Thursday, June 05, 2014

Repairing my flute

Since the day in September 2011 when I messed up the functionality of my flute due to an ignorant expectation of attaining a perfect sound quality should I replaced the pads of the entire flute, I was driven by a regret and anxious mood and started my 3 year long repairing journey for my dear Yamaha flute as shown in this picture.

The quest began with a thorough search on the web. There, I read a lot of posts relating to the technique, tool, experience, etc. In addition to learning from others experience in repairing a flute, I developed my insight into the techniques. However, the progression was very slow and frustrating, as when I applied the knowledge and technique I learned from scratch, the lowest note I could make a sound out of it was still the B after I re-padded  the whole lot. The only thing I learned from this phase of my attempt to fix, was only working on one key at a time, and only moved on to the next key after the last one satisfied me with its solid and clear sound.

The progress was standing still for a long time. I gradually lost my patience, and stopped working on it all together. Then the second attempt arose after months of waiting for it to emerge. When I set out to the second round of repairing I only noticed the set of pads was worn out due to the repeated pulling and inserting of the pads out and into the pad cups. So I logged in my eBay account and ordered another set of pads. This time I ordered one of dearer price thinking and hoping the second set would do a magic result for me.

The second set of pads did not bring me any luck. I
only progressed one or two more notes down, And I DIYed a feeler for testing the tightness round the pad circumferential contact with the note hole. I also made an illuminating tool like the picture shows, for detecting the air leaking spots of each re-padded note hole.

With this basic tools, I ran my second round of repairing, it was 2012 and 2013. I reviewed the questions asked and answered in the flutists forums. Whenever I got new idea out of reading the posts on the web, I took my repairing kit and my flute out to go through a round. The best condition I could achieve was down to the G. The rest of the lower notes were giving no sound for me, even those did sound sounded dumb and not solid and compact at all. I realized every one of the pads that sounded was not up to a standard of airtight.

At this stage, I came across a post mentioned about using silicone to solve the air leaking issue. Some of the comments laid to that author said that the silicone idea really worked for them. I adopted that idea, bought a tube of silicone, applied the jelly on the pads and press them to be in contact with the sound hole and secured them with a good tension by tying them with a rubber band. Left it to harden overnight, and removed the rubber band the next day.

Out of my expectation, I could get the sound all the way from high C+ down to low D with a lot more solid sound quality. However, this condition could only remain good for less than 5 minutes. After that time limit, the sound began to worsen and disappearing. I guessed the condensed water on the inner wall of the flute  caused this problem.

This silicone stage lasted for nearly two years and used two packs of pads. Each time I restored a couple of notes, but at the same time I found a couple of other notes lost. It was not the real savior to me. I realized why I was charged $80 for the fix of a leaking problem of my flute on G+ note by an instrument shop on the North Shore 15 years ago. The flute re-padding is a high level technique; it is an art; it requires great deal of patience; it is a sacred task. It is impossible to get the good job done by someone without these qualities of personality.

In early 2014, I bought another pack of pads of the medium price about $6.50 from eBay and set out to re-pad my flute for the final attempt. I had more experience in adjusting the shims to make the contact tightness around the rim of the sound holes by now. I surprisingly saw I had somewhat mastered this re-padding skill, that this time I got every note sounds solid and crispy, though it is my standard and might not be acceptable to a professional technician. But it sounds ok to me. (The video inserted here is how its sound is like after it was revived in May 2014.)

To me, my flute is revived this time. I use of the time when my medication is at its peak to play my flute again, though the slow pieces only, I have given my flute its new life.

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