haslogix.blogg.se

This does in many instances extend the playing time available before the first wet-out occurs. A common trick in colder environments is to take off the fetish & wrap one hand around the nest area for 5-10 minutes before playing, thereby warming up the wood & bringing it closer to your breath temperature. Still others point to a trick which involves applying a thin, even line of epoxy from the top of the SAC ramp to the back edge of the TSH, that is, the flue area, which allows some moisture to dislodge freely & get blown clear of the wind-way during playing. Conversely, others will argue the opposite, opting instead NOT to coat the inside of the SAC, thus allowing the wood to naturally absorb the excess moisture that would otherwise cause wet-out. Some makers coat the interior of the SAC with some kind of sealant (polyurethane, shellac, etc.) as a preventative measure although the primary reason for this protective coating probably has less to do with fighting wet-out-causing moisture build-up than it does with blocking condensation from entering the grain of the wood from the inside of the SAC & causing potentially destructive swelling, separation of glue seams, discoloration, & even cracking. Short of a definitive solution, the best one can do is to lessen the likelihood of quick moisture build-up. A 100% solution is very likely not possible. The fact remains, however, that despite all well-meaning efforts, wet-out is still going to occur to some degree. Should makers abandon such efforts then? Not at all! What would the life of a dedicated craftsman be without the challenge to innovate? No doubt many, if not most Native American flute players would gladly welcome any improvements that reduced this incessant & annoying problem. Others have proposed their own unique solutions to this dilemma which include drilling a hole in the bottom of the SAC & installing in narrow section of thick string to act as a moisture-absorbing wick, adding a ceramic insert in the flue to soak up wetness, & incorporating vertical rows of brass plates inside the SAC to catch moisture droplets.Īre such innovative attempts effective? Reports vary.

(It's also worth mentioning that the climate in Albuquerque is rather dry overall humidity levels typically fall in the 20-40% range.) The so-called “wet-out protected” flute, as it turns out, experienced wet-out out just the same as any other flute & in about the same amount of time, too. In June & July 2010, I watched over a house in Albuquerque, NM for a fellow flute-playing friend who happened to have one of said maker's custom "wet-out protected" flutes, which I played on a number of occasions. One such maker claims his innovation eliminates 80% of the wet-out issue, and I recently got to test this claim. Several flute makers have attempted to address the wet-out problem through innovative SAC designs & other means. Some makers suggest slinging the flute to remove the remaining moisture, but this is strongly discouraged as it would be too easy to damage your flute should you accidentally let go of it or strike it against a hard surface! Though it is indeed annoying to have to stop playing in order to eliminate the wetness, this whole procedure can be accomplished in less than a minute. This will effectively mute the sound of the flute and at the same time dislodge the biggest water drops. in front of the block) and blowing sharply several times. When that happens, you can clear out the worst of the moisture by first placing your right hand index finger just in front of the sound hole (i.e.

When this happens, the volume & tone of the flute change dramatically, and not for the better! When a player's warm breath meets the cooler inner walls of the Native American flute's slow air chamber, or SAC, condensation forms there, builds up, & then subsequently breaks free, following the flow of air out through the wind-way where it then constricts & eventually clogs the opening until forcibly removed. It is well-nigh impossible to stop moisture from forming inside any flute that's just what Nature's Laws dictate will happen given a particular combination of circumstances. Dealing with Flute Wet-out, Moisture, & Mold Growth in the SAC