The flute’s cork, not just its tube, shapes the instrument’s timbre

Evidence

The cork end is supposed to be set 17 mm from the middle of the embouchure hole (R in figure 16.30). This innocent-looking part of the instrument plays an essential role in its timbre and playing qualities. Ask any flautist who has played with big changes in the cork position. — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 1575

Categorization

• SEED: A counterintuitive angle: a tiny adjustable plug few players ever touch dramatically controls the instrument’s voice — ‘the part of the instrument nobody sees.’