couple of Q's

[bfloyd]

A couple of questions please; When I play my Yamaha 24N, it has a more "airy" tone to it (in search for a better word), and when I play my duaghters Jupiter Carnegie XL, it has a more direct solid tone to it. Is it in the build of the flute that gives them these different characteristics? Does an airy flute result from need of service perhaps? I am blowing them both the same.

Also, can the E flat pinky finger key's tension be adjusted? The one on my Yamaha is tight and harder to depress than on my daughters. I feel a twinge in my forearm when playing mine with the tighter key. Thanks.

[flutepicc06]

Airiness can definitely be an indicator that service is necessary. Small leaks from the toneholes, or a loose head cork can cause this. Gunk can build up in the embouchure hole and cause the same thing (gently removing it with a Q-tip and some denatured alcohol can work wonders). It might also be that the different cuts of the heads produce different qualities for you, and the flutes are in fine working order. Taking the Yamaha to a tech is the only way to be sure of whether the flute is to blame. If you have the opportunity and equipment, you might also try recording yourself to see if the Yamaha actually sounds that airy from a distance. What a player hears and what the audience hears are not always the same.

As for the D# key, it can be adjusted (likely it needs more than the spring tension adjusted if it's that hard to depress), but only to a certain extent. With closed keys like the D#, trills, G#, etc. relieving the tension too much means that the keys may not close properly, and this can result in the flute failing to function properly. A tech can probably take care of this quite easily.

[bfloyd]

Thanks for the reply. I'll have it checked out . . .

[Flute_star3]

Okay, I'm just using this old thread to ask a quesiton. Can chapped lips trash your sound, or do other factors have to be involved as well? Mine were bleeding today because of the cold whether and I can't seem to get a good sound even though everything else feels good. Thanks for the help.

[fluttiegurl]

Anything that disrupts the air flow into the flute can affect sound production. Even a small difference can cause some players to have issues. The best thing you can do is use a good lip balm and drink plenty of water.

[fluteguy18]

Even being dehydrated can affect your sound. The past few days I have been dehydrated slightly, and my lips dried out a little [and the weather being bitterly cold hasn't helped any] resulting in my tone being airy and seemingly unfocused. So, I have been making sure to drink more water, and using lipbalm [I prefer Burt's Bees]. So, if your lips are chapped enough that they are bleeding, then that will most certainly affect your sound.

Get a good lip balm, and even though it wont taste that great, use a little bit of neosporin/ triple antibiotic on any exterior parts that are particularly bad.

[Phineas]

When my mouth gets dry, I eat some greasy like is a fried chicken(buffalo) wing, some hot Jasmine tea, or some warm apple juice. Works wonders, and tastes better than lip gloss...I mean balm

Phineas

[Flute_star3]

Wow, that's amazing how tempremental our sound can be. Even the smallest things that go wrong make such a difference! Thanks for the tips!

[flutedogs561]

Dry lips or a dry mouth and/or dry throat can definitely cause turbulence and effect your sound. I have asthma and take meds that make my throat & mouth really dry -- parched sometimes. Vitamin C lozenges help a lot with this.

A really good product for seriously dry lips is called Herpecin L. It was developed for preventing cold sores, but it works like a miracle for dry lips. It is in a little tube like lip balm. Most pharmacies carry it.

[flutedogs561]

I just remembered that Burt's Bees lip balm is also very good for seriously dry lips.