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Beginning Band Without Barriers
It is very important to learn how to properly clean and care for your instrument! It is the responsibility of each musician to learn how to clean and maintain it.
General Instrument Care
General Instrument Care
Complete regular instrument cleaning after each use before returning it back to its case. See instrument specific care below for more details.
Avoid eating, drinking (aside from water), and chewing gum immediately before playing your instrument.
Always keep your instrument in its case when not in use. Make sure the case is fully closed before picking it up (check hinges, locks, zippers).
When placing your instrument back into its case, make sure it fits all the correct indentations. Do not force your case closed, as it most likely means the instrument isn’t properly placed.
Do not place anything on top of your instrument or store anything on top of it inside the case.
Never store the reed on the mouthpiece, store in a reed holder. Replace chipped, cracked or softened reeds.
Do not leave your instrument unattended, inside or outside the case.
Do not leave your instrument in a car or other area where it can endure extreme temperature fluctuations.
If your instrument is being brought inside from cold temperature, wait for it to warm up to room temperature before playing.
Do not attempt to repair an instrument at home. If it needs repair, show it to your teacher to determine if it can be fixed at school or taken to an instrument repair technician.
Daily Care
Valves on brass instruments need to be oiled on a regular basis. Remove only one valve at a time, oil and replace it before removing another. To do this:
Unscrew the valve cap and pull the valve out.
Apply a few drops of valve oil to the sides of the valves.
Replace the valve back into position making sure that it is lined up correctly.
Note: The valve has a guide that keeps it in place. To check for correct
alignment, gently try to turn the valve. If it does not turn, it is lined up. If
it does turn, keep turning it until you hear a click and the valve stops
turning.
Do not push your mouthpiece into your instrument. This can risk it getting stuck. If this does happen, do not try to remove it yourself. Bring it to your teacher and it will be removed with a special tool.
After you are finished playing, make sure you remove any excess moisture from the inside of the instrument by opening the spit valve over a garbage can and blowing through the instrument. Carefully wipe off the outside of the instrument with a polishing cloth as needed.
Always store your instrument in its case when you are not using it. Do not place books, folders or other items in the case that can press on the slides or valves.
Monthly Care
Check all slides to make sure that they move freely and apply slide grease if needed.
Yearly Care
The inside of your instrument needs to be cleaned about once a year. See the page on Brass Cleaning for more information.
Have your instrument checked and adjusted by an instrument repair technician as needed. There may be small adjustments that can be made to ensure top quality performance on your instrument.
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