Hi, I'm new on the forum, I don't know if anyone can help me.
I bought my new flute 2 months ago and I look after it really well, clean and polish it regularly but every time I play at least one (usually more) of the keys is extremely sticky and it affects the sound of my playing. Is there anything I can do to stop it happening?

Thanks

Far from an expert, but...

It's difficult to unsticky the pads once they're sticky. Best option is to have them cleaned by a flute technician, but I could understand you not wanting that expense after only two months!

It is possible to relieve some of the stickiness by using cigarette paper. Get a clean bit, place it under the key, press down. Release the key, move the cigarette paper to a fresh section - repeat till stickiness is relieved.

Opinions differ as to whether this is a good idea or not.

DON'T pull the paper from under the key, the surface of the pads is not terribly hardwearing.

Best option is avoiding the problem in the first place.

Always clean out your flute after using it.

Never play directly after eating or drinking anything besides water. Ideally, play with clean teeth after drinking some water to get rid of any food/drink/toothpaste residue.

Erm. Hope this helps. More expert-y people may be able to give more authoritative advice. If the keys are really sticky then have them cleaned by someone who knows what they're doing.

hi and welcome to the forums i am no expert but when my keys get sticky i use cigarette papers folded in half glue side in place them under the keys and close down on the key this should take the moisture out of it also be careful where you are storing your flute

i hope you enjoy the forums everone is very helpful

look forward to more postings from you

monkey flute

whoops i must have posted at the same time sorry

Thank you I'll give it a try. I clean it after every use anyway, and the pads look really clean so I'm not really sure what's up. It's kind of on-off which ones are sticky, mainly the b-flat key, g# key and the one that goes down when you play a low or middle E (but not one you press). It happened about 2 days after I got it, it's so annoying because otherwise it's an amazing flute!

What flute do you have?

I'm not sure you can usually see the muck that makes them sticky

I think the keys that are down a lot seem to be more of a problem. I need to get my flute cleaned up

Miyazawa PA102RE, open holes. When I got it I was going for the TJ Virtuoso as a 'step up' from my clunky 7-year-old (but much loved) TJ10x. Had the miyazawa recommended as the shop people said i'd grow out of the TJ quickly. It's such a gorgeous flute!

Oooh nice

Doubly infuriating when you have sticky keys though

I know, it can ruin a nice piece! My teacher laughs at it too, it's kind of a standing joke now!

What are you playing at the moment?

Umm.. for my grade 6 i'm doing Telemann's Fanstasia no2, movements 1 and 4, and Bach (C.E.) Sonata in D, Allegro. Don't have a list B at the moment but I think it'll be Summer Music by Bennett. I'm also doing Handel's Sonata in F (just because i love it!) and a scary scary grade 8 piece which is my teacher's favourite but i think i've killed it! Also preparing music for our summer ball, Pachelbels Canon, a Bach fugue, a string quartet (on flutes!) and some traditional and contemporary songs.

whoops spelt fantasia worng

and wrong! oops

Sounds like a good, interesting mix


Which one?

Hello Cat_loves_flute,

just a thought I'm no flautist but if you bought this new flute from a shop so recently surely you must have some sort of warranty/guarantee..if the pads are sticking they should sort it out for you...it must be very irritating all the time wondering when you are playing a passage if a pad is going to stick at any moment...it has to spoil the moment always waiting for it to happen and usually I bet at the best bit of a piece...

I would give the shop a call if I were you....if its not from a shop I would suppose taking it to a technician seems like a good idea... but from what I have read above it seems that Flautists have many methods for releasing sticky pads...

Good luck, hope you get it fixed soon...

Kindest regards

Andrew

P.S. May we call you Cat...its easier to type

Yes of course! Thank you, good idea! The shop is in London though and I live in Colchester



York Bowen Flute Sonata, Op.120: 2nd movt

It's not actually that hard just a lot of high notes which i'm rubbish at!

If it started so soon after you got it, you should definitely take it back to the shop and ask them to sort it out. Probably it got tried out in the shop by several people before you, and then the staff didn't clean it out properly before putting it away again.

