- How should I care for any instrument?
- How do I care for an Oboe?
- How do I care for a Flute?
- How do I care for a Clarinet?
- How do I care for an Alto-Saxophone?
- How do I care for a Trumpet?
- How do I care for a French Horn?
- How do I care for a Trombone?
- How do I care for a Baritone/Tuba?
- How do I care for a Snare Drum?
How should I care for any instrument?
Never leave your instrument in the car, your instrument gets hot and cold
too! Empty and remove moisture often! Never play your instrument after
eating. Your instrument will become possessed with an evil smell. Always
put your instrument back in its case when you are done playing! Look into
getting a care kit for your instrument. An ounce of preventive maintenance
can truly save a lot of money down the road.
How do I care for an Oboe?
Make sure to use cork grease regularly. If the cork is dry you are waiting
too long. Keep dust out of the keys of the oboe. This can be done by using
a very small paintbrush (ones used for painting models work best) or a Q-tip
to clean under the keys and rods. You will know if you have neglected to do
this because the pads under the keys will begin to stick. Be careful not to
bends the springs or rods while cleaning. This would also be a great time to
look for loose screws at the ends of the rods. Also vacuum the case
regularly to avoid problems with dust and dirt. After every time you play
moisture will accumulate in the oboe, make sure you clean out the water with
a swab. Never polish the keys and especially never use silver polish. And
last buy certainly not least, never feed you oboe! Make sure you never play
with food or candy in your mouth. Your oboe will get bad breath and your
friends will ask why your oboe is so stinky.
How do I care for a Flute?
Use a very small paintbrush (ones used for painting models work best) or a
Q-tip to clean under the keys and rods. You will know if you have neglected
to do this because the pads under the keys will begin to stick. Be careful
not to bends the springs or rods while cleaning. This would also be a good
time to look for any loose screws along the rods. Also vacuum the case
regularly to avoid problems with dust and dirt. After every time you play
moisture will accumulate in the flute, make sure you clean out the water with
a cloth. To do this wrap the cloth around the cleaning rod that came with
your flute and simply mop up all the moisture on the inside of the flute.
Never polish the keys and especially never use silver polish. And last buy
certainly not least, never feed you flute! Make sure you never play with
food or candy in your mouth. Your flute will get bad breath and your friends
will ask you why your flute is so smelly.
How do I care for a Clarinet?
Make sure to use cork grease regularly. If the cork is dry you are waiting
too long. Keep dust out of the keys of the clarinet. This can be done by
using a very small paintbrush (ones used for painting models work best) or a
Q-tip to clean under the keys and rods. You will know if you have neglected
to do this because the pads under the keys will begin to stick. Be careful
not to bend the springs or rods while cleaning. This would be a great time
to look for loose screws along the rods. Also vacuum the case regularly to
avoid problems with dust and dirt. After every time you play moisture will
accumulate in the clarinet, make sure you clean out the water with a swab.
Never polish the keys and especially never use silver polish. And last but
certainly not least, never feed your clarinet! Make sure you never play with
food or candy in your mouth. Your clarinet will get bad breath and your
friends will ask why your clarinet is so smelly. This is why it is also a
good idea to wash out the mouthpiece often.
How do I care for an Alto-Saxophone?
Make sure to use cork grease regularly on the neck. If the cork is dry you
are waiting too long. Keep the pads clean and dry. You will know if you have
neglected to do this because the pads under the keys will begin to stick.
This also means that you have to do a better job swabbing out the moisture
before you put your sax away. While you are cleaning out the moisture look
for loose screws along the rods. Also vacuum the case regularly to avoid
problems with dust and dirt. To remove fingerprints use a lint free cloth
(old t-shirt). And last but certainly not least, never feed your saxophone!
Make sure you never play with food or candy in your mouth. Your sax will get
bad breath and your friends will ask why your sax is so smelly. This is why
it is also a good idea to wash out the mouthpiece often.
How do I care for a Trumpet?
Clean the mouthpiece with warm water. They do sell a fancy mouthpiece brush
but if you clean the mouthpiece often you will not need one. Two or three
times a year give your trumpet a bath. To do this fill a bathtub with warm
water and no soap. Remove all slides and valves and let everything soak for
about 15 minutes. They do sell snakes to clean the insides of the
tubing of the trumpet. They are the best investment a trumpet player can
make.
Remove the instrument from the water and make sure it is dry. Make sure to
re-oil all valves. Also re-grease all slides. And last but not least, never
eat food before you play! Food inside an instrument will cause some of the
most potent smells you have ever imagined.
How do I care for a French Horn?
Clean the mouthpiece with warm water. They do sell a fancy mouthpiece brush
but if you clean the mouthpiece often you will not need one. Two or three
times a year give your horn a bath. To do this fill a bathtub with warm
water and no soap. Remove all slides and let everything soak for about 15
minutes.
They do sell snakes to clean the insides of the tubings of the horn. They
are the best investment a horn player can make. Remove the instrument from
the water and make sure it is dry. Make sure to re-oil all rotors. Also
re-grease all slides. And last but not least, never eat food before you
play!
Food inside an instrument will cause some of the most potent smells you have
ever imagined.
How do I care for a Trombone?
Clean the mouthpiece with warm water. They do sell a fancy mouthpiece brush
but if you clean the mouthpiece often you will not need one. Two or three
times a year give your trombone a bath. To do this fill a bathtub with warm
water and no soap. Remove all slides and let everything soak for about 15
minutes. They do sell snakes to clean the insides of the tubing of the
trombone. They are the best investment a trombone player can make. Remove
the instrument from the water and make sure to re-grease all slides. And
last but not least, never eat food before you play! Food inside an
instrument will cause some of the most potent smells you have ever imagined.
How do I care for a Baritone/Tuba?
Clean the mouthpiece with warm water. They do sell a fancy mouthpiece brush
but if you clean the mouthpiece often you will not need one. Two or three
times a year give your horn a bath. To do this fill a bathtub with warm
water and no soap. Remove all slides and valves letting everything soak for
about 15 minutes. They do sell snakes to clean the insides of the tubing of
the bari/tuba. They are the best investment a low brass player can make.
Remove the instrument and make sure it is dry. Make sure to re-oil all
valves/rotors and slides. Also re-grease all slides. And last but not
least, never eat food before you play! Food inside an instrument will cause
some of the most potent smells you have ever imagined.
How do I care for a Snare Drum?
Drums-- you have it pretty easy. Basically make sure you keep the drum in
the case when you are done. Never lay anything on the drumhead. Everything
else we need to show you in person. If you tear a hole in the head we can
also show you how to replace it but that is a conversation that we have to
have in person.
