If you’re in a position where you need a new flute, but don’t have a big budget, you might consider buying a new head joint instead. This is considerably cheaper than buying the whole flute, but you do need to think about the pairing of the flute with the head joint. I was wondering whether all head joints are compatible with all flute bodies, so I had a look into it and I’ll talk about what I found out here.
In theory, it is possible to pair any head joint with any flute body, however, there are some things to think about. Not all flute bores are the same size so not all head joints will be a good fit and will have to be adjusted. This might mean that it isn’t possible to try the head joint and body together before you get it adjusted, which could be an issue.
The head joint of a flute is the part that is responsible for creating the sound. The body of the flute is little more than a tube of different lengths depending on where you place your fingers. This means that it is possible to replace only the head joint of the flute rather than the whole thing, and still make major improvements to the sound quality. Some people believe that it’s only the head joint that’s important, others think that the body also plays a role, but this is mostly personal preference.
Does any head joint fit any flute?
If you do intend to go down the route of getting a new head joint only, you need to think about what your options will be. You do not have to limit yourself to head joints that are the same make as the body of your flute – any head joint can be paired with any flute. However, not all flute bores are exactly the same size, so some may not fit. If you do stick to the same make as the body, the head joint will fit, but you’ll be limiting your choices.
Any head joint can be adjusted to fit any flute body but this presents some difficulties. If the head joint has a smaller bore than the flute body, it will probably be possible to try out the pairing, assuming it isn’t so loose that it moves around. However, if the head joint bore is bigger than the flute body, and doesn’t fit, you won’t be able to test it. You’re then faced with having to commit to a head joint you’ve never tried with your flute because you’ll have to pay to get it adjusted for your flute body.
It is quite rare, however, that a head joint won’t fit at all in the flute body, so there will still be a lot of head joints to choose from. To some extent, it’s possible to try the head joint with a different body to see what you think of it, however, it’s not guaranteed that if you like the head joint with one flute body, you will definitely like it with another. If you do this, try out a few head joints on both bodies and see how they all compare. This might tell you a bit more about whether you’d like one that doesn’t fit your head joint.
Do all head joints suit all bodies?
While the head joint is the most influential part of the flute in terms of the sound, the body also has some bearing. The quality of the body has an effect on the ease of playing the keys and can have an impact on the technical aptitude of the player. The more well made the keys, the easier it will be to play quick passages.
To some extent, the quality of the material the body is made of will also affect the flute’s sound. This is a small effect, but can be significant to a player. Some may favour silver over silver plated, while others may barely notice the difference. It’s important to also make sure that the body is in good condition, whether or not it’s a standard or more sophisticated setup, as you won’t be happy with any head joint you try if the body is causing issues.
The pairing of the head joint and the body is really just personal preference. There are lots of things to consider when you’re looking at buying a new head joint, including:
- Embouchure hole size and shape
- Angle of the blowing edge
- Material of the riser, lip plate and tube
I’ll talk about these below. It’s really down to the sound you want to produce and different head joint and body pairings will produce different sounds. There is no right or wrong pairing, you just have to try a lot out and see which works for you.
How does the flute’s embouchure hole affect the sound?
There is not a standard size embouchure hole on a flute. You can choose based on trying out different ones, but it’s good to have an idea of what’s different between them and how it affects the sound. Thinking about the size of the embouchure hole, it’s clear that a bigger hole will allow more air to get inside, and therefor produce a bigger sound. A smaller hole, on the other hand, will allow for a sweeter sound. If breath control is something you struggle with then this is an important consideration.
Some embouchure holes are oval-shaped, while others are more rectangular. This affects the fluidity of the air stream. In general, a oval-shaped hole will perform better in the upper register of the flute, whereas a rectangular hole is better in the lower registers. If you struggle with the upper register, you will probably favour an oval-shaped hole, as this will help you to get a nicer sound on the top notes.
How does the angle of the blowing edge affect the flute’s sound?
The angle of the blowing edge is the angle of the lip plate as it moves towards the player’s mouth from the embouchure hole. Changing this angle affects where you need to position your mouth on the lip plate to get the focus of the sound. Your most comfortable mouth position will most likely be different to other people’s, so you’ll need to test a range to find out what you like.
The blowing angle will also affect the amount of resistance in the air stream. This is because a sharper angle means the player is putting more effort into changing the direction of the air flow, and so a greater resistance is created. This can affect the crispness of articulation, so this is something else to listen out for when trying different head joints.
How does the material it’s made of affect the flute’s sound?
Two properties that are inherent in any material are its density and stiffness. These have some impact on the sound produced when air passes through them. The denser the metal, the more resistance there will be. This increase in resistance leads to the lower harmonics being more prevalent and vice versa. A denser metal will also allow the sound to carry further, as the atomic structure of the metal is more closely packed, allowing less room for the air stream to be absorbed.
It’s possible to get different materials for different parts of the head joint. This can be particularly beneficial if you favour something more expensive, like a gold head joint. The riser (the inside of the embouchure hole that the player blows directly onto) has the most influence on the sound, so it’s possible to have this part in a different metal to the rest of the head joint, and similarly with the lip plate.
It may also just be personal preference that you like a head joint that has, say, a solid silver tube and a gold lip plate and riser. This is the head joint I use, and I’ve always thought it produced a really nice, adaptable sound. The warmth of the gold on the lip plate sweetens the sound, but having the tubing made of silver allows it to keep a bit more richness. Think about the type of sound you’re going for and try out as big a range of materials as you can.
Summary
To sum up this post, I would say that the answer is yes, you can pair any head joint with any flute body, but in some cases it’s not practical, as you’ve have to pay for the head joint to be adjusted and might not then be happy with it. You don’t need to get a head joint that’s the same make as the body of your flute and this may limit you if you do. The most important thing is to try as many options as possible and get the one you feel the most comfortable playing in conjunction with your flute body.