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Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I actually searched for a discussion on this, but found none:
What is the official good word on flute players closing all of the holes and then blowing as hard as they can to clear any accumulated moisture from their flute ... *in a session*.
The sound is a loud, irritating SSSHHREEEEWWWWW. The result is to atomize what ever was in the flute for the rest of the folks to breathe. Eeeewww.
Now, I do this sometimes when I'm running and all gross and sweaty anyway, one nostril at a time, but I try to make sure there is no one down wind of me. Yes, eeewww, but I'm not sitting with a group of people.
I only ask as I've noticed some flute players do it, some do it "early and often", some don't and I actually heard a well regarded flute instructor at a well regarded camp advocate doing this.
Say it ain't so! Is it just me? And do I just happen to be surrounded by a few other people who feel that this is truly obnoxious? Are we uptight and is this really a socially acceptable norm?
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
blowing the flute out is a necessary evil.. shud they assign flute players a wee room r booth in which to do this? they cud even incorporate toliets into the design..hmm..or have drip trays or even a wee hole in the wall for players to put the end of their instrument in before blowing
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I was going to say it (wathc your pint!), but Trucks beat me to it...
I just try to have my flute close to vertical when not playing and with the end unobtrusively leaning over the floor. Usually keeps the flute free in most sessions. And what is in the flute is not saliva, but condensation... Can become a bit nasty when mixed with old oil residues etc. in the flute though.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Wishing to contribute to this discussion I did a web search for +flute +spittle and the first link informs me that Annie Lennox was taught flute by the military band leader Bill Spittle. What hope is there for a young flautist if her teacher actually bears the name Spittle?
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Moisture is the enemy of a wood instrument, but I've never seen a flute "emptied" that way. It's usually the trumpet players who clear their spit valves that way, but that's for band class and not in a session.
I use a chopstick to push a small piece of cloth to dry out my flute.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
"So where do you think the humidity in everyone elses breath goes to then ?"
Yes - the moisture that collects inside a flute is probably largely condensation. So, it's distilled water, purer than anything you'll find in a Ballygowan bottle. You should be collecting it in a bottle and saving it for you car radiator.
That said, depending on your style of playing, theres bound to be a certain amount of saliva in the mix. Say,
June McCormack: 5% saliva
Seamus Tansey: 8% saliva
Harry Bradley: 20% saliva
There are probaly other factors that would affect the suitability of flute drool for a car radiator, such as what the drooler has eaten or drunk recently - and the ambient temperature at the time of playing (if it is hot, there will be significantly less condensation and thus, a higher saliva content).
You don't want to dry out your flute. Just make the condensate spread out so it doesn't sit there in globs that might sink into the wood -- though if yr flute is oiled there's not much chance of that. Better is to run a **lightly** oiled piece of silk through the flute to spread the moisture and leave a bit of oil on the bore.
Matt Molloy doesn't clean his flute till the night after. Catherine McEvoy doesn't particularly swab out her flute all that religiously either. But *drying* the flute is definitely not good for it.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
It's a necessary process with any blown instrument, but the one thing I don't like is a flute player doing it in the middle of a tune he's playing on stage in a concert.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Blowing out all of the accumulated moisture is our way of saying "Hey, we may not play the most bad a** instrument in the world, but we can still gross you out into submission, so don't mess with us."
I actually joke with my session mates all the time that if they p**s me off I will empty my flute moisture (that sounds really bad) onto them, but fortunately I've never had to do so. As far as etiquette, I can see where it grosses most people out, but it seems necessary to me just to keep the flute clear of all obstructions. I've always felt the excessive moisture build-up eventually affects the sound quality much in the way it does to a trumpet player, but maybe it doesn't and it's just all in my head. Regardless, I can think of about a dozen flute players I play regularly with in sessions, and to my knowledge pretty much all of them blow out the moisture. We're all as courteous as possible about it though and make sure we blow the moisture away from the group (under our chair, in a corner, etc.), and not in the middle of a tune. The non-flute players often make a joke about us doing it, but I've never heard of any legit complaints. Then again, maybe they just don't want to mess with us
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I have never seen this up close! Thankfully, all the fluters I know use swabs or just tap the flute on a towel on their leg. Sounds like a particularly dramatic way to accomplish something with lots of flair. Typical fluter behavior. Fiddlers would never do something so over-dramatic for no good reason. Ahem.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I was sitting down wind of a flute player recently at a session, and quite close at that as we were all cramped together round a small table... there we were all playing tunes and the like! I look down and I find that the contents from the end of her flute had been dripping onto my lap!! Lovely!!! haha!
