Main Ingredients

Body

Foot Joint Head Joint

HEAD JOINT

As you look at your head joint, you need to notice a few key features.

One is the TONE HOLE. This is the small hole in the LIP PLATE, which you will eventually blow into.

This chart points out the TONE HOLE and the LIP PLATE nicely:

The third feature is the CROWN, also known as the "Cork Screw" (no relation to the wine bottle opener).

This is the little piece at the top that you can screw off and on.

This chart shows you exactly where the CROWN is located:

Head Joint Cork

Inside the head joint, toward the top where the crown is, there is a piece of cork.

When this cork is placed correctly, it helps the flute to sound in tune, so you have to make sure it has not been moved out of place.

Follow these simple steps to ensure proper cork placement:

Step 1 - Take the head joint in your left hand

Step 2 - Take your cleaning rod in your right hand. Notice that on the non-loop side of the cleaning rod,

there is a little mark etched into the rod.

Step 3 - Carefully insert the marked side of the rod into the head joint through the bottom end until it stops.

Step 4 - While holding the rod steady, look through the tone hole. The mark in the cleaning rod should be lined up as close as possible to the center of the tone hole.

Step 5 - Screw the crown in or out to move the cork to the correct position. You might find that you need to do a little bit of careful nudging and that is fine. Just be careful and do not force anything. If you feel like you cannot move the cork at all, take it to a repair shop and let the professionals handle it. Do-it-yourself flute repair is not recommended!

ASSEMBLY

Putting Your Flute Smoothie Blender Together!

Step 1 - Place the closed case on your lap, top side up. Usually the brand will be stamped on the top side somewhere.

Step 2 - Unlock the latches and open the case.

Step 3 - With your left hand, grab the head joint toward the top where the lip plate is.

Step 4 - With your right hand, grab the body at the upper portion, where there are no keys. This is very important.

When handling your flute, be very careful around rods and keys so they will not accidentally be bent or broken.

Step 5 - Carefully twist the head joint on to the body all the way and then pull out about an eighth of an inch.

Modern flutes are designed to play in tune with the head joint pulled out slightly.

Step 6 - Hold the head joint/body in your left hand. Watch those keys!

Step 7 - Grab the foot joint in your right hand, holding down the keys with your thumb.

This is to help ensure that they are not being bent in any unusual way.

Step 8 - Carefully slide the foot joint on to the body, aligning the

rod of the foot joint with the center of the last key on the bottom of the body.

Step 9 - Look down the flute from the head joint side and line up the tone hole with the six main keys on the body.

Click on the next page, "Basic Smoothie" to learn more!