I use cigerette paper `rizla`. If you dont pull it out it works really well and causes no pad damage. I`ve used it for the past 6 months and my pads are fine!

Man, I used cigarett papers for YEARS, especially back in high school and college. Used to have to go buy it at this funky little shop with all kinds of funky little things there. I believe we called it a "head shop".....back in the day.

Back on subject, it has been my experience that the cigarette papers worked just fine, tap up and down, but do not hold the key down firmly and "pull" the paper out.

I can`t imagine that you`d just have cig papers hanging around your house. Another option is perm tissues (for rolling the hair during a home perm), but who has those around either.

In a severe pinch I carefully take some soft paper or tissue, insert it under the pad, and CAREFULLY tap, tap, tap it. I can`t say that I`ve had tremendous success with this, but I can`t stand playing with that sticky sound. I swear the mic picks it up and carries it louder that my playing (paranoia....paranoia).

There are many different qualities of pad. These soft, light papers work fine on some, but nothing much works on some others.

As a sax player, I have always found wax paper to be a very efficient pad de-sticker. As wax is a hydrocarbon, it does not dissolve in water, and makes a very effective repellant for metal corrosion. I don`t know what the difference in materials is between sax and flute pads, but I think wax paper would work fine.

There is also another solution, one which my teacher uses. If you peel self-adhesive labels off their paper backing, you will notice a slippery material underneath. You simply expose a large enough surface area of this material, and rub it under the pads.

Thomas

The materials covering traditional flute pads and traditional sax pads are very different. The former is 10 times thinner, very susceptible to damage while damp, and inherently non-porous. The latter is far tougher, and unless the porosity has been filled with a waterproofing/airproofing agent (often by the manufacturer) quite porous.

There are quite a variety of reasons for pads sticking. Some apply only to sax, for example sharp edges on the tone holes, verdigris (or other gooey corrosion) produced in a reaction between brass and saliva &/or tanning agents in the leather, and the waterproofing agents themselves.

Each case of sticking pads really needs to be treated on its own merit, taking into consideration the cause.

The springing on a flute is much lighter than that on a sax. If wax were successfully applied to flute pads then they would very likely stick to tone holes!

Wax is commonly used to waterproof bassoon pads, but it is still restricted to the area INSIDE the tone, not the area where the ton hole TOUCHES the pad. Presumably stickiness is the reason. The stickiness of wax would be quite pronounced in hot climates.

NOTHING should be `RUBBED` onto or against a traditional-style flute pad. The membrane is far too delicate. Perhaps 1/3 of flute pads that need changing have been wrecked by rubbing the edges against a cleaning cloth.

I just saw an old piccolo at a music store that had all cork pads. I wonder how they seal? It must sound horrible.

Hmm, a one dollar bill would RUINE the pads? I never had any difficulty that much seeing that I only used that trick once, then after that, I just drank some water before playing my piccolo again. Is there any other reasons the pads get sticky other than eating something with sugar in it then playing the instrument right afterwards?