And yes, nose flutes exist. If you want a bit of a laugh, try searching for nose flute on this site... we've had some interesting discussions over the years
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Trust me, we flute players would be happier if we didn't HAVE to clear the flute from time to time. It's not optional. Once the bore is oiled, the condensation clumps up into beads that can be the size of rice or small peas. (Ask to have a look into the bore of a flute before it's cleared if you like, they are easy to see.) These things do indeed goof up the sound of the flute. My flute head and barrel are fully lined so when cold these metal places condense more. I find the tone is muffled and the flute is hard to play (meaning hard to control the sound of the notes) when the droplets are present. There's no choice but to get rid of them. You can't just soldier on without causing a poor performance. It sucks when it gets real bad in the middle of a tune, but ya gotta deal with it before you carry on.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I find the "content" pile-up doesn't really affect my flute's sound at all. I usually just let the condensation/spittle drip onto my own lap between tunes. Having played wind instruments for almost twelve years now, I don't even bother having a towel on my lap; just drips right onto my pants (or trousers, wherever you're from) *shrug*.
Dlewicki, it's not obnoxious and yes you're uptight!
Cocus, should I not be swabbing out my flute after I play? After each session I take the flute apart and swab out each section with pieces of soft cloth threaded through my cleaning rod, as instructed by my flute's maker. Is it not good for it to swab it out thoroughly each time after playing?
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I can't stand to read these threads --
Dave, remember the pills.
Whistles are often blown out - a little moisture can make it unplayable (even to the point of stopping up the holes). A flute likes moisture. Sensible flute players only blow it out if the moisture is clearly obstructing the tone. However many will blow into their flute while not playing just to keep it warm and moist so it will be in tune (??!!!) the next time they play.
If a flute player tells you they are blowing out their instrument all the time, you should ask them why they only play after eating crackers.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
dlewicki - the one nostril nose blow is affectionately referred to in this region as a "Texas Hankie" or an "Okie Blow" - perhaps a phrase of similar vulgarity would be useful when a flute player needs to, er, relieve themselves of excess moisture?
"Stand back dear friends, my Olwell is in a need of a "Sligo Spray" - or perhaps "Dublin Drool"
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I remember flute players who use to pour a drop of Guinness into the instrument. I was told at the time that it was to season and moisten it, apart from the fact that it tasted better afterwards.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I've heard the loud "SHREW noise" placed at a point where you might naturally have yelled out a whoop or hup anyway. Sounded almost like he was whistling in appreciation.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
We have nose flutes in New Zealand - traditional Maori instruments. They sound very 'atmospheric'.
I must admit I blow my flute out when it's necessary - don't even think about it. If it needs doing, then it needs doing. Tough for anyone else. It's a real bitch when it clogs halfway through a tune (usually only happens when it hasn't been warmed up properly).
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
The best technique is to sit with someone like Dave to your right (assuming you are the usual way round). Before the set, slip a chickpea into the side of your mouth. (Best practiced at home, so it does not upset your embouchure.) At a suitable moment, push the pea forward with your tongue into the hole, cover hole with mouth and blow as explosively as possible.
I'll be honest. I only did this once in a real session, and my target was someone with a lit cigarette.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I heard the nose blow called a 'famer blow' the other day...never heard that one before, but I did work as a ranch hand for a while, and my boss did do it fairly often....
I swab my flute out after I'm done playing. Catherine thinks the dirt knows where to go and makes the flute play better. Matt could make a garden hose sound good. I like to clean it when I'm done playing for the night. Bu i don't want it dry in there.
