What ist the Headscrew good for ?

[etc-etc]

Consider replacing the cork.

The cork dries out and shrinks with time; with reduced dimensions, it will seal better if placed in the narrower area of the headjoint. The better seal will eliminate the hiss in the sound (as long as the cork does not shrink more). However, as the cork is now in the wrong place, the tuning of the octaves will be off.

[JButky]

The ideal stopper position is relative to the total length of the flute. When the headjoint position is changed to tune, it changes the proportional distance between the embouchure hole and the stopper relative to the bottom end of the flute.

This is not exactly correct. Changing the headjoint "draw" does not change the tuning of your instrument up or down. The tuning of your instrument is the proportion set up in the scaling (relative positions of tone holes at a given A= standard). The headjoint draw (amount you push in or pull out) is dependent on that scaling to be most in tune. Deviating from that optimum location in either direction will expand or contract the registers. The effect increases with frequency. Higher pitches are proportionally affected more than lower ones as you go up.

The amount of headjoint draw deviation has this effect because of the relation of over all length to frequency. You change one length to affect many different frequencies. Since high frequencies are shorter the same amount of length change affects a greater proportion of the higher, shorter frequencies.

That being the case, you should always adjust your headjoint draw relative to the scaling of your instrument for best possible intonation. If you try to play at higher or lower pitches than the scaling of your flute when optimized, you will be forced to make embouchure compromises to adjust for pitch. This is even more difficult when your headjoint draw is well out of whack with your set scaling.

Most flutists (beginners, intermediate particularly) will never adjust the stopper. Professionals and advanced players may make adjustments to the stopper position depending on circumstances. For example, I usually play with keyboard instruments tuned to A440. I have adjusted the stopper so that my third octave is in tune at A440. If I started playing regularly with an orchestra that tunes to A442 or A444, I might need to readjust the stopper.

The headcork adjusts mainly the third register. The proper procedure is to establish the proper headjoint draw relative to the scaling first ( My articles on this have been published in more than a few places on doing that) and then use the headcork to fine tune the third register to the scaling through harmonic comparisons. Cork position affects mostly the third register and can introduce inefficiency when out of adjustment too much resulting in poor response from the air column.

To answer the question WHY is it different for everybody is simple. The completion of the air column total effective length that everyone leaves out is the distance from the embouchure hole to the player. This varies considerably from player to player. How much of your lower lip covers the embouchure hole is a big factor. Tap out a G repeatedly with your LH ring finger. If you slowly slide a finger over the embouchure covering it more with your finger you will hear the pitch get lower as you tap resonate the tube. This difference is figured into any given player for adjusting the headjoint draw. Once you are there, the harmonic play comparisons can help you adjust the headcork to bring the third register more comfortably in tune.

The only way to raise the pitch of a flute correctly is to shorten the overall length and proportionally move the all tone holes closer together.

Headjoint taper has a lot to do with how much third register correction is applied to a flute's scaling. Most flutes do well with having the cork position set slightly to the left of center when looked at in playing position. The starting point for the optimum stopper location is that the diameter of the bore at the center of the embouchure hole equals the distance from the center to the stopper plate. That is sometimes 17.3mm but the only way is to measure. But 17.3 is always a good default starting point to adjust your headjoint draw to your scaling and then fine tune the stopper placement for third register fine tuning.

So that's the simplified version..If you need more explanation just holler, I'll try and explain it simply..

[JButky]

Consider replacing the cork.

The cork dries out and shrinks with time; with reduced dimensions, it will seal better if placed in the narrower area of the headjoint. The better seal will eliminate the hiss in the sound (as long as the cork does not shrink more). However, as the cork is now in the wrong place, the tuning of the octaves will be off.

Not exactly. The cork must be sealed at the larger stop plate side. Sealing at the other end wreaks all sorts of havoc with the third register. Corks that appear to seal because the hold suction but all malfunctioning exhibit exactly this problem. They are sealed at the wrong end near the crown instead of the stopper plate nearest the air column.

Moisture continues to creep in a ruin the headcork at that point and your flute's performance will suffer. So replacing the headcork is required. If anything, Wax the cork put it in it's proper place and heat it a bit to seal it where it should be until you can get it replaced.

[etc-etc]

Consider replacing the cork.

The cork dries out and shrinks with time; with reduced dimensions, it will seal better if placed in the narrower area of the headjoint. The better seal will eliminate the hiss in the sound (as long as the cork does not shrink more). However, as the cork is now in the wrong place, the tuning of the octaves will be off.

Not exactly. The cork must be sealed at the larger stop plate side. Sealing at the other end wreaks all sorts of havoc with the third register. Corks that appear to seal because the hold suction but all malfunctioning exhibit exactly this problem. They are sealed at the wrong end near the crown instead of the stopper plate nearest the air column.

Moisture continues to creep in a ruin the headcork at that point and your flute's performance will suffer. So replacing the headcork is required. If anything, Wax the cork put it in it's proper place and heat it a bit to seal it where it should be until you can get it replaced.

Thank you for the clarification.

[MissyHPhoenix]

Ummm. Joe, I have no idea what you were saying! Do you mean that you should NOT use the cork to make the upper register more in tune? I messed with mine yesterday and was very pleased that pulling the cork out a bit made my upper notes better, both less sharp and less shrill; and yet the lower and middle registers stay nice, too.

Is that the way it is supposed to work?

[JButky]

Ummm. Joe, I have no idea what you were saying! Do you mean that you should NOT use the cork to make the upper register more in tune? I messed with mine yesterday and was very pleased that pulling the cork out a bit made my upper notes better, both less sharp and less shrill; and yet the lower and middle registers stay nice, too.

Is that the way it is supposed to work?

Yes you should be able to adjust it to help the third register AFTER you set the headjoint draw the proper amount.

And there is a proper procedure to adjust both the headjoint draw and stopper location for every individual player.

There's just a lot of physics in the details that I tried to explain..It might be easier if you saw the procedure so it would be more clear. I can post it if you want. Everyone always asks me for it anyway.

[MissyHPhoenix]

I would definitely like to see it. Thanks!

[etc-etc]

Ummm. Joe, I have no idea what you were saying! Do you mean that you should NOT use the cork to make the upper register more in tune? I messed with mine yesterday and was very pleased that pulling the cork out a bit made my upper notes better, both less sharp and less shrill; and yet the lower and middle registers stay nice, too.

Is that the way it is supposed to work?

Yes you should be able to adjust it to help the third register AFTER you set the headjoint draw the proper amount.

And there is a proper procedure to adjust both the headjoint draw and stopper location for every individual player.

There's just a lot of physics in the details that I tried to explain..It might be easier if you saw the procedure so it would be more clear. I can post it if you want. Everyone always asks me for it anyway.

Joe,

Thank you for the offer! Could you please elaborate on the procedure? Is it based on:
1) noting where the cork is at present;
2) tuning the long/short fingering of C2 with identical embouchure, using the headjoint draw;
3) tuning the third to second octave jumps (for example, D3 with D2; G3 with G2) using the headjoint cork;
4) repeating the above sequence while checking 3-octave arpeggios until tuning is acceptable?

[JButky]

Joe,

Thank you for the offer! Could you please elaborate on the procedure? Is it based on:
1) noting where the cork is at present;
2) tuning the long/short fingering of C2 with identical embouchure, using the headjoint draw;
3) tuning the third to second octave jumps (for example, D3 with D2; G3 with G2) using the headjoint cork;
4) repeating the above sequence while checking 3-octave arpeggios until tuning is acceptable?

I am planning on getting to it. Just been way too busy. I promise to dig it out of my puter and post it. I might have some time tomorrow to go look for it.. Until then..