Sunday 28th June 2020:
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My partner Danny had this idea the other day and it immediately seemed to work... The airstream is effectively reflected back at the player, enabling you to hear your own sound really accurately, apart from also being a very useful way of keeping your airstream to yourself! It's unobtrusive and comfortable to use too.
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As a teaching or practising aid I think this can be invaluable, as you hear your sound reflected back from very nearby, meaning you hear what other people hear - and then you can make adjustments to your sound using this feedback.
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We are keen to share this with everyone in the flute playing community, so we have made a free paper version for you to print out and make by yourself (see my demo video below) and also a plastic version which you can obtain from the shops below if you are interested. For any other enquiries/queries please go to www.fluteshield.com.
Once Danny had made his prototype, we did this short experiment where I play a note on my flute with a candle flame in line - with and without the FluteShield!
NB: the strong flow of air comes out of your mouth only. Sound-waves emerge from the end of the flute and from the tone-holes (you can measure this using a candle flame if you are interested!)
6th July: Danny has been beavering away in his workshop and has made one that fits the piccolo too! and a recorder shield is being developed, this is another challenge altogether.
Piccolo:
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Cork end: 14 - 19mm
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Body end: 14 - 22mm
Diameters of flute headjoints that the FluteShield will fit:
Flute:
Cork End: 17 - 19mm
Body End: 19 - 22mm
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News 10th October:
The alto flute shield has being developed and is now available - unfortunately only for straight headjoints though.
I have also used a prototype Bass Flute Shield recently - this works because the straight part of the headjoint detaches from the curved part. Please see www.fluteshield.com
For advice on suitable cases, see below
Please make any UK orders from Just Flutes or All Flutes Plus or for USA orders go to Director's Assistant.
Please email info@fluteshield.com to make any enquiries or go to www.fluteshield.com.
Here I've done a comparison - filmed on my phone - with and without the FluteShield, both paper and clear versions.
Let me know what you think!
How to make your own paper FluteShield - first print off the PDF, then cut out, as in this short video
CASES
We have been asked about cases to keep your lovely FluteShields in - we have found some nice ones, as in the picture :
Tuff pencil case (the 3rd bag in the pile)
and the black case we found at Tesco's but doesn't appear to be available online.
