Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to all your questions – for everything else, please contact us through the “Support” page.
No, there is no effect acoustically; it can help deter reaction to nickel silver or silver. Some just prefer it cosmetically.
Gemeinhardt custom head joints incorporate the most advanced innovations in design and construction to offer flutists a variety of tone colors and resistance levels. Crafted by skilled artisans, these head joints promise outstanding performance when paired with Gemeinhardt flutes. Gemeinhardt offers six distinctive solid silver head joints available in standard or thin wall. Additional features for the solid silver head joints would be solid gold riser, gold plating or specialized engraving. Whenever a Gemeinhardt conservatory or professional flute is purchased with a solid silver head joint, it is possible to exchange the head joint at the time of purchase for any other Gemeinhardt solid silver custom head joint at no additional cost.
Head Joints offered:
J1 SP – Offers the least resistance of the silver-plated head joints. It provides extremely quick response in the low register while retaining a free-blowing high register.
J1 SS – Solid silver headjoint that offers the least resistance of the head joints. It provides extremely quick response in the low register while retaining a free-blowing high register.
H1 – (Discontinued) Is the result of research focusing on the angles of the front and back walls of the embouchure hole. Its ease of response makes it particularly well suited for the beginner, yet it has a rich dynamic tonal palette that the professional can explore.
M1 – (Discontinued) Produces a full, warm sound that is color-balanced throughout all registers without sacrificing quickness of articulation in the lower register.
K1 – (Discontinued) Will offer somewhat more resistance than other Gemeinhardt head joints. As a result, it provides a sound which projects brilliantly. It is extremely responsive in the lower register and lends itself particularly well to very soft playing in the high register.
S1 – (Discontinued) This head joint combines brilliance with a rich dark sound and is capable of superb projection. The response is quick in all registers and extreme dynamic contrasts are readily achievable.
NG1 SS – The NG1 SS is the latest innovation in Gemeinhardt flute headjoints. Its designed for the professional, and yet the modified lip-plate and riser allow the aspiring student the opportunity to begin on a headjoint they may play throughout their entire musical career. This flute headjoint offers an ease of response and articulation that are afforded and accompanied by an uncompromising ability to create the sound, tone, and colors you desire.
NG2 SS – We are proud to introduce to you the newest Gemeinhardt professional headjoint. It intertwines what is tried and true in the history of headjoint making with the evolving demands of modern flutist. Inside the rich color of every note a plethora of tonal expressions and possibilities await your exploration.
A flute with inline keys means all the keys that the player manipulates with their fingers are in line. A flute with offset keys means the G key, operated by the left hand ring finger, is off center and not inline with the other keys. This means an instrument with an offset G is easier to operate for players with smaller hands.
Note: there is no acoustical difference between the two styles. Many players prefer the offset G keys because it feels more natural to them. It is purely a matter of personal choice.
FAQ Topics
Material
Most student flutes are nickel silver alloy that is plated silver, however there comes a time in the player’s musical journey when they want to demand more of the instrument with regard to tonal colors and flexibility. The Solid silver head produces a dramatically clearer tone over the plated head. The solid silver body and foot produce a warmer tone than the silver-plated. Most manufacturers will identify the areas that have precious metal content by stamping “Silver” “Solid Silver” “925” on the parts that are sterling silver.
Head Joints
The headjoint is singularly the most important part of the flute, not only for sound production but also for tuning. Flute makers continually strive to make the “perfect” headjoint, however because this is such a subjective topic, the “perfect” headjoint will probably never be made.
Broken down into 3 different parts, the head joint tube, the lip plate [where the musicians lips rest] and the chimney or riser [linking the lip plate with the head tube and lip plate] most head joints give different strengths and tonal widths in various parts of the octave depending on the expertise of design and manufacture. It is vital for the new player or beginner to purchase a flute with a headjoint design that gives easy tone production.
There are many reasons for the different headjoint characteristics of the flute manufactures = different parabolic curves, varying embouchure sizes, angles and depths. What can be said with certainty however is the student will advance more quickly and to a higher standard if they play on a flute with a good quality and responsive head joint. It must be stressed that the quality of design and head joint varies widely from brand to brand. It is therefore vital to the new player that they purchase a flute from a manufacturer with a specialist flute reputation. Gemeinhardt has that reputation.
The purchase of a flute with a little-known brand name based solely on price may not be the best long-term decision. Student flute headjoints are usually silver-plated. When the musician becomes more advanced other models are available in solid silver.
Gemeinhardt custom head joints incorporate the most advanced innovations in design and construction to offer flutists a variety of tone colors and resistance levels. Crafted by skilled artisans, these head joints promise outstanding performance when paired with Gemeinhardt flutes. Gemeinhardt offers six distinctive solid silver head joints available in standard or thin wall. Additional features for the solid silver head joints would be solid gold riser, gold plating or specialized engraving. Whenever a Gemeinhardt conservatory or professional flute is purchased with a solid silver head joint, it is possible to exchange the head joint at the time of purchase for any other Gemeinhardt solid silver custom head joint at no additional cost.
Head Joints offered:
J1 SP – Offers the least resistance of the silver-plated head joints. It provides extremely quick response in the low register while retaining a free-blowing high register.
J1 SS – Solid silver headjoint that offers the least resistance of the head joints. It provides extremely quick response in the low register while retaining a free-blowing high register.
H1 – (Discontinued) Is the result of research focusing on the angles of the front and back walls of the embouchure hole. Its ease of response makes it particularly well suited for the beginner, yet it has a rich dynamic tonal palette that the professional can explore.
M1 – (Discontinued) Produces a full, warm sound that is color-balanced throughout all registers without sacrificing quickness of articulation in the lower register.
