How do you tune a flute?

Question:i put the end of the cleaning stick in my flute to see if it was in tune and the line was alittle higher then it should be...what should i do ? i need help NOW because im going to play it in band tommorow!

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i put the end of the cleaning stick in my flute to see if it was in tune and the line was alittle higher then it should be...what should i do ? i need help NOW because im going to play it in band tommorow!

Tuning & Playing: To tune the flute, adjust the length of the flute by moving the head joint in or out. If you need to lower thepitch, pull the head joint out, making the flute longer and the pitch lower. If you need to rais your pitch, push the head joint in. Don't touch the head ojint cork because moving it changes the pitch of the entire instrument.

Your band teacher would probably know the correct way to adjust the head cork, as I think that's what you're asking. The fact that the cleaning stick isn't right in the middle of the tone hole means that yes, it should be adjusted. I don't know how to do that, and wouldn't suggest trying it yourself if you've never done it before. Just go to band a bit early (perhaps before school) and ask your teacher for assistance.

If you can, play the same note as someone else, make sure you can't hear any waves between both of you playing. If you do hear waves adjust the joint by pulling out or pushing in depending on wheather you're flat or sharp.

like other wind instruments, the adjustment is made by moving the sections, in & out. In the recorder flute, you can adjust it either at the blow hole, or just above the "bell," although recorders don't really have a bell.

Once you have it beatless--with the other instruments, you need to apply the same amount of wind pressure to keep it in tune.
Blow hard & it will play sharp, blow easy, it will be soft and a little flat. You can also vary the pitch (not so much on the metal flute, since it uses pads to cover the note holes) by how much of a the holes that make the note are open are closed by adjusting the fingers over, or into the holes.

They all though, adjust by moving the body of the flute in and out. And once that is done, the pitch can be changed by "overblowing."

Oh, my, there's no mystery here. Stick the tuning rod into the mouthpiece, let it rest against the metal plate inside the head joint cork, and turn that knurled end on the top of the instrument. That will turn the screw that goes through the head joint cork, and it should move up and down (depending on which way you turn) so that the little line in the tuning rod will move exactly into the middle of the tone hole. If the knurled top of the flute is hideously hard to turn or if turning it doesn't cause the adjustment you need, then you will require a professional repair job.

Note--since you seem like a dedicated flutist--the big-time symphonic flutists take their Haynes and Pearls to one of a few super-tuning specialists, who put the head joint into a vise and bend it just microscopically out of round to get a super-buttery tone. Do not try that at home :-)

If you sound higher in pitch then whom ever you are tuning to, push in. I f you seem lower in pitch pull out. As ex. said!

A little helpful reminder sharp like a pencil(pull out)

unscrew the end of the headjoint by a little(5 turns) then pull the screw out by a little bit/ use the stick to push it then measure until desired and screw it back again. that's what i do whenever it goes out of place.

For Major pitch changes:If you are Sharp pull the headjoint out. If you are flat push the headjoint in

For minor changes: Use your air flow/ support/ embrouchire to chnage the pitch of the note

The only way to tell if a flute is really in tune is by using a electic tuner or a well tuned piano! Never heard of the cleaning rod idea!!! Ask you band/ Flute teacher to show you!how to tune!

DO NOT unscrew the end of the headjoint......
IT DOES NOT WORK!!

if it sounds extremely out of tune then you can push in the heasd joint or pull it out until it sounds right.
if it is only subtly out of tune then you can roll in the head joint or roll it out away from your mouth a little.

DON'T try to move the headjoint cork yourself! It shouldn't be easy to move around at all! If you can move it with easy force from your hands, then that is a problem. Don't ask your band teacher to fix it either, unless he/she is an instrument repair person. Take it somewhere and get it fixed.

For general tuning:

If you need to be flatter, pull the head joint out. It lowers the pitch. You can also roll inward while you play. You should practice this a little though, first.

If you need to be sharper, push the headjoint in. It raises the pitch. You can also roll outward while you play.

If you have trouble remembering which way to move the headjoint, just remember that the longer/bigger the instrument, the lower it will play. Ex.) On pan pipes, the longer pipes play the lower notes.

Take care.