If the house is cold and there's a lot of condensate then I'll clean it out every so often. It's not a problem in the warm pubs here. But I never dry it out completely. If your flute is oiled then the condensate will form beads. Those beads should be broken up into smaller beads so they don't sit in the bore. A dry flute is more of a problem than a humidified flute.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Should you not want to offend other players I suggest the 'tap, tap, tap' method holding the flute upright and lightly bouncing it upon one's knee in between tunes. Make sure you have a secure grip!
Arbo
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I once went to a whistle workshop in Seattle where the whistle instructor sucked in the whistle juice with regularity. This seemed like an unnatural act to me. What would you prefer?
Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I actually searched for a discussion on this, but found none:
What is the official good word on flute players closing all of the holes and then blowing as hard as they can to clear any accumulated moisture from their flute ... *in a session*.
The sound is a loud, irritating SSSHHREEEEWWWWW. The result is to atomize what ever was in the flute for the rest of the folks to breathe. Eeeewww.
Now, I do this sometimes when I'm running and all gross and sweaty anyway, one nostril at a time, but I try to make sure there is no one down wind of me. Yes, eeewww, but I'm not sitting with a group of people.
I only ask as I've noticed some flute players do it, some do it "early and often", some don't and I actually heard a well regarded flute instructor at a well regarded camp advocate doing this.
Say it ain't so! Is it just me? And do I just happen to be surrounded by a few other people who feel that this is truly obnoxious? Are we uptight and is this really a socially acceptable norm?
Set me straight, people...
thanks,
-Dave
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by dlewicki
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
yes, this happens. and yes, you are uptight if you let this annoy you.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by munya beor
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Dave, if you'll sit anywhere near me at RMIMR, I promise to vaporize flute residue all over you....
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
...think of it as eau de flute.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
'flute residue' - eugh, thats put me right off lunch, and its only breakfast time.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by crm
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
So where do you think the humidity in everyone elses breath goes to then ?
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by david_h
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
So you'd never kiss a flute player?
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Il be more subtle and just drip drip drip into yer pint..
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Trucks_Mulligan
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Hmmm I wonder if players of Nose Flutes do the same thing. Now i think that would worry me a little.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Bernie
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
blowing the flute out is a necessary evil.. shud they assign flute players a wee room r booth in which to do this? they cud even incorporate toliets into the design..hmm..or have drip trays or even a wee hole in the wall for players to put the end of their instrument in before blowing
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Trucks_Mulligan
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
nose flutes? does such a thing exist? i can play my whistle through my nose..whopper
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Trucks_Mulligan
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Glory be!
And would you give a nose flute player an eskimo kiss?
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I was going to say it (wathc your pint!), but Trucks beat me to it...
I just try to have my flute close to vertical when not playing and with the end unobtrusively leaning over the floor. Usually keeps the flute free in most sessions. And what is in the flute is not saliva, but condensation... Can become a bit nasty when mixed with old oil residues etc. in the flute though.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Crackpot
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Wishing to contribute to this discussion I did a web search for +flute +spittle and the first link informs me that Annie Lennox was taught flute by the military band leader Bill Spittle. What hope is there for a young flautist if her teacher actually bears the name Spittle?
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by RichardB
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Does a lot of gunk get trapped in a flute?
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by dee.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Moisture is the enemy of a wood instrument, but I've never seen a flute "emptied" that way. It's usually the trumpet players who clear their spit valves that way, but that's for band class and not in a session.
I use a chopstick to push a small piece of cloth to dry out my flute.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Greg the Piano Tuner
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
"So where do you think the humidity in everyone elses breath goes to then ?"
Yes - the moisture that collects inside a flute is probably largely condensation. So, it's distilled water, purer than anything you'll find in a Ballygowan bottle. You should be collecting it in a bottle and saving it for you car radiator.
