Is leaving my metal flute in the car during cold weather bad?

It be soooo funny if you did, then when you tried to use it, it stuck to your lips….well it wouldn’t be funny when you have to try to get it off, but there would be that few seconds of laughter….and pain…you know what, it sounded better in my head.

I’m not sure if they make them for flutes, but I play the bass, and they have humidifiers that you can put on the bass (or any string instrument(that has holes like a bass, violin, etc)) and it will regualte the temperature.

Also, have you thought of a well padded case? It will keep it at least a little warmer.

Metal expands and contracts like everything else on the planet, bring it inside when not in use.

As for keeping it in a case to keep it warmer, that doesn’t make any sense. If it’s in a car in 32 degree weather, and it’s just in a case, it’s gonna be a 32 degree flute, unless there’s a heat source.

Here’s a cool discussion on the subject.
The effect that piano and guitar players (me) dread is warping of wood due to temperature extremes. I don’t believe you’d have that problem with a metal or synthetic flute, as the material retains a structural memory and should restore itself upon warming.
I suppose the question would be better answered by the only other wind-instrument playing flutherite that i know of: M.r. Daloon.
My hat is off to you guys… i have a hard enough time singing on key let alone blowing through an instrument.

It will change the pitch a bit but it should be okay otherwise.

I wouldn’t worry about the actual instrument being affected by the cold. You may need to replace your pads though if they get to moist from humidity or brittle from the cold.

Trumpet, I know. Let me tell you about trying to play taps, at the end of a ceremony, after freezing my ass ff in 30 degree weather. I think I kept my mouthpiece in my mouth constantly, so at least it was warm.

My trumpet teacher told me horror stories of horn players who had not done so. The mouthpiece freezes to your lips, and then when you try to pull it away….. um, did anyone ever lick anything metal when it was well below freezing? It’s not a pretty sight.

So my trumpet has been through all kinds of temperature changes, and after 30 or 40 years, it still sounds great. Maybe the tubes are worn very thin, that my repairperson says it could erode right through, but that hasn’t happened yet.

I don’t know flutes, though. I imagine the metal wouldn’t mind the temperature changes, and the expansion and contraction would be too little to make anything go out of true. The softer parts, as ladymerie suggests, might get worn a little faste.

Also, as loser says, if you play the instrument while cold, you will have some tuning issues. You’d think the horn would go sharp when cold (it gets smaller), but my horn always seems to go flat.

You shouldn’t leave your flute inside a car on cold weather. It can cause damage to your pads. Your pads become damp while you are playing from the saliva which is inside the flute. The cold can cause the pads to dry out and crack or tear. You should always keep a woodwind stored inside room temperature.

I know this because I have played the flute for about thirty years.

Wow.. thanks so much to everyone for chiming in! I wasn’t sure, mainly because the bore/body of the flute is solid, but I did start to worry about the smaller parts such as the joints and keys. I debated this one for a while (whether temperature could cause permanent damage), but my gut said it wasn’t a good idea, so I brought it inside when the temperature got around freezing (it hadn’t been in the car for too long). I have a very nice flute and it’s one of my prized possessions, so I will be more careful in the future.

I definitely notice playability differences in this weather, the bottom level of the house is probably 50 degrees or less, and I played like absolute crap last night. ;)

a bit off topic, but have you noticed the prevalence of flute-trumpet relationships? My first girlfriend was a flautist, and my wife played the instrument long, long ago

I hadn’t noticed, but that’s interesting. I’ll have to pay more attention in the future. :)

The only musicians I’ve dated have played guitar, no trumpets or other woodwinds. :P

There are cork pads that seal the valves and they might fall out after repeated expanding and contracting metal from the temperature fluctuations. They’ll have to be replaced. But that won’t ruin the instrument.