How do I know when my recorder needs revoicing?
by Tom Prescott, of Prescott Workshop
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You remember that it was love at first hearing, the recorder that would become your joy. Only something has happened. The tone isn’t what you remember. The high notes are difficult to produce. It clogs early in a playing session and doesn’t improve over time. Do you need to send it to a professional for revoicing? Maybe. But you may be able to take care of some problems on your own.
It is normal for a new recorder to need revoicing after it has been carefully broken in. The block swells and changes the size of the windway. That is the purpose of the block – to absorb moisture, so it is doing its job if it swells. However, if your recorder is well seasoned, but having trouble, try these steps to help it recover.
Step one: Treat your windway with a surfactant; something that will cause water beads to flatten. It is easy to make your own. I use a ratio of one-part dishwashing liquid to six parts water. I prefer a clear dishwashing liquid without lanolin. Hold your recorder head upside down, closing the blowing end with your finger and pour the solution into the windway. Slosh it around, let it run out, then let it dry. Blow out the excess. You can rinse the exterior of the beak to remove the soap taste. If a little water gets in the windway it won’t matter because the detergent will still leave a slight film. Let the head dry for an hour, and you will be ready to play.
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Still not happy?
Step two: You may have mildew in the windway. You can attempt to kill off and flush out the mildew using vinegar without removing the block. I prefer white vinegar because it doesn’t have any taste or smell. Pour the vinegar into the windway holding a finger over the blowing end, just as you did with the surfactant. Hold the vinegar in place for a minute, let it drain out, then let the head sit for five minutes to kill the mildew. Rinse with water; you don’t have to be neat and it doesn’t matter which end you rinse from. If you suspect you have significant mildew, repeat this treatment a second time. Dry the exterior with a tea towel and dry the interior with your cotton swab, then apply a detergent solution to the windway. When it has dried you can play your recorder. This procedure, done once a day for a week, should remove built-up mildew.
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Still not happy?
Step three: Are your joints tight enough to completely seal the recorder? If the high notes are difficult on an instrument that generally hits them well, your joints may be leaking. If you have a cork joint, add some Teflon plumber’s tape to the joint. If you have string joints, unwind a yard of string and wind it back on. This will fluff the string so it fills the joint again. NEVER use dental floss, which, because it doesn’t stretch, can permanently shrink the tenon.
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Still not happy?
Problems within the windway are the cause of most issues for players. You will need to remove the block to correct them. If you can, remove your block and clean and oil the windway. Directions on how to safely remove your block are included in this recorder care video.
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STILL NOT HAPPY?
I’m often asked, “When should a recorder be sent to a professional for service?” Here are some specific symptoms to look for, particularly if you have cleaned and treated the windway.
· Does it clog even when warm and treated with a sheeting solution?
· Are the high notes difficult when they used to be easy?
· Are the low notes unstable?
· Is the tone not as sweet as you remember it?
· Is the pitch lower than before?
A reduction in windway size can cause all these problems. It is normal to expect that a recorder will need revoicing sometime after you have bought it. I recommend sending an instrument back for revoicing when the tone or response isn’t as good as it was when new. Recorders don’t get “old.” If they aren’t playing as well as they once did, they need revoicing!
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What is revoicing? Revoicing restores the windway to the correct size. Sometimes, that just means removing mold or other foreign matter from the windway by giving it a thorough cleaning. When a recorder arrives for revoicing, the windway dimensions are measured while the instrument is dry. After that, the block is removed and the head is cleaned. The windway is returned to the proper size, most often by filing the block. I don’t recommend that anyone who isn’t a recorder professional change windway dimensions. In general, you can expect a revoicing to cost over $100. For example, the von Huene Workshop charges between $100-$150 for revoicing and $90 for cleaning. https://www.vonhuene.com/t-aboutrepairs.aspx
I hope these tips have helped you keep your prized recorder in the best shape possible.
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Tom Prescott
Prescott Workshop
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Prescott Workshop has made over 4,800 baroque, transitional and renaissance recorders. After 47 years in the business, Tom still is enchanted by the recorder and grateful that he found and follows his dream profession. Tom says he owes everything to his wife, Barbara, who currently serves on the Board of the ARS so he doesn’t have to. |
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How to Join the ARS
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P.O. Box 480054 Charlotte
NC 28269-5300
Phone: 1-704-509-1422
Toll Free: 1-844-509-1422
Fax: 1-866-773-1538
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