That said, depending on your style of playing, theres bound to be a certain amount of saliva in the mix. Say,
June McCormack: 5% saliva
Seamus Tansey: 8% saliva
Harry Bradley: 20% saliva
There are probaly other factors that would affect the suitability of flute drool for a car radiator, such as what the drooler has eaten or drunk recently - and the ambient temperature at the time of playing (if it is hot, there will be significantly less condensation and thus, a higher saliva content).
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by OrganicPeatCreature
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Dont eat peanuts before playing a tune or else you will pebble dash the whole session!!...
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by banjoburger
... a small piece of cloth to dry out my flute.
You don't want to dry out your flute. Just make the condensate spread out so it doesn't sit there in globs that might sink into the wood -- though if yr flute is oiled there's not much chance of that. Better is to run a **lightly** oiled piece of silk through the flute to spread the moisture and leave a bit of oil on the bore.
Matt Molloy doesn't clean his flute till the night after. Catherine McEvoy doesn't particularly swab out her flute all that religiously either. But *drying* the flute is definitely not good for it.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by cocus
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I once graciously lent my flute to someone for a couple of weeks. I hadn't realized that he smoked. Yeck.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by gam
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
It's a necessary process with any blown instrument, but the one thing I don't like is a flute player doing it in the middle of a tune he's playing on stage in a concert.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by lazyhound
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Blowing out all of the accumulated moisture is our way of saying "Hey, we may not play the most bad a** instrument in the world, but we can still gross you out into submission, so don't mess with us."
I actually joke with my session mates all the time that if they p**s me off I will empty my flute moisture (that sounds really bad) onto them, but fortunately I've never had to do so. As far as etiquette, I can see where it grosses most people out, but it seems necessary to me just to keep the flute clear of all obstructions. I've always felt the excessive moisture build-up eventually affects the sound quality much in the way it does to a trumpet player, but maybe it doesn't and it's just all in my head. Regardless, I can think of about a dozen flute players I play regularly with in sessions, and to my knowledge pretty much all of them blow out the moisture. We're all as courteous as possible about it though and make sure we blow the moisture away from the group (under our chair, in a corner, etc.), and not in the middle of a tune. The non-flute players often make a joke about us doing it, but I've never heard of any legit complaints. Then again, maybe they just don't want to mess with us
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Jason G
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I have never seen this up close! Thankfully, all the fluters I know use swabs or just tap the flute on a towel on their leg. Sounds like a particularly dramatic way to accomplish something with lots of flair. Typical fluter behavior. Fiddlers would never do something so over-dramatic for no good reason. Ahem.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I was sitting down wind of a flute player recently at a session, and quite close at that as we were all cramped together round a small table... there we were all playing tunes and the like! I look down and I find that the contents from the end of her flute had been dripping onto my lap!! Lovely!!! haha!
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by ajh92
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
http://www.cafepress.com/ITMGoodies/5301456
And yes, nose flutes exist. If you want a bit of a laugh, try searching for nose flute on this site... we've had some interesting discussions over the years
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Reverend
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Trust me, we flute players would be happier if we didn't HAVE to clear the flute from time to time. It's not optional. Once the bore is oiled, the condensation clumps up into beads that can be the size of rice or small peas. (Ask to have a look into the bore of a flute before it's cleared if you like, they are easy to see.) These things do indeed goof up the sound of the flute. My flute head and barrel are fully lined so when cold these metal places condense more. I find the tone is muffled and the flute is hard to play (meaning hard to control the sound of the notes) when the droplets are present. There's no choice but to get rid of them. You can't just soldier on without causing a poor performance. It sucks when it gets real bad in the middle of a tune, but ya gotta deal with it before you carry on.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by cjp
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I find the "content" pile-up doesn't really affect my flute's sound at all. I usually just let the condensation/spittle drip onto my own lap between tunes. Having played wind instruments for almost twelve years now, I don't even bother having a towel on my lap; just drips right onto my pants (or trousers, wherever you're from) *shrug*.
Dlewicki, it's not obnoxious and yes you're uptight!
Cocus, should I not be swabbing out my flute after I play? After each session I take the flute apart and swab out each section with pieces of soft cloth threaded through my cleaning rod, as instructed by my flute's maker. Is it not good for it to swab it out thoroughly each time after playing?
