I recently cleaned my silver plated flute more thoroughly than usual and then had some trouble. One of the little wires was off and I put it back in place. There is one off that comes from that button that you press with your left pinky. Or at least it appears to be off… but I can’t tell where does the other end supposed to go? I am just getting air now when I try to play an “F” note. Please if you can help I’ve just learned to play some with my flute and I am desperate for a solution
Folks on this board mainly play various forms of simple-system flute; this is the kind of flute that was played in orchestras and bands before the modern silver flute was invented in 1847.
However, there are some, like me, who own and play both.
If I follow you, the needle spring on the A-flat key has come loose from its seat on the mechanism. This lies very close to the body of the flute, almost touching. You may be able to push the spring gently back into its seat using the end of a very small screwdriver (like the ones found in eyeglass repair kits).
Be very gentle. Use no force. If it doesn’t want to go, don’t try to force it, and take your flute to a music store. Most have repair facilities; a repairman can do this job in minutes and it won’t cost much.
Oh great, I’m glad I found someone who has both here then. This wire IS resting against the flute and is not on a seat. The trouble is, where is the seat it should be in? I am new to flute and can’t see where it is supposed to go.
It’s underneath the mechanism, close to the spring end, very close to the body of the flute, underneath the mechanism. It’s probably smaller and flatter than the other spring seats–you may not be able to see it, you may have to try to seat the spring by feel.
Again, I urge caution. Go slowly and gently. Use no force.
And don’t hesitate to take it to a repairman. Right now you have a quick, easy, and inexpensive repair. If you damage the flute trying to reseat the spring, the repair will take longer and cost more.
Well, I think it’s okay. I can’t see any seat but I cannot move that wire so I doubt it moved during cleaning. My cleaning was thorough but very gentle. The problem I think was I just noticed the finger that you press with right index finger when you play F, it automatically is connected to and closes an adjoined button. The screw needed tightened a little because that adjoined one was not closing all the way. All seems well now.
I also have a dizi flute. Do you know about these? Perhaps I could pick your brain about it too
Glad it’s OK now Eliyahna! I also regularly play both types of flute… you might find a crochet-hook a useful thing to keep in your flute case - it makes moving those pesky little piano-wire springs so much easier!
Well I would like to know how to get the higher octave on the dizi. I know on the regular flute you just redirect the breath and blow a bit harder but I tried that with dizi and did not get great results. Can you advise on how to get more sounds than just the set amount of fingerings?
E., in simplistic terms the dizi is just a six-hole simple-system bamboo flute (not counting the membrane hole) and is played in the same way as any other. The second octave is achieved the same way on the dizi as on the keyless D flute we here are mostly familiar with.
If you have a small dizi (pitched at say ‘high D’ as in the ‘standard’ tin whistle) then it’s as tough to get the second octave as it is on a fife. Speaking from personal experience, it’s a lot tougher to get the second octave on a D’ fife than on a D flute. You just have to persevere. If you can play a fife (or piccolo), you should have no trouble with a short dizi.
You might want to check the dimo (the membrane) on your dizi. It should be tight across the hole, with tiny parallel wrinkles in it. Some folks will say ‘just stick a piece of sellotape across the hole’ but that’s a particularly naff idea… you might just as well bung it up with blue-tack or better still, get an ordinary bamboo flute. The whole point of the dizi is its unique sound, and that comes with a properly fitted dimo.
If you have a broadband connection, you can see and hear what a master can do with a dizi in the link I posted here:
Yes I have heard what the masters can do!!! Isn’t it beautiful! My dimo is fine. I will just keep at it! They make it sound so easy to do that I thought maybe I was the only one having trouble. Thanks for the advice!
You’re supposed to say that though the dizi is a six-hole flute it is nothing like the Irish flute and is nearly impossible to play and that I really shouldn’t bother even thinking about trying one.
But instead you’re tempting me with a whole new poison…
Cheers,
Aaron
(oops, now I’ve gone and blown my audition for the next AndrewK by using emoticons )
