I've been playing the flute since 6th grade and I'm currently a senior in high school. Yesterday my flute decided to die on me and today like I predicted it didn't work. I can't play and D to G like none of them. I checked my flute's body and foot for loose or missing screws and even if those small little bar things (I was never told what they were called) that could be pushed back into place. I honestly couldn't figure it out so I asked the only flute player in my class if she could play my flute using her head joint instead of mine. She was able to play it so I thought it's my head joint. So I asked my band teacher and he played my flute with my head joint and he said that he could hear two different tones. It seemed like he was having a bit of difficulty trying to reach the lower octaves in my opinion but he managed to get them. He handed it back and told me to play the lower octave and I tried and failed horribly. When I tried playing low notes, they came out high and I wasn't even blowing air fast or hard enough to even attempt to get high notes. My D natural, E flat and natural either make a weak dead sound or practically no sound. I used my teacher's flute's body and my head joint and I still couldn't produce anything decent. All I got by my teacher was that it's my fault WHICH I do not understand since I'm actually a pretty good player. Before this happened, I could reach a high G above the staff and a C below the staff if I was lucky.

Hi kpopfan,

Have you had the flute serviced recently? If you still have the original pads, that is the most likely problem. They wear out. If they are all the same age it's likely they they will all wear out at about the same time. Sounds to me like your G or F# and D# pads are leaking, maybe more. The combined affect of several small leaks will make lower C very hard or impossible to play. Play a chromatic scale from middle staff C down. When it starts to sound "off" that key is leaking. Press harder, does it make a difference? Your teacher may have an heavy grip, which can mask a leaky pad. He also has a bad attitude.

I've had teachers like that. You ask a question they can't answer and they feel defensive, cause they're supposed to know. (And He should have.) Then they attack you! No one knows it all, not even teachers. Take it easy on him he is probably stressed out. When you get your flute fixed don't act like he should have known. (Even though he should have.)

I hope the repair bill is not to high, and I hope your teacher was just having a bad day.

Good Luck

I haven't had it serviced ever since I got it since there hasn't been any problems. I was somewhat thinking the rods could be bent. I'll ask him to check if it's leaking or if the rods are bent today and pads. The pads are original but the other flute player was able to play something using her head joint on the body of my flute though. When I press harder on the keys there isn't a change. My teacher doesn't have the flu. His attitude is okay in my opinion, but I just don't like it when he says it's my fault when I suddenly after 6-7 years that I can't play very good anymore.

I brought it home yesterday to try and figure out what's wrong and I managed to get a few of the notes to come out but I had my head positioned completely different than how I usually did and it was uncomfortable. When I attempted to do it again, it wouldn't come out again

Hi kpopfan,
I don't think it's you. So what else is there. If you can't get C# out, that points to either the trill keys/pads or the head joint.

Those long rods are called axles. (pretty sure any way) Can you toot on the head Joint alone. Hold it with your left hand under your lip. open and close your right hand over the end to vary the pitch. It should sound like a slide whistle.

If there is no physical damage visible on the head joint, and you've looked in the tube and can see there's nothing stuck in there. (Like a big hairy spider!) The air hole is clean right, no cork grease. It could be the the head joint cork. They go bad, then everything sounds bad. But I think you could still get sour notes.

If you take off the crown nut and blow into that end of the head joint as hard as you can, no air should leak out. If no air leaks out it doesn't mean it's good just means it's not awful.

Why do you think the axles are bent? If they were the keys would not work smoothly.

I can't figure out how your talented teacher was able to play it.

How did the flute "die". Did it happen while you were playing it.

Did you pick it up one day and it just didn't work.

Quite the mystery. I think 5 years is a long time between service, if you play a lot. You must have taken good care of it.

It might be time for a new flute. Re-pads and repairs can be expensive.

I think your teachers attitude is bad because he is not listening to you. He is there to help you. Not to dismiss you. Why doesn't he believe you?

Good luck.

When you say "Those small little bar things" do you mean the springs that keep the pads open or closed. The axles are what the keys rotate on.

It could be that the head cork needs to be adjusted or replaced. Also other things that have been suggested are possible - best go to a reccommended technician if you have never had it serviced.