i just got my flute in the mail and it has open hole keys(french keys)and i took out the little rubber stoppers and threw them away that are in the holes for packaging and my mom got really mad at me and know shes making me find all of them because she thinks that there inportant and she said i don't know anything about my flute soni shouldnt mess with it. and i do know about my flute ive been playing for a long time i really hurt my feelings.So was i right to take out the stoppers or did they have a differnt reason than packaging?

Those are plugs for the open holes so you can play it as a closed hole flute. You will most likely need them if you have been playing on a closed hole flute to adjust to the new open holes.

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They are not for packaging.

Kara's right. They are not essential to the flute's functioning, but at the moment, you'll probably want to have them so that you can make the transition to the French keyed system mroe easily. Not to mention that if you ever choose to sell that flute, it's nice to be able to pass on the plugs to whoever buys them.

Thanks flutist06. You pretty much said the same thing I just did. I should have just let you answer.

No reason to wait for me or anyone else to answer if you know! I just thought I'd phrase it a bit differently, in case anything you said seemed unclear (not that I thought it did!).

Fluteplayeramb,

Those plugs can be important at the beginning and possibly you might choose to continue using all or some of them for quite a while. Though the instrument can be played with all holes unplugged, it is, in my short experience with a similar flute, considerably more difficult and hand stressing.
You will notice that some holes can be unplugged without problem from practically the very beginning; in my case I only have the A hole (middle finger left hand) unplugged. Other holes will probably remain plugged for a long time or forever, in my case again at least the D, (ring finger right hand).

So better try to recover those plugs, if you can.

Some people never need the plugs.

Some people never take out any plugs.

Some people notice that the finger position needed WITHOUT the plugs gives them stress and pain in their finger, hand, wrist, or arm after a long practice session. Any key which causes this sort of strain SHOULD be plugged, otherwise you may find yourself with a permanent repetitive stress injury, and be unable to play the flute at all anymore- or at least for a few months while you heal- and some people NEVER heal properly from this sort of strain injury.

If you are doing fine without the plugs, carry on. If you ever notice painful fingers, etc., it would be really nice to have those plugs on hand. (No pun intended!) The plugs are also nice to have if you end up with a band-aid on a cut finger for a few days.

Dig 'em out of the packing materials so that you have them around. Otherwise, a competent repair guy (or gal) can put cork in the key for a semi-permanent plug. Plugs can also be bought fairly inexpensively, but sometimes the music store would have to order the right ones, since they come in slightly different sizes.

So: you're right- you don't need them right now. Also, your Mother is right- you might need them later!

Some people may notice that if they don't touch their flute for 2 weeks that actually playing the flute causes stress and pain to the hands regardless of it being open or closed.

Hands can adapt and pain can goes away with practice. The first time you force yourself to practice for 2 hours it will hurt, continue to do so and your body will become conditioned to it and it will no longer and you can push yourself further.

However some people don't adapt properly and develop really bad hand problems and no amount of practicing will help. This is why a flute instructor is very helpful to actually watch what you are physicaly doing with your hands and make sure you develop proper flute posture correctly so that flute will be a joy and you don't develop aches and pains every time you pick up the flute.

You will make a prety sound with out them.

I have kind of the same problem. I havent taken my plugs out yet because whenever i do, i cant hit my notes properly because my fingers dont completely cover the hole. Would taking them out one by one help to position your hands and fingers? Or just leave them in?

Thanks Micron... good to hear im not the only one

No, it's not packaging. Depending on your flute teacher, you can play with all plugs, one-plug-out-at-a-time (this takes a while to adjust), or take them all out and never put them back in (quickest adjustment). After a day with plugs, I decided to take them all out. It wasn't very difficult to play without plugs (it might depend on the person though).
There are many people who keep their plugs in the flute. It's funny because why buy an open-hole flute if you're not going to play open-hole?

question??? why would you think that they were there for packaging? that seems kind of odd.

Flutcrazy: The plugs have no effect on sound. Having them out will not allow a prettier sound than having them in, nor will it impact any other facet of sound, such as volume.

Ha-Nul: the reason most people buy open hole (French) flutes if they are going to plug the holes is that at least in America French flutes are the norm once you step above the student level. It's difficult to get a closed hole intermediate or pro flute, as it is often a special order, which can require a LOT of extra wait time. Unless you're looking to do extended effects, or hit 4th octave notes, the holes don't serve much purpose anyway.

I think that the reason so many people have the mistaken idea that open holes have an effect on the sound is this:
The person has played a mediocre student-model flute for a long time. They begin to play on a nice upgrade flute (with open holes) and it sounds, and responds, SO much better. Also, they may hear someone playing on a pro-level flute that happens to have open holes.

Open holes, a B-footjoint, and to a lesser extent inline G, solid silver tubing and even pointed key arms, are easy to see and identify. What is NOT easy to see is the quality of design that went into the flute. Since open hole, B-foot are almost required in the US for an upgrade flute, there are not very many flutes around, of pro quality, without. So lots of young flutists have never even HEARD a gorgeous old Powell or Haynes, with the closed holes, offset G and C-foot that looks JUST like their student model, but sounds SO much better.

I have found it well worth my while to take any opportunity to play, and 'get to know', flutes (and headjoints) of high quality whenever possible. A good headjoint can almost give you 'free flute lessons' when it requires something different of your embouchure to get a good sound- although it can sometimes take a while to learn how to play it.