Upcoming Workshops
Woodwind Workshop #3
Saturday 29th October at 3pm
Topics for this session:
- What to do with rods coming loose
- Fixing the octave key on saxophone
- Fixing the low E&F on clarinet
Woodwind Workshop #4
Saturday 12th November at 3pm
Topics for this session:
- Stuck swabs inside clarinets and oboes
- Bent keys – when to fix and when to leave it
- What to do when a clarinet pad falls out
Workshop #4 (Repeat)
Thursday 17th November at 3:15pm
Topics for this session:
- Stuck swabs inside clarinets and oboes
- Bent keys – when to fix and when to leave it
- What to do when a clarinet pad falls out
Do I have your email for the workshop sessions?
In the previous sessions…
Stuck and Tight Flute Joints
Saturday 15th October | 3pm | 30 mins duration
This time around, we will be investigating the best course of action when flute joints are getting tight or when they are stuck.
Agenda
What to do with tight and stuck tenon joints…
- Tight and stuck joints on flutes
- What causes stuck joints
- How are they fixed
- What tools I use
- Is there anything you can do to avoid stuck joints?
- Dealing with Broken Springs. How to get around the issue.
- Stuck keys. Is there anything you can do?
What to Do When Flutes Break Down
Monday 3rd October | 3pm | 30 mins duration
This first session is for instrumental music teachers.
What to do when Flutes break down…
- How to check the seal of the pads. What to look for.
- How and when to use the adjusting screws.
- Resetting springs
- Signs that the head-joint cork is a problem:
- How to change it
- Various methods for quick-fixes
Topics we can discuss in this or future sessions:
What Steps I take in Servicing:
- Checking the structure of the mechanism
- Why solid keywork is a must.
- How I diagnose the mechanism, the pivot screws and rods.
- Internals of the mechanism. How it affects playability.
- Mechanism Pins
- Why they are there
- How they are removed
- Why they scare me, even after 30 years of flute repair
- All about the pads:
- When they are ok and when they need replacement.
- How I choose replacement types – how they affect the instrument.
- Steps involved in replacing them.
- Purpose of the shims under the pads.
- How low quality shims affect pads. Which brands have them.
- How the Adjusting Screws work
- Why some flutes don’t have them. How do they work?
- What’s the little piece of card under each screw?
- How the tenons fit together
- How they are adjusted.
- Various methods of refitting
How the Flute Affects Playability:
- How to test a flute. Tell-tale signs of problems.
- How do mechanical aspects affect player technical abilities.
- How to mechanical aspects affect tone and response.
Is all servicing the same?
- To service or not to service – you know you don’t have to!
- What is the purpose of servicing?
- Why are some services $80 and others $400
- Inside the industry
- How repairers organise their time
- How repairers figure out their charging
- How many instruments can a repairer do in a day?
Daily Maintenance by Players:
- Why most players don’t follow the rules
- Methods that increase the longevity of the instrument and its parts.
- How to lower the cost of servicing, or space servicing out.
- A few notes about hygiene.
- Helpful and harmful accesories to use.
- Which objects in a case can damage the flute.