How To Assemble A Flute: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Assemble a Flute PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Jennifer Slaughter

Last Updated: March 10, 2025 References

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  • Putting the Pieces Together
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  • Following General Guidelines
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  • Expert Interview
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This article was co-authored by Jennifer Slaughter. Jennifer Slaughter is a Professional Flutist and Flute Instructor based in Spokane, WA. With over 15 years of experience, she is dedicated to sharing and teaching music with aspiring flutists. Jennifer is the founder of Jennifer Slaughter Flute Studio and provides online and in-person lessons to all ages. She also plays flute in the Spokane Symphony. This article has been viewed 121,626 times.

The flute is a delicate woodwind instrument that can be damaged if not handled correctly. Assembling a flute is a matter of identifying the instrument’s various parts and following a few simple guidelines to attach them to each other. Once you get the hang of things, assembling a flute will become second nature.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 2:

Putting the Pieces Together

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  1. Step 1 Open your flute case. 1 Open your flute case. A disassembled flute is divided into three pieces of different sizes. You’ll need to learn which is which before you can put your flute together.[1]
    • The headjoint is the top part of the flute, which has the lip plate[2] .
    • The body of the flute is the central portion[3] , and the largest, with several keys on it.
    • The footjoint is the smallest part[4] , forming the bottom of the flute.
  2. Step 2 Unpack and clean your flute pieces. 2 Unpack and clean your flute pieces. Take the parts of your flute out of the case, one by one. Lift them by their ends only, to avoid damaging them. As you take the parts out of the case, give them a quick wipe down with a polishing cloth to clean them so they’ll fit together properly.
    • Pay special attention to the ends of the pieces--making sure they are free from dirt will help the flute fit together properly.
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  3. Step 3 Bring the headjoint and the body together. 3 Bring the headjoint and the body together. Gently hold the headjoint in one hand and the body in another. Insert the end opposite the lip plate of the headjoint into the end of the body that is bare metal, not covered by keys. You'll want to bring the pieces together with a slight twisting motion.[5] [6]
    • If you're having trouble bringing the pieces together, don't force it. Wipe the joints of the pieces with your cloth and try again.
    • Take care to hold the pieces gently, by the ends, not by the keys. If you forcefully grab them as you twist, you might damage your instrument.
  4. Step 4 Line up the lip plate and the keys. 4 Line up the lip plate and the keys. If you have a beginner’s flute, you might see that it has little arrow markings where the pieces come together. If you see those, just gently twist the body and the headjoint until the arrows line up. Even if your flute doesn't have markings, it's not difficult to line the pieces up: just gently twist until the hole on the lip plate is centered with the keys on the body.[7]
  5. Step 5 Attach the foot joint to body. 5 Attach the foot joint to body. Bring the foot joint and the body together at their joints, again with a slight twisting motion[8] . Gently turn until the first key on the foot joint is slightly to the right of the keys on the body.
    • Keep the pieces straight as they come together. Attaching them at an angle may damage your flute.
    • Some flautists find it helpful to gently press the low C and C# keys with their thumb as the attach the footjoint to the body.[9]
  6. Step 6 Test your flute. 6 Test your flute. Once all the pieces of your flute are assembled, play it a bit to make sure it is in tune and put together properly. If something looks, feels, or sounds off, stop and make adjustments as needed.
    • Use a tuner to help determine if you are hitting notes correctly. There are many convenient electronic tuners you can try.
  7. Step 7 Disassemble your flute carefully. 7 Disassemble your flute carefully. When you are done playing your flute, you should first give it a quick wipe down with your cloth to help keep it clean. Next, take it apart by using the same gentle twisting motions as you did when assembling. Holding each piece by the ends, place them one by one back into the flute’s case.[10]
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Part 2 Part 2 of 2:

