Putting your flute together properly is one the first things you should learn as a beginning flute student, but it is surprising how many of us are not nearly as conscientious about putting together and taking apart our instruments as we should be. We need to use our “Flute Handles”!
Believe it or not this is one the first things I learned as a master’s degree student. My teacher at NIU, Peter Middleton, had all his new students attend a series of flute ‘basics’ classes, a sort of orientation to keep the flute studio on the same page. Imagine playing flute all those years, and being told to start with your flute in the case, take out the pieces, just so, put them together, just so, etc. It was a very humbling experience, but one I have been grateful for and enthusiastically pass on to all my students. In addition, my flute has needed remarkably few repairs through the years and holds adjustments wonderfully. Following is a description of the 3 Flute Handles and how to use them.
Flute Handle #1 Head Joint. The Flute Handle is the area below the lip plate and just above the tenon. You never twist on the lip plate! I have heard some scary stories about one or two that snapped off, not a pleasant experience and very expensive to fix. There is plenty of room to grasp the head joint below the lip plate.
Flute Handle #2 Main Body. Your Flute Handle here is at the top, above the keys and rods. Gently insert the Head into the Body. if there is some resistance, don’t twist the pieces back and forth to force them together, try to only go in one direction. The key here is to never twist on the keys! I even try to not hold onto my flute anywhere but at the top of the body when I am not playing. If the joints fit properly and you keep them clean, you should never have to force the parts together.
Flute Handle #3 Foot Joint. This is on the very end of the foot joint, between the rod and the end of your flute. Holding the body near its top and the foot joint at its end, between the rod and the end of the foot, slide the foot joint onto the body. Again, don’t twist back and forth, try to slide them together with a slight twist in a single direction.
Reverse these instructions to take apart. Remember, the main thing to remember are to never twist with your hands on the lip plate or key mechanisms! There is plenty of room on your flute to grasp it without ever touching those areas. So use your Flute Handles, your flute will thank you!