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Padding Class

Our Padding class is the perfect introduction to flute repair and general maintenance. If you're searching for workshop-style, hands-on education beyond the scope of our Tune-Up manual (included with all classes), the Padding Class is the experience you've been looking for. Here at the Vermont Guild of Flutemaking we offer training not available anywhere else in the world. Live at our country home, or at one of the fabulous Bed-and-Breakfasts in Richmond, and soak up inspiration from being surrounded by your fellow students and a world-class repair and production facility.

By day you'll be at your own workbench, enjoying total immersion. We'll teach you how to get rid of those old pads; learn the secrets of a perfect pad seal with new ones. Kill that annoying clack in your G key. Tune your F-F#-Bb to perfection so the note pops out. Joke around with your fellow classmates. A healthy and hearty lunch is provided by the family on our porch overlooking the woods, so you don't even have to waste a minute.

By night you can travel to nearby Burlington, the little lakeside city recently named by Readers' Digest the "#1 Place to Live in America". With vibrant nightlife and a culture scene to please any palette, you can enjoy food and music unavailable anywhere else.

For many hobbyists, this workshop provides all the information needed to begin lifetime of flute maintenance and repair.
For those bent on mastering the art of mechanical repair, we also recommend the more advanced training from the Overhaul & Mechanical seminar.

FAQs:

What will I learn in this workshop?
You will learn skills that cannot be learned anywhere else in the world. Not rocket science perhaps, but marketable and useful skills nevertheless for those who love the flute. By the time you leave, you will be capable of:
»Repadding a professional-model flute
»Troubleshooting leaky instruments
»Adjusting the connection timing of any key
»Replacing kicker corks, felts, and lug papers
»Change the fitting of head- and foot-joint tenons
»Performing COA (clean-oil-adjust) maintenance on other flutes!

Where do I stay?
See our Housing Information page for complete details.

What are the application deadlines?
The application deadline for each class is 2 months prior to the Monday on which the class begins.

Who will teach my class?
All classes are taught by Jonathon Landell Sr., except in exceptional circumstances where other highly trained professionals who meet our standards may be brought in to assist.

Must I use my expensive flute as a guinea pig?!
No. We advise you to purchase an inexpensive student-flute for your first attempts at padding. Some intrepid students do bring their favorite instruments to class, but we don't recommend working on them until they gain proficiency on something else.

Apply
Limited to 3 or 4 participants - register early!