My flute was sold as an ex-demo model, but one of the reasons I was happy to buy it (other than the reduced price ) was because on several previous occasions in the shop, I saw how much care they took to clean instruments after people had tried them out.

Good luck, those pieces sound like fun

Ahhh yeah that one's lovely I can murder it pretty well, too!


I didn't actually think of that but I agree with Hazel and Andrew, it's worth taking it back and asking them to sort it, as it shouldn't be happening so quickly with a new, good quality flute

I think I will... but after my summer exams! Don't have the time or the money right now! I'll probably have it serviced before i do my grade 6 in november anyway, in the mean time i guess i can just ignore it!

Yeah I think the Bowen would be good if i was better at the top register! when we started with it my teacher didnt know it was grade 8, then one day she said something like no wonder you find it so hard! Kind of a confidence booster though, grade 8 doesn't seem as far off as it used to!

Actually I would call them... point out you recently bought it from them and point out that coming to London is inconvenient.. I doubt you will get your fuel or train tickets paid for but you might get a discount on something you need if you push, you may even get something for free..like a service for your flute..All new products in this country carry a minimum of 1 year warranty...second hand usually 3-6 months..so dont let time run away with you the months soon pass....

If however they cannot fix the problem they are duty/law bound to supply you with a replacement product of the same quality i.e.if it was new then they must supply you with a new flute...if it was second hand they must offer you something of the same quality if not the same type of flute...

I have a suspician you bought this in the West End, the shop I am thinking of has a good reputation and I am sure they will get it sorted out...bad publicity is the last thing any business needs..

Good luck ...

kindest regards

Andrew

I can't remember where abouts in London it was... obviously i know the name but don't want to bad-mouth! it is a new flute so i hope it has a year's warranty! i did send them an email, no reply yet though.

There are 3 big flute shops that I know of in London and they all have very good reputations and (in my experience of 2 of them) are very helpful. So good luck hope you have some joy soon.

(in my experience although they respond to emails, emails seem often to be the last priority - phoning seems to be the next best thing to going in person )

Sticky pads are sometimes caused by sugar in the saliva. If you play after eating anything sweet (including fruit or fruit juice) make sure you at least rinse your mouth with water first.

I've found a piece of silk scarf very successful at unsticking pads. Use it like a cigarette paper, making sure you open the keys before you remove it. It may take two or three goes to get rid of the stickiness.

Oh that's an idea - I guess it's more absorbent of whatever is on the pads than paper?

When I bought my flute it was okay at first and then started to get sticky pads; I don't understand why, because I generally always brush my teeth before playing. If I don't, I drink some water beforehand. I don't eat sweets that often.

I'm quite naughty, as I use paper to clean the pads.

*Update*

Yesterday evening i played at ensemble group, and one of the keys was repeatedly staying shut for 5 seconds after i stopped playing. I think my poor flute is gona have to go to the flute hospital

Oh no! That ain't good

I know. I really don't have the time to go right now - my exams start on the 10th and i have 8 in two weeks. But almost straight after that we're performing! eek!!!

Its probably your spring, check that its not come off one of the keys (sorry dont know the actual word for the bit the spring rests on!), or it could be the spring tensioning, and one of them is just really parallel with the rods so its not able to spring the key up. Ive found that just looking around on my flute and familarising myself with how things should be is a good way to learn quick fixes

I called the shop I got my flute from and they explained what the problem is... because the pads are made partially from animal skin they need a preservative to keep them from rotting, and when the flute gets moist the preservative can sometimes leak out, creating a sticky surface. How gross is that?!?!

Anyway, they'll fix it for me for free, yay!!!

Yeuch!

Ewwww!!!!

My flute does that too! Well actually it's not my flute It's a hired one...

I'm currently practising Grade 5, List A is the Mozart in A, anyone? Well there are these really fast semiquaver passages and the sticky keys make a horrid sound and it's really distracting!!

I'm gonna try the silk scarf since I don't have cigarette paper..

Great that they'll fix it Cat!!

Thanks!

If it's a hired flute, could u tell them and ask them to get it a service before your exam? My keys put me off so much, I couldn't do my exam with them the way they are!