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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
When removing your clarinet from its case, make sure not to pick it up by its keys. Remove it by the end where there are no keys.
When putting your clarinet together, apply a small amount of cork grease to the corks as needed. You will only need to apply this when the instrument is difficult to put together. Newer instruments or instruments with recently repaired corks will need cork grease more often.
Put the clarinet together with a slow back-and-forth twisting motion while avoiding the keys, starting from the bottom with the bell. Do not push or pull the oboe when assembling or disassembling as this can damage the cork.
When tightening the screws on the ligature (the part that holds the reed onto the mouthpiece), make sure not to over-tighten them. Only tