Oh no! Bb

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:22 pm

Does anyone know why my Bb's aren't working. All the notes sound open and clear but then when any Bb in any register is played, it is diffused and unpleasant to hear. I don't know if it's a problem with my lips or my flute but it's really strange.

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 2:27 pm

Wait...no. Ah! All my notes sound so weird and ugly today! I'm putting to much pressure on my lips. Eek. I hate it when this happens. A day ago my tone was fine, the next day it sounds weird. Is it just a bad day because even after the tone studies...problems aren't fixed.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 7:38 pm

how long ago was your flute checked out by a tech?

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Sat Dec 23, 2006 8:24 pm

Not too long ago. It's probably just a bad day...Happens to me at least once a week. I always have at least one bad day a week in both flute and piano.

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 7:30 pm

Actually, not this is not a bad day. My Bb's sound terrible compared to other note. Some notes have not been affected. Some's quality lessened. But overall, the low notes have been affected the most. NO! I haven't had any accident with my flute at all...What happened? I'm trying to ignore the sound but it keeps bugging me.

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 7:35 pm

You don't have to have an accident with your flute for mechanical problems to arise. Most likely it's a leak somewhere (at or above the Bb key), and it needs to see a tech.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 8:41 pm

remnantpark wrote:Actually, not this is not a bad day. My Bb's sound terrible compared to other note. Some notes have not been affected. Some's quality lessened. But overall, the low notes have been affected the most. NO! I haven't had any accident with my flute at all...What happened? I'm trying to ignore the sound but it keeps bugging me.

on a guess I would say that the Bb is no longer regulated properly, causing a leak from there down.
other options include a problem with that pad.

Get thee to a flute-tech...

mark

flutepicc06 · Post by **flutepicc06** » Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:08 pm

Mark wrote:
remnantpark wrote:Actually, not this is not a bad day. My Bb's sound terrible compared to other note. Some notes have not been affected. Some's quality lessened. But overall, the low notes have been affected the most. NO! I haven't had any accident with my flute at all...What happened? I'm trying to ignore the sound but it keeps bugging me.
on a guess I would say that the Bb is no longer regulated properly, causing a leak from there down.
other options include a problem with that pad.

Get thee to a flute-tech...

mark

That's pretty much exactly what I said. At least we're in agreement.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:41 am

flutepicc06 wrote: That's pretty much exactly what I said. At least we're in agreement.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 11:44 am

question for you.. does the Bb sound the same with alternate fingerings?
and another.. do you see anything visually with that pad?

mark

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:06 pm

How coincidental, I have just checked this right before you have posted this!

Well, they both don't have the /best/ quality but the alternate Bflat with just the left first finger and the left thumb down sounds a /little/ better than the other right the left first finger and right first finger...

This is really fishy. I don't know if I have ruined my embochure (which I doubt) or something went wrong with my flute.

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:06 pm

...Bad enough that it is vacation, which means I can't test with other flutes.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:14 pm

I am betting thatyour embochure is fine.. and the first finger is out of regulation,
alhtough, it is a little distrubing to me that it is affecting the other notes
as well, which is why I am curious about a visual inspection of the pad
that is placed down by the Bb position..

mark

remnantpark · Post by **remnantpark** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 12:28 pm

Ah! I think I caught the problem. So you know the Bb key, there's the one that you press for most of the notes and the other you press for the alternate Bb fingering. Well, the one for the alternate is a bit slow; sometimes it goes down. Sometimes, it doesn't. So when I play low E for an example, sometimes, it doesn't go down so I can't play anything expect for the middle E. Now if I ensure it's pressed down again, the the lower E can actually sound (although not the best quality). If I play middle B flat, I can see that sometimes the key doesn't go down. I ensure it again and I can play the note (once again, not the best quality). Then I tried to press a certain key to see it go down. At first, it goes down. Then later it has a delayed reaction or go down partially. Sometimes, it doesn't go down at all.

Could that be a problem? I have also noticed that when I first blow into the flute (this was since a couple week ago), one of the rods seem to be vibrating when playing low notes...

@_@ not much of a flute expert...

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Dec 25, 2006 1:07 pm

hmm.. interesting.. perhaps a pivot screw is loose, it happens to one of
my son's flutes occasionally...

That will cause binding and erratic key action, it affects his Bb as well.

mark