K1 – (Discontinued) Will offer somewhat more resistance than other Gemeinhardt head joints. As a result, it provides a sound which projects brilliantly. It is extremely responsive in the lower register and lends itself particularly well to very soft playing in the high register.
S1 – (Discontinued) This head joint combines brilliance with a rich dark sound and is capable of superb projection. The response is quick in all registers and extreme dynamic contrasts are readily achievable.
NG1 SS – The NG1 SS is the latest innovation in Gemeinhardt flute headjoints. Its designed for the professional, and yet the modified lip-plate and riser allow the aspiring student the opportunity to begin on a headjoint they may play throughout their entire musical career. This flute headjoint offers an ease of response and articulation that are afforded and accompanied by an uncompromising ability to create the sound, tone, and colors you desire.
NG2 SS – We are proud to introduce to you the newest Gemeinhardt professional headjoint. It intertwines what is tried and true in the history of headjoint making with the evolving demands of modern flutist. Inside the rich color of every note a plethora of tonal expressions and possibilities await your exploration.
Body
The “B” foot joint is longer and has and extra key on it. The standard concert flute comes with a natural three octave range from low C [C1] to top [C4], however the more advanced and professional player can occasionally be found ‘up in the gods’ playing C#4. Advanced flute music may however contain a low ‘B’ which is too low for a normal concert flute to play. This is when the B foot joint is needed.
While a flute with a C foot joint has a bright and resonant sound, a flute with a B foot joint has a more dark and glossy sound. Because of this, flutes with a B-foot joint are sometimes selected for their tonal characteristics rather than a technical reason. The B-foot joint also reduces tendency for the instrument to play sharp in the third register, while increasing darkness of the third register tone- color so it better matches the lower register.
Lip Plates & Risers
No, there is no effect acoustically; it can help deter reaction to nickel silver or silver. Some just prefer it cosmetically.
Keys & Mechanisms
The split e has been around for many years. One of the many high notes on the flute is the note E in the third octave; one of these key systems can make that note easier to play. Since the E note is widely used in beautiful melodies of classical and romantic period works along with technically demanding modern music this key system is quite useful.
Gemeinhardt offers both the split E and the E-disk. The disk is a half moon shape that is soldered in the lower G tone hole, which helps to reach this note. With the E mechanism the G key is split and a bar on the F# key pushes down the lower G the upper G remains open. Most students find the addition of either is beneficial.
A flute with inline keys means all the keys that the player manipulates with their fingers are in line. A flute with offset keys means the G key, operated by the left hand ring finger, is off center and not inline with the other keys. This means an instrument with an offset G is easier to operate for players with smaller hands.
Note: there is no acoustical difference between the two styles. Many players prefer the offset G keys because it feels more natural to them. It is purely a matter of personal choice.
Most student flute manufacturers use the traditional key cup design [Y-arms] for their flutes rather than the pointed key arms favored on the more expensive semi and fully hand made flutes. Traditional key cups can be cast or forged in one piece whereas pointed key arms usually are made in two separate parts and then carefully soldered together to form one or are made from castings. The advantage to the pointed key arm is that it transfers the motion of the key to the center of the pad cup and helps eliminate the possibility of leakage.
Manufacturing
Most instruments have the model number on the receiver joint on the body by the serial number of the instrument. For your convenience, we have provided a serial number look up chart for dating your instrument, under resources on our web site. As to the value of your instrument like any used item depends on the condition and finding the right buyer. Gemeinhardt does not deal in used instruments nor do we do appraisals. Many music dealers or qualified repair facilities offer such evaluations.
There are also Internet sources.
www.orionbluebook.com
www.usd.edu/smm
Pulled toneholes are raised from the body material; their rims are then rolled to form the edges of the tone holes. The pulled toneholes tend to create a brighter sound quality and allow the player to play both legato and light through musical passages. Current model Gemeinhardt flutes have drawn rolled tone holes.
Soldered toneholes are a separate piece that is soldered onto the body tube, which increases resistance and delivers a heavier and deeper sound than the drawn. Current silver-plated and solid silver Gemeinhardt Piccolo’s have this type of tone hole.
Performance
Taking in account some of the points previously listed, a flute manufactured to be the greatest benefit to the student will come from a manufacturer who takes seriously the importance of the head joint, and padding process. A new flute student will require a flute that blows very easily and with a minimum of resistance.
The Gemeinhardt 2SP model is universally renowned for these qualities.
Technique
Ali Ryerson’s professional opinion:
“The offset G is ergonomically better. For years, it was thought the inline was the preferred setup, but experience has taught flutists that hand problems can develop over time with the inline G, due to the unnatural stretch the hand needs to make. The problem is that many flutists still hang on to the idea that the offset G is only for students, not professionals. There is no difference in sound production or quality when comparing the two designs.”
Overcutting is the term given to the bevel on the topsides of the embouchure hole, while undercutting is the action of changing the angles at the bottom of the chimney or riser. With the Gemeinhardt head joints, both actions are achieved by hand filing and then finishing by polishing the angled areas. Overcutting and undercutting of the embouchure hole and chimney does indeed make a difference to the sound and tonal flexibility, however as this is again a subjective topic, the extent and severity of the cutting varies from flute maker to flute maker, as does the preference from player to player.
Models
Both models are conservatory (step-up) flutes and have the same body, head, foot and keys, the 3B LTD is supplied with the gold plated lip plate.
Repair
Yes, contact our customer service or a local Gemeinhardt dealer to inquire about repairs. You may also contact your music teacher or band director who may be able to recommend someone in your area.
Returns & Warranty
We require all warranty repair requests and inquiries to go back through the retailer that you purchased your instrument from. We do this because we do not have access to information such as who a retailer sold an instrument to or when they sold it, which dictates the warranty period. If it is found to need warranty work the retailer will contact us.
