I have noticed on my delrin Ormiston, that the sound seems to be affected by condensation in the bore, the bore seems to hold onto the condensation, a quick swab out and its back up to speed, is this normal
as i’ve not noticed it on other flutes, but then I have been playing the Ormiston for much longer periods, the condensation does run out when it gets to a certain amount, I get a good 20 minutes playing before I swab,
Or would the condensation in the head joint be the culprit as that seems to build up very quickly.
I have condensation problems in the bore when I play any of my flutes. It significantly dampens the sound (sorry about the pun…I couldn’t resist…). I constantly have to swab out my flute while practising or in a session. Thanks to Loren’s suggestion, I recently purchased a “flute flag” for a conical bore flute. It swabs out the flute without taking it apart. Great investment!! http://home.nethere.net/roger45/fluteflaga.htm
cheers,
Paul
You can do that. Another way is to cover all holes, seal your lips over the embouchure hole, point upward at the bodhran player, and blow very hard. This accomplishes a couple of things.
And if you hit the bodhran, the player won’t need a squirt bottle. So maybe even three things accomplished, there!
Some days my Delrin flute drips so much it resembles the plumbing I think it’s supposed to be; I figure wood’s absorbent, Delrin’s not and the condensation has to go somewhere …
As has already been mentioned, condensation in the bore of the flute causes drag and does affect the performance of the flute. This is more true for flutes made from materials that do not readily absorb moisture, such as pvc, delrin, silver, etc. I have a “wedgehead” blackwood headjoint made by David Wimberly when he was working for the Armstrong Flute Company. It has a long, aluminum Fajardo wedge that is positioned right beneath the embouchure hole. Even after one tune, you can see the beads of condensation very visable on the aluminum wedge. I blow through the embouchure hole frequently to blow away the condensation and swab out the silver flute body with a long wooden dowel with a cotton swab on the end. I have found that old flannel shirts made from Scottish plaid work best for the swabbing job.
Sucking works on clearing whistle fipples,
not so well on clearing flute bores.
It is helpful, between tunes in a session or whatever,
to remember to hold the flute in a vertical position
to let it drain. The ‘tone holes covered, sharp blow in
the embouchure hole’ works too (though it’s
best to be mindful of where the flute is pointing).
Both are better still. Also one can take
off the headjoint and shake it.
Seriously … I’ve had the easiest results just standing the thing on my knee and bouncing it between tunes (least icky when you’re wearing pants) or holding it vertically (preferably BY THE BARREL, JACK) to one side and gently shaking it.
But if that ain’t enough, I just go for the blow.
I spent Saturday playing my Forbes hard outdoors in about 85-degree heat/65% humidity and then another couple hours at a BBQ gig in roughly the same humidity after sunset, and it was fine. I guess shaking the flute out’s such a habit now I rarely run into a problem. In fact, I usually have much more trouble with my whistle clogging; Saturday night was a banner one for it. The second biggest pain is when I get a bubble under the keys of my keyed flute. But I just blow under the key, and it’s resolved, at least for a bit.
I’m with Cathy in the constantly bouncing and shaking the flute between tunes school. I used to have more of a problem with condensation, but I don’t anymore because I’m constantly shaking and bouncing the thing…I probably look like I have “issues”.
)
My playing often makes my flute SOUND like a chunk of concrete … 
