Hi folks,
“Sorry!” in advance if this has been discussed before, but I simply don’t know what to search for, so I ask… (and of course sorry for that silly topic title…)
I have a self-made flute of plumwood with a brass tuning slide. The flute was made by me with guidance of Andreas Rogge, and he did all the fine-tuning stuff, too.
When playing at a session the other day (first with that flute), I noticed that the G and especially A and B of the 2nd octave are way too sharp. But those notes are in tune in the first octave. So I thought the rounded piece of cork in the headpiece could be responsible for that. I pressed it to the foot a little bit, and nothing happened. Then i pressed it up again, and nothing happened. I pressed it up more, and now the second octave is better in-tune.
So my question is:
What is the exact acoustical function of that piece of cork, and is it really responsible for the 2nd octave’s tuning? What else can I influence with it’s position?
Thanks in advance & greetings,
G.
PS: I know that metal flutes have this “cork piece”, too, in form of a high-tec metal screw and all that, and my flute teacher told me to “never-ever do anything to that screw!!!” 