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Tasia
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Lol Jason G, I'm gonna have to remember that one.
"Don't mess with me or I will empty my flute moisture onto you"
It does sound bad! =)
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by dee.
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I can't stand to read these threads --
Dave, remember the pills.
Whistles are often blown out - a little moisture can make it unplayable (even to the point of stopping up the holes). A flute likes moisture. Sensible flute players only blow it out if the moisture is clearly obstructing the tone. However many will blow into their flute while not playing just to keep it warm and moist so it will be in tune (??!!!) the next time they play.
If a flute player tells you they are blowing out their instrument all the time, you should ask them why they only play after eating crackers.
Again Dave, pills, pills, pills ...
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Eliot
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
dlewicki - the one nostril nose blow is affectionately referred to in this region as a "Texas Hankie" or an "Okie Blow" - perhaps a phrase of similar vulgarity would be useful when a flute player needs to, er, relieve themselves of excess moisture?
"Stand back dear friends, my Olwell is in a need of a "Sligo Spray" - or perhaps "Dublin Drool"
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
hehe! ...and we grew up referring to the 'one nostril nose blow' as a "snot rocket"
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by andy69
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I remember flute players who use to pour a drop of Guinness into the instrument. I was told at the time that it was to season and moisten it, apart from the fact that it tasted better afterwards.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Free Reed
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I've heard the loud "SHREW noise" placed at a point where you might naturally have yelled out a whoop or hup anyway. Sounded almost like he was whistling in appreciation.
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by polkageist
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
We have nose flutes in New Zealand - traditional Maori instruments. They sound very 'atmospheric'.
I must admit I blow my flute out when it's necessary - don't even think about it. If it needs doing, then it needs doing. Tough for anyone else. It's a real bitch when it clogs halfway through a tune (usually only happens when it hasn't been warmed up properly).
# Posted on April 8th 2009 by Bredna
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
The best technique is to sit with someone like Dave to your right (assuming you are the usual way round). Before the set, slip a chickpea into the side of your mouth. (Best practiced at home, so it does not upset your embouchure.) At a suitable moment, push the pea forward with your tongue into the hole, cover hole with mouth and blow as explosively as possible.
I'll be honest. I only did this once in a real session, and my target was someone with a lit cigarette.
# Posted on April 9th 2009 by Lingpupa
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I heard the nose blow called a 'famer blow' the other day...never heard that one before, but I did work as a ranch hand for a while, and my boss did do it fairly often....
# Posted on April 9th 2009 by steve...r
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
All about oil and water in woodwind instruments;
.http://www.recorderhomepage.net/wood.html
# Posted on April 9th 2009 by the wicked hacker
@ Tasia
I swab my flute out after I'm done playing. Catherine thinks the dirt knows where to go and makes the flute play better. Matt could make a garden hose sound good. I like to clean it when I'm done playing for the night. Bu i don't want it dry in there.
If the house is cold and there's a lot of condensate then I'll clean it out every so often. It's not a problem in the warm pubs here. But I never dry it out completely. If your flute is oiled then the condensate will form beads. Those beads should be broken up into smaller beads so they don't sit in the bore. A dry flute is more of a problem than a humidified flute.
# Posted on April 9th 2009 by cocus
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Should you not want to offend other players I suggest the 'tap, tap, tap' method holding the flute upright and lightly bouncing it upon one's knee in between tunes. Make sure you have a secure grip!
Arbo
# Posted on April 9th 2009 by Imnotirish
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I once went to a whistle workshop in Seattle where the whistle instructor sucked in the whistle juice with regularity. This seemed like an unnatural act to me. What would you prefer?
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by Toppish
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
I save up my flute juice and let loose on any available spoons player every ten minutes or so. . . they never seem to get it.
# Posted on April 10th 2009 by lastnitesfun
Re: Fluteplayers clearing moisture from flute projectile-style in a session
Why thank you for the idea about the chickpea...
I will try it on my sister who's a fiddle player! :p
# Posted on April 27th 2009 by Biscuit