low b flat help

katybug · Post by **katybug** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:01 pm

I have a b foot on my flute, and my flute is open holed. My fingers wont stay on the holes when i try to play a low b flat. It comes out when i press down really hard, but in the middle of a song it wont come out. Are my hands big enough? any suggestions would be great!! thanks.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:19 pm

Well, first of all, you're playing a Low B with all the fingers depressed, not a B flat. If you have trouble playing the B, put plugs in and see if that solves the problem. If it does, it probably means that you are not covering the holes when you try to play low B, which could be fixed by changing how the foot joint is turned (to reduce how much you have to stretch). You might also find that it's one particular hole you can't cover, in which case a plug is probably the answer for you. You didn't say how old you are, but if you're younger, you may still grow enough that in future you can remove any plugs you have in now. If the plugs don't fix things (as I suspect by the fact that you described having to push hard), you may have a leak. The lowest notes require that all the pads seal well on the tops of the toneholes, and a leak (or leaks) anywhere can make the low range next to impossible. If this is the case, take your flute to a repair tech. You should only have to use very light pressure to seal the toneholes, and any excess tension you are forced to use may cause injuries in the future, so it's important that you not play with too much stress. If you don't have access to plugs, get a more advanced player to try your flute out, and if they can produce low B without extra effort, then most likely you need to work on covering the holes or put plugs in. If they too have difficulty, it's probably a mechanical problem, and it would be a good idea to let a repair tech examine the flute.

katybug · Post by **katybug** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 4:45 pm

Thank You!!!
My flute was just re-padded so I shouldnt have a leak. Woops your right i did type B flat! I meant B. Where would i buy plugs? I have thought about that but i cant seem to find where i should buy them. Yes it is just one hole i cant cover and that is the right ring finger.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Mon Nov 06, 2006 5:21 pm

No problem. Many music stores sell flute plugs, but they can also be bought online at places like Fluteworld. My personal preference is for the silver ones with O rings, though they also come made of plastic, silicon, and likely other materials.