playing outside?

Irish Flute
1

How many here regularly play outside their wooden flutes? I have been playing mine outside for several months, and even though down here the humidity is always high, I keep the flute oiled very regularly, just because it looks, feels, and sounds better. Not to mention, I feel safer with it oiled all the time.

However, today it was rather cool out (has gotten gradually cooler here in FL) and when I took it apart, it felt weird coming apart. Any clue why? It felt like the cork was thicker in one place on both joints, being right about where my thumbs support the flute, and looser every where else when I took it apart for cleaning.

Thanks,

2

Eric,

If you feel a change in the tightness of the joints, then your flute is either gaining or losing moisture. Having lived in Florida for 15-16 years, until this year, I can tell you that the humidity absolutely changes quite a bit in the winter. Unless you keep your flute in a humidity controlled box or room, the joints will expand and or contract as the the humidity drops in the winter.

Loren

3

I 've played outside on a few occasions but it’s been in Michigan.Acouple of years ago on St. Paddy’s it was 20 degrees with a wind of maybe 30 mph.The flute held up well and had no after affects .I quit playing because I couldn’t pucker and was shaking, I’m still shaking just thinking about that day.
From spring till fall,when the forced air furnace comes on, the first joint on all my flutes swell and are the tightest when taking apart the flute.After the average humidity drops the first joint is very loose and takes a while after playing to tighten up.
I oil my flutes on rare occasions when I think of it .I am sure it makes me feel better then it benifits the flute.
Under the more extreme weather conditions and very little oiling I’ve had no
checking or cracking with any of my flutes. ??
It’s only a peice of wood .

4

Sounds like the cork on the tenon expanded a little due to the heat from your thumbs. Cork is weird, it’s been known to do stranger things.

5

Thanks, that is what I was thinking too, that the thumbed areas were staying a bit warmer and didnt shrink.

6

Of course the principal thing to be careful about
playing wooden flutes outdoors in the cold
is rapid temperature changes. I’ve been
told that below freezing isn’t a good idea, too.

7

So…playing outside as long as it’s not an extreme temp change (really hot inside) and then above 50F outside, should be no problem. (I say 50 because much lower, you wont find me playing flute outside!).

I understand an extreme change in temp can crack a flute maybe, but not a gradual change right? Obviously not, as I can imaging we wouldnt have quite the number of flutes left from a hundred years ago when Central Heat and Air was so popular!

8

Right. And coming in from the outside, if it is
actually cold, as it is here where i live,
you keep the instrument in its case
for awhile, let it warm up slowly.