Woodwind specialist, J.L. Smith explains the purpose of flute headjoint cork and demonstrates proper techniques for trouble shooting and adjusting flute headjoint corks for optimal flute performance.
Jeff Smith, i highly appreciate your tutorials. You being in North Carolina and me in Southern Germany. This is internet at its best. I have been practicing the flute about 3 years now and its a real pleasure to watch your clips. Wish you all the Best.
thank you for this video!!! my cork was way off! had no idea that there was even a line on the cleaning rod, nor what it was for. Looked into cork videos because my flute wasn't sounding like it usually did. Looks like I was moving the cork accidentally when cleaning, or tightening my crown (for no other reason than it felt loose.) thanks again!
Thank you, I took the cork out to clean the tarnish off the mouth piece and didn't know exactly where the cork should sit, I was actually pretty close, but now I am pretty confident I got it back in place! :)
It was very helpful. Last year my son had the cap fall off his flute, and the tune was way off. His band teacher actually learned how to adjust the cork back in place to get it to work...surprised me, that he had never done it, beings he has been a band teacher for years, really good too. It isn't that hard, after all. ;)
Beautiful video man, thank you so much. I couldn't figure out why my flute sounded so off in the second register... now I'm good and agog to learn more.. Pearse
A very good video, thanks! A question for you if you have a moment...when one blows (or practices) on the head joint, a sound is produced, two if you count holding the right end of the tube closed ( G# on my head joint). Is there a tone/note that indicates that the cork is in the right position (for instance, G or A major on mine), and if so, can that note be used to indicate that your cork is in the right place?
Thank you for this extremly useful demonstration and advice! Three questions 1) Assuming a well sealed cork to start with, is it OK to move it slightly with careful 1/4 to 2/3 of a turn of the crown either way, without damaging the seal? 2) So just to confirm, from the second method in the ending segment, the ideal cork distance is equal to the inside bore, correct? 3) Are the tools (dark brown) used to remove and insert the cork made of hard plastic or metal? If metal, does one have to be careful not to scratch the inside ot the headjoint? Thanks...
The headjoint is tapered, so the farther the cork is from the blowhole, the better the seal will be. I'm not sure about how much you can move the cork closer to the blowhole without sacrificing the seal too much, but if the seal is good, you won't be able to move it with the crown anyway. It would just damage the threads if you would force it that much.
Do you have an instrument technician near you? If so, take it and get it repaired. If not, you may wrap with ptfe tape (plumbers tape) as a temporary fix.
How is it actually possible to locate exactly visually such a precise measurement of 17.3 mm against such a large hole as the embouchure hole? I'm pretty sure an average eye can be easily off by 0.3 mm.
I see your point-there is a tolerance. Try it and I think you'll be able to tell if the mark is centered to the hole within the tolerance needed. Some people also scribe two additional lines towards the outer walls of the embouchre. This can provide additional guidance. Enjoy!
It seems that there is no need for the cork to be mobile at all, so why is it? Why does it even exist when a simple fixed wall is all that seems to be required by the headjoint?
Jeff Smith, i highly appreciate your tutorials. You being in North Carolina and me in Southern Germany. This is internet at its best. I have been practicing the flute about 3 years now and its a real pleasure to watch your clips. Wish you all the Best.
thank you for this video!!! my cork was way off! had no idea that there was even a line on the cleaning rod, nor what it was for. Looked into cork videos because my flute wasn't sounding like it usually did. Looks like I was moving the cork accidentally when cleaning, or tightening my crown (for no other reason than it felt loose.) thanks again!
Thank you, I took the cork out to clean the tarnish off the mouth piece and didn't know exactly where the cork should sit, I was actually pretty close, but now I am pretty confident I got it back in place! :)
I'm glad this was helpful!
It was very helpful. Last year my son had the cap fall off his flute, and the tune was way off. His band teacher actually learned how to adjust the cork back in place to get it to work...surprised me, that he had never done it, beings he has been a band teacher for years, really good too. It isn't that hard, after all. ;)
Beautiful video man, thank you so much. I couldn't figure out why my flute sounded so off in the second register... now I'm good and agog to learn more..
Pearse
Soooo helpful, thank you so much for posting this!
Thanks for watching Ian. I appreciate the comment!
Thank u! I just took mine to the shop!
Great video. I learn a lot.
Great video! Thank you so much!
Thanks so much for watching!
thanks a lot .muy instructivos sus video .me encantaria poder reparar y mantener mi flauta con usted,gracias.
Great video! Can you please tell me the measurement for the indicator line for a piccolo, specifically a silver headjoint Gemeinhardt?
Learning from Kenya
A very good video, thanks! A question for you if you have a moment...when one blows (or practices) on the head joint, a sound is produced, two if you count holding the right end of the tube closed ( G# on my head joint). Is there a tone/note that indicates that the cork is in the right position (for instance, G or A major on mine), and if so, can that note be used to indicate that your cork is in the right place?
Thanks for all the positivity
Thank you Keith
Thank you
Hi. Can anybody answer my question whether the same headjoint cork distance applies to the Irish Flute?
Thank you for this extremly useful demonstration and advice! Three questions 1) Assuming a well sealed cork to start with, is it OK to move it slightly with careful 1/4 to 2/3 of a turn of the crown either way, without damaging the seal? 2) So just to confirm, from the second method in the ending segment, the ideal cork distance is equal to the inside bore, correct? 3) Are the tools (dark brown) used to remove and insert the cork made of hard plastic or metal? If metal, does one have to be careful not to scratch the inside ot the headjoint? Thanks...
The headjoint is tapered, so the farther the cork is from the blowhole, the better the seal will be. I'm not sure about how much you can move the cork closer to the blowhole without sacrificing the seal too much, but if the seal is good, you won't be able to move it with the crown anyway. It would just damage the threads if you would force it that much.
Is it okay to use cork grease on a slightly loose headjoint cork, to improve the seal?
As a stop gap this might work until one could get it replaced.
Sure. But get it replaced as soon as you can.
what is the outside dia of the mouth piece that fits into the main body
This depends on the wall thickness of the tube and the bore. A heavy wall (.018") tenon on a typical bore may measure .783" or so.
My cork on my piccolo is chipped what can I do. I have my concert in 2 days?
Do you have an instrument technician near you? If so, take it and get it repaired. If not, you may wrap with ptfe tape (plumbers tape) as a temporary fix.
jlsmithco
Ok thank you!
How is it actually possible to locate exactly visually such a precise measurement of 17.3 mm against such a large hole as the embouchure hole? I'm pretty sure an average eye can be easily off by 0.3 mm.
I see your point-there is a tolerance. Try it and I think you'll be able to tell if the mark is centered to the hole within the tolerance needed. Some people also scribe two additional lines towards the outer walls of the embouchre. This can provide additional guidance. Enjoy!
My cork will not come out. It appears to be stuck. help
Ideally it should be difficult to remove-it should feel stuck.
It seems that there is no need for the cork to be mobile at all, so why is it? Why does it even exist when a simple fixed wall is all that seems to be required by the headjoint?
He mentions that some people may want its position to be altered by just a tiny bit. You can't do that if it has a fixed plate soldered in.
My headjoint has nothing wrong but it rattles
It is likely that the top nut, or top cork plate is loose.
I did it with the Woodbex plans.