in the case except the flute" should keep your flute happy and healthy!

Anti-tarnish square is on flat spot on the far left of the case (next to body tenon).

Standing Waters

Repair technician Rachel Baker swabbing out a kingwood Custom piccolo.

We all want the best for our flutes and know that the question of humidifying wooden ones in particular comes up quite often. Should you use a humidifier?  Is it overkill?  Can it cause more problems?

Well, we've gotten feedback from our staff, customers, and artists, and we realize that there really is no "one size fits all" answer to this question.  Some people do not use humidifiers and travel from place to place, climate to climate, and have no problems.  Of course, if you are playing your wooden instruments regularly and taking proper care of them, you may not need to use a humidifier.  In a previous post on wooden flute maintenance, we shared the following:

Our wood technician assures us that the best way maintain a wooden flute is to play it regularly.  If you play it for a while, leave it for several months (untouched), and then pick it up to play it, you will notice differences which may make playing the instrument difficult.  However, if it is played consistently, the wood will be acclimated to patterns of being played, swabbed out, placed in the case, and then played again.  

However, one thing that did surprise us recently in a conversation we overheard was the idea that wooden instruments do not need to be humidified because there is enough moisture in the bore after playing.  Hmm.  Well, yes, there is certainly moisture in there after playing, but you do not want to leave it that way!  With wooden instruments, you have to make sure that you thoroughly swab out the bore of the body and headjoint.  Never leave moisture in your wooden instrument -- it could lead to all kinds of problems, including cracking.  

However, we don't want to forget about metal instruments when thinking about "standing waters."  They are certainly not good for the inside of metal flutes, so proper swabbing is crucial there as well.  And, make sure to never put anything in the flute bore and leave it there to absorb the moisture -- like those "fuzzy" looking accessories.  If you use something like that inside the flute to absorb moisture and leave it in there, well, you'll only be left with something moist and fuzzy inside your flute with no place for the moisture to go!

So, remember, swab out your flutes and piccolos thoroughly, take good care to keep them clean, check to make sure everything looks alright inside and out, and if you have any questions or concerns, don't let it wait -- contact your repair technician.

Fall Back into Flute Care!

So, the time has come -- it's fall, and many college students are back in high gear performing in lessons and ensembles after a long summer break.  That being said, there are a couple of things to keep in mind in terms of flute care and maintenance to help students as they shift back into a heavier practice and performance routine.

1.  One simple step you can take as a flutist is to swab out your flute and/or piccolo during rehearsals.  There will always be at least a few pauses or breaks when you can swab out your instruments.  College and university rehearsals are certainly longer than those in high school, so don't limit yourself to swabbing out once at the end -- swab as many times as you need when you can!

2. Wiping down your instrument after you play is critical.  It might seem like it's, well, not that big of a deal to just put it away without wiping the outside, but it is!  You want to wipe down the instrument and headjoint to remove oil, dirt, and residue that can accumulate on the body, keys, and in the embouchure hole.  (Click here to read our previous post on this topic, "Keeping It Clean.")  Those quick breaks in rehearsals when you are not playing are also opportune moments to wipe down the instrument -- so keep a cloth on your lap or closeby!

3.  This may seem like a "no brainer," but it really is important to brush your teeth and wash your hands before you play.  Carry a toothbrush and toothpaste with you -- maybe "travel sized" ones that are small.  There is usually a bathroom where you can stop to brush your teeth and wash your hands before rehearsals.  In fact, you will probably see many people from your ensemble there at the same time!

3. Moisture will affect flute pads, so depending on how much you play and the humidity level of your environment, you may want to keep your case open and let your flute or piccolo "air out" a bit before you close the case and put your instrument away.  Of course, this should be done after you have thoroughly swabbed out the instrument.  There may not always be time to do this extra step, but if there is (say, after you finish practicing), it will definitely help.

4.  Finally, if you have the chance to run a rehearsal -- maybe a sectional, chamber group, flute choir, etc. -- make sure to give the ensemble players time to properly swab out, clean, and put their instruments away before they need to rush off to the next class, rehearsal, or lesson.  Your performers (and their instruments) will greatly appreciate this gesture, and it can really make a difference.

We're sure most of these tips are familiar, but in a college or university setting, the time one spends on his/her instrument can greatly increase -- so proper care for the instrument must match the demands on the instrument itself.  Just remember, the more you play, the more you will need to care for your flute.  Seize those maintenance "opportunities," keep yourself prepared, and your flute should definitely be able to keep up with you!