Heating pad/Heating mat

[DC]

Several times recently I’ve heard recorder players (all professionals, as it happens) say that they have warmed their instrument(s) on a “heating mat.” This raises several questions in my mind that many of you may know the answer to (or at least have opinions about): Is a heating MAT the same thing as a heating PAD, or is there something unique about a mat? Do you heat the instrument by rolling it inside the mat or simply by setting it on top of the mat? And do you heat the entire instrument or just the head joint?

For what it’s worth, my thinking is that a mat is basically the same thing as a pad, though the mat might be larger; rolling the instrument inside might be more effective than setting it on top; and the head joint alone is probably sufficient. And, obviously, the heat must be low enough to not damage the instrument (though what that precise temperature might be, I couldn’t say—at least as warm as my breath but nowhere near as warm as the radiators that heat my house.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me.

[Lorena]

I have the same question.

[Kevin McNaughton]

Could one use a brewing mat, or wine fermenting mat? They go under the demijohns or fermenting buckets and have a very gentle heat. I have a problem warming my recorder head joints in my pocket due to bad circulation! (Getting old is rubbish!) I am however, terrified of ruining my new palisander and satinwood recorders. I’m still blowing them in!
I do find that rubbing the beak forcefully with my thumb helps, but it makes my thumb a bit sore!
Any suggestions are welcome.

[DC]

Getting old IS rubbish, but it generally beats the alternative, as we know.

I like the idea of the brewing mat. I’ll research that some more. I have a long heating pad (Amazon) that advertises specific temperatures for its various settings. I tend to use it on the lowest setting and often heat the pad, unplug it, and then wrap the head(s) in the pad.

I’ll add one more thought here: I was testing a grenadilla tenor once and I couldn’t get it warm enough to stop clogging. Eric Haas suggested that I get a hand warmer (one of those air-activated things), drape it over the beak, and hold it in place with a rubber band. Said I could play for hours with no clogging. Of course he was right. The results were pretty amazing. The visuals were less than amazing. For testing, though, and I guess in an emergency, it’s a solution.

[Anonymous]

I’d have thought anything that didn’t exceed body temperature would be safe.

[Kevin McNaughton]

I’ve just ordered an electrically heated recorder bag from Germany! The bag is sold by a recorder maker. She makes wonderful recorders and I trust her implicitly. Expensive though! I still shan’t try it on my expensive recorders, just my Kung Studio treble.
More to follow, once it’s arrived.

[Anonymous]

That sounds interesting!

[Kevin McNaughton]

Well! The treble recorder heating bag arrived. I am thoroughly delighted with it. It has three pockets, so I can heat three heads at a time or one whole recorder in pieces. It has three heat settings, low, medium and high. I have only used low, being cautious. It works very well. I left the heads in for half an hour. One cherry Kung Studio, one plastic recorder and one box Moeck Rottenburgh. Not a single problem! I would recommend this item, with the proviso that it be used on low setting and be patient!!
It was obtained from:- Margret Lobner, Blockflotzentrum Bremen.
http://Www.loebnerblockfloten.de
Get one!! They can be run via a battery unit too, so are completely mobile. It has a usb plug, so can be used with a computer etc.
I really find mine useful. With the battery, I arrive at my lesson wit a pre warmed recorder, ready to go. No time wasted. It’s an hour drive to Ipswich from my home.
I am NOT getting anything for my recommendation, just the pleasure in knowing that I might be able to help other players with the same problem.
Kevin.

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