Following General Guidelines

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  1. Step 1 Ask for help if you need it. 1 Ask for help if you need it. If you are ever unsure if you are assembling your flute correctly, ask your teacher for more guidance. They can give you pointers and watch as you assemble your flute to make sure you are doing it correctly.[11]
  2. Step 2 Do not use lubrication. 2 Do not use lubrication. The joints of a flute are designed to fit snugly for proper tone and intonation. You might think that adding some kind of lubrication will make it easier to assemble the flute, but this can actually cause your flute to play and sound incorrectly. Avoid putting any kind of oil or other lubrication on your flute when assembling it.[12]
  3. Step 3 Handle the flute parts with care. 3 Handle the flute parts with care. Always be gentle when assembling your flute. Don’t put your fingers on the moving parts when putting the joints together (unless you are lightly pressing the C keys when putting the footjoint and body together). Use a light touch and gentle twisting motions to fit the joints together, rather than grasping the flute pieces in your hand. Following these guidelines will prevent you from damaging your flute.[13]
  4. Step 4 Swab and clean your flute regularly. 4 Swab and clean your flute regularly. Keeping your flute clean is important for maintaining the instrument, and it’s convenient to do so when you’re assembling it. Use a polishing cloth (sometimes called a “silver cloth”) available from a music store. Gently wiping the flute and swabbing moisture from the insides when you disassemble it will be sufficient for everyday cleaning.[14]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question How do I make a sound through a flute? SodaToast SodaToast Community Answer Tighten or loosen the embouchure until you make sound. Make sure you have a fingering chart on hand so you know whether or not you have the right fingering. You might have to roll in or roll out your headjoint a couple of times. Also, blow fast air. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 7 Helpful 18
  • Question When you say "If the tuner indicates that you are sharp, pull the head joint out slightly. If it indicates that you are flat, push it in," are you referring to slightly pulling apart the actual joint between the head and body, or do you mean rotating the angle slightly towards or away from my mouth? Community Answer Community Answer They are referencing pulling the actual joint. If you wish to tune using the rolling method (which I do not condone, since better tone comes from having the flute rolled further out), if you are flat, roll out, if you are sharp, roll in. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 6 Helpful 12
  • Question I can't hear anything! What do I do? Maddy Vaudin Maddy Vaudin Community Answer You need to make your embouchure into more of an "o" shape rather than just blowing. Learning to play the flute properly can take a little while, so be patient. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 20
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about playing the flute, check out our in-depth interview with Jennifer Slaughter.

References

  1. ↑ http://tjflutes.com/PDFs/Trevor%20James%20Flute%20Owners%20manual%20for%20website.pdf
  2. ↑ Jennifer Slaughter. Flute Expert. Expert Interview
  3. ↑ Jennifer Slaughter. Flute Expert. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ Jennifer Slaughter. Flute Expert. Expert Interview
  5. ↑ https://www.forsyths.co.uk/content/116-how-to-assemble-your-flute
  6. ↑ Jennifer Slaughter. Flute Expert. Expert Interview
  7. ↑ https://www.jennifercluff.com/basichold.pdf
  8. ↑ Jennifer Slaughter. Flute Expert. Expert Interview
  9. ↑ http://tjflutes.com/PDFs/Trevor%20James%20Flute%20Owners%20manual%20for%20website.pdf
More References (5)
  1. ↑ https://www.forsyths.co.uk/content/116-how-to-assemble-your-flute
  2. ↑ http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/instruments/flute/maintenance/
  3. ↑ http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/instruments/flute/maintenance/
  4. ↑ https://www.jennifercluff.com/basichold.pdf
  5. ↑ http://www.childrensmusicworkshop.com/instruments/flute/maintenance/

About This Article

Jennifer Slaughter Co-authored by: Jennifer Slaughter Flute Expert This article was co-authored by Jennifer Slaughter. Jennifer Slaughter is a Professional Flutist and Flute Instructor based in Spokane, WA. With over 15 years of experience, she is dedicated to sharing and teaching music with aspiring flutists. Jennifer is the founder of Jennifer Slaughter Flute Studio and provides online and in-person lessons to all ages. She also plays flute in the Spokane Symphony. This article has been viewed 121,626 times. 9 votes - 64% Co-authors: 11 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 121,626 Categories: Flute Article SummaryX

To assemble your flute, start by wiping the ends down with a polishing cloth, so they’ll be easier to put together. Next, insert the open end of the headjoint into the end of the body that's not covered by keys. Try to use a gentle, twisting motion to bring the pieces together without forcing them, which can damage your flute. Once you’ve got the pieces together, line the lip plate up with the keys. Then, attach the foot joint to the body so the rest of the keys line up, as well. To learn how to disassemble and clean your flute, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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