Does anyone know any helpfull tips and tricks for the flute
mine:
-When cleaning the flute after the insides done shine up the outside and when you open it back up people will be impressed.
-Never slack off warm ups your performance will show it
-The most obvious but most important is never to drop the flute of go in places that you COULD drop it
-Always clean your instrument if you don't well believe me it gets ugly
The best way to keep your flute looking good and playing well is to take preventative measures. Brush your teeth and wash your hands before you play. Brushing your teeth will help prevent stickiness in the pads, and washing your hands will limit the amount of skin oils/residues you leave on the flute (which can capture tarnish-causing agents in the air, or cause tarnish themselves). Also, each time you finish playing, swab your flute out thoroughly, and wipe it down with a soft, untreated cloth (I use microfiber cloths for all of my instruments and they work beautifully) to remove any oils/residues that did accumulate. Also be sure to keep your instrument in its case when it's not in use. Proper maintainance can really improve the longevity of a flute...Both from a mechanical standpoint, and cosmetically.
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Also, try to steer away from using lotions or skin creams/makeup on areas that come into contact with the flute. If you must use them, do so at night after you're done playing for the day. Many of these products can have an adverse affect on the flute from a cosmetic standpoint.
As for the question on sticking keys, my teacher taught me to clean the pads **very carefully** only if necessary, using the following procedure (the question remains open; this is the procedure I was told, there may be others and more opinions are of course welcome):
1. Use a new sheet of "tobacco paper" (a very thin, white and very soft paper, used by smokers to make their own cigarettes) and insert it between the pad of the sticking key and the hole.
2. Press the key so that the paper is pressed gently. **do not move the paper while the key is pressed**, it could damage the pad irreversibly.
3. Release the key, move the paper so that a new part of it is now over the hole repeat the procedure a few times.
Please take into account that the pad is very fragile. Contrary to what one could think at first sight, the surface that seals the hole when the key is pressed is a extremely thin and delicate membrane. You can easily break it, even with the sheet of paper if you move or slide it while the membrane is pressed against the paper.
If you have a teacher, it is better to ask he/she to show you how do to it properly.
Personally I don't use cigarette papers at all, and I never suggest them to anyone, but if you do use them, be sure to use the ungummed sort (the type without adhesive along one edge), or to carefully trim this part off. Also, despite what band directors (or even other flutists), may tell you, don't use anything other than cigarette papers for this procedure. No dollar bills, tissue paper, paper towels, etc. should come in contact with your pads.
I use no powdered pad paper to dry off my pads and for sticking pads. I have never had any problems with them when using them on straubinger pads and I don't see why it would not be recommended. What else would be more safe for sticking pads?
Kara, the main reason I never recommend pad paper to anyone is that most people will use it improperly without a clear demonstration, and over the internet, that's near impossible to do (though I suppose there are ways). Rather than recommend something that could potentially damage their pads if done improperly, I prefer to recommend prevention. If you reach the point where your pads HAVE to be dried, then non-powdered pad paper is certainly the best material available to the general public, but as most people don't use it properly even when they have the correct materials, I choose not to recommend it.
Many band directors and other musicians tell flutists to use currency to dry their pads, however, dollar bills are often covered in skin oils, chemicals, drugs, etc. that just create more problems for the pads. Also, they are much too rough to be used on such a delicate part of the instrument without causing damage. The short answer to "Why should you use a dollar?" is that you shouldn't. But that doesn't stop band directors and the rest from handing out bad advice.
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