by Paige Cerulli

Created on: February 12, 2009

The traditional flute is a delicate instrument which can be easily damaged if not handled the correct way. It comes in three pieces. The headjoint is the piece without any keys. It is where the lip plate is found. The lip plate is the raised piece of metal that has a hole in the middle - it's where you put your bottom lip when playing the flute. The next piece of the flute is called the body. This is the middle section of the instrument. It's the longest piece of the flute, and it is where most of the keys are found. The last piece is called the footjoint. It's typically the shortest piece and has a few keys.

Always avoid putting your hands over the keys when handling any part of the instrument. Too much force on the keys can bend the rods that hold them on and easily put them out of alignment, meaning that a repair will be necessary to realign the keys before the flute will play correctly. The lip plate is also easily damaged. This metal is thin, and tightly gripping the flute with your hand over the lip plate can damage it.

To assemble the flute, it is easiest to start with the headjoint and body. Take the body in your right hand, and the headjoint in your left. If you look at the headjoint, one end is opened while the other has a cap on it. You will be inserting the open end into the body. The body is open on both ends. The keys come close to one end of the body, ending with only about half an inch of smooth metal after them. You don't want this end. The other end of the body has about 3 or 4 inches of metal without any keys. This is the end that you will insert the headjoint into. (A good way to tell is to examine the flute in the case. The body actually lies in the opposite direction that you will hold it - the end that the headjoint will go into is on the right. So, lift the body out of the case and turn it around so that the headjoint end is now on your left.)

To insert the headjoint into the body, grip the body with your right hand on the smooth metal without keys. Hold the headjoint below the lip plate, and slowly insert it into the body, using a twisting motion to slide it in. Never force it! If it is tight, you can try wiping the outside of the headjoint with a cloth to remove any dirt. If it still won't fit, check to make sure you're inserting it into the right end of the body. It may need to be adjusted by a flute technician.

The next step is to attach the footjoint. Hold the body with your left hand where it is attached to the headjoint. Taking the footjoint in your right hand, you'll see that one end opens out slightly. This is the end that you will put onto the body. I typically hold the footjoint at the very bottom, where there aren't any keys. Again, use a gentle twisting motion to fit it onto the body.

Remember not to bend any of the keys, and always take your time and be gentle. To disassemble the flute, you will do the same process, just reversed - start by twisting off the footjoint, and then separate the body and headjoint. Always make sure that you put your flute away in the case properly, and never shut the cover until the flute is safely placed inside - this can also damage the instrument.

It is best if you have an experienced flutist who can help guide you in assembling your flute for the first time. If this is not the case, look online, as there are helpful diagrams identifying which piece of the flute is which. Not all flutes are the same; these directions apply to your typical metal flute. If you are unsure of what you're doing, stop and find someone who can help you - better safe than sorry, as instrument repairs are expensive!

Learn more about this author, Paige Cerulli.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.