Caring for your Clarinet
- Never drop or throw your case. The instrument will go out of adjustment if this happens. The case only protects the instrument from cosmetic damage.
- Use cork grease if the joints are too tight to assemble.
- When assembling your clarinet, hold the bottom joint near the bottom with your right hand and with your thumb holding closed the lowest pad. Hold the top joint with your left hand, about in the middle, with your middle finger closing the lowest ring key. Now twist the 2 joints together matching the linkage. Attach the barrel and bell holding the instrument in the same manner.
- Attach the mouthpiece to the instrument before putting on the reed and ligature as the ligature can slip and scratch and damage the mouthpiece.
- Frequently wash the mouthpiece out in warm (not HOT) soapy water.
- Before putting your clarinet away after playing, first remove the mouthpiece. To dry out your clarinet, turn it upside down and drop the cleaning swab weight down into the clarinet. Pull the swab slowly through the clarinet from the bottom and out the top. Occasionally wash the swab in hot soapy water.
- If your reeds breaks or chips replace it. Reeds don’t last very long.
- If you have any problems with your clarinet, take it to a qualified technician and they will check it over for you. Clarinets require annual maintenance!
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Caring for your Saxophone
- Never drop or throw your case. The instrument will go out of adjustment if this happens. The case only protects the instrument from cosmetic damage.
- Apply a small amount of cork grease to the neck cork so the mouthpiece will slide on easier.
- Hold the neck by wrapping your hand around the middle (where the key is hinged) and slide the mouthpiece onto the corked portion of the neck. Always do this before putting the neck on the instrument as it is much easier.
- When putting the neck on the body, care must be taken so as not to bend the octave key on the neck. Align the neck so that it is in the correct position for putting your mouthpiece in your mouth when you are in playing position.
- Upon completion of playing use a lint free pull-thru swab to remove moisture from the instrument. Drop the weight of the swab into the bell, turn the instrument over and pull through gently from the bell end to the neck.
- Before returning the instrument to its case place the end cap back in the neck receiver, this will protect the octave mechanism from getting bent.
- Frequently wash your mouthpiece in warm (not hot) soapy water
- If you wipe your fingerprints off carefully each time you play and put the instrument away in the case it will stay shiny and clean.
- If your reed breaks or chips, replace it. Reeds don’t last very long.
- If you have any problems with your saxophone, take it to a qualified technician and they will check it over for you. Saxophones require annual maintenance!
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Caring for your Flute
- Do not drop or throw the case. The case only protects the instrument from cosmetic damage.
- To assemble, hold the main body at the barrel (where the writing is) and the headjoint near the bottom (never on the lip plate) and the footjoint at the bottom. This way you will avoid bending any keys while assembling.
- Dry the instrument out every time you play. Pull the cloth through the loop in the cleaning rod and wrap around the rod. Push the rod straight through the instrument from the bottom while assembled. Remove the foot joint and push the rod further up. Remove the main body and push as far as it will go into the headjoint. Twist the rod and dry the headjoint inside.
- Avoid leaving the damp cleaning cloth inside the case. If it is wet just tie it around the case handle on the outside. Wash the cloth when it gets dirty.
- never use silver polish on your instrument. It is poisonous and will damage the pads and mechanism. If you wipe your fingerprints off carefully each time you play and put the instrument away in the case it will stay shiny and clean.
- If you have any problems with your flute, take it to a qualified technician and they will check it over for you. Flutes require annual maintenance!
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Caring for your Trumpet
- Do not drop or throw the case. The case only protects the instrument from cosmetic damage.
- Oil the valves about once or twice a week if you are playing regularly.
- To oil the valves: Undo the top valve cap. Pull the valve ¾ of the way out of the valve casing (do not remove it entirely). Oil valve with a few drops. Place valve back in the casing and turn until you hear and feel the ‘click’ of the valve guide returning to its slot. Do up the top valve cap. Press the valve up and down several times to distribute the oil.
- If your mouthpiece gets stuck do not try and remove it yourself. This requires a special tool. Most technicians will remove it for free.
- Use tuning slide grease on the tuning slides so that they move freely.
- If you wipe your fingerprints off carefully each time you play and put the instrument away in the case it will stay shiny and clean.
- Once a year, or if you think something is not working properly, take it into a technician to be serviced. Brass and Woodwind instruments need annual servicing.
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Caring for your Trombone
- Do not drop or throw the case. The case only protects the instrument from cosmetic damage.
- When removing the slide from the case, use both hands (one at each end) to prevent bending the slide.
- Use only slide cream to lubricate your slide - DO NOT use slide oil. It is not necessary to use cream every time, just spray with water if there is enough cream still on the slide.
- If you have any problems with the slide, take it to the Music Works store you hired it from and they will have it serviced for you.
- If your mouthpiece gets stuck do not try and remove it yourself. This requires a special tool. Take it to the store you hired it from and they will remove it for free.
- If you wipe your fingerprints off carefully each time you play and put the instrument away in the case it will stay shiny and clean.
- Once a year, or if you think something is not working properly, take it into a technician to be services. Brass and Woodwind instruments need annual servicing.
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