Flute Anatomy and Basic Care

What are flutes made of?

Flutes are made of different woods and plastics. Each offers its own unique sound and tone.

The purpose of the leather strapping:

The strapping keeps the block in the right place on the flute for good tone. It often loosens and should be checked often for tightness. It should be tied down tightly securing the block in place.

Wetting out happens.

After about 20-30 minutes of continuous play, your flute may wet out. Do your best to use as little moisture as possible into your flute as you play. Hold your flute at a 45 degree angle in front of you as you play to minimize saliva runoff which occurs when your mouth is pointed down onto the flute. This happens if the flute is held too close to your body. Allow it to float in front of you.

If your flute wets out and no longer plays, you can leave it to dry (ideally upside down) for several hours or untie the leather strapping, remove the block, dry the flue using a clean napkin or paper towel, re-strap the block onto the flute, realign the block perfectly, and resume playing.

Note: in the cold weather, playing your flute outside will cause it to wet out even sooner.

Protect your flute.

When not playing your flute, keep it out of direct sunlight and away from anywhere it could be harmed by weather, animals, or other potential risks. To share or not to share? Germs can be transferred by mouth contact on your flute. Use common sense.

Illustration courtesy of Clint Goss from Flutopedia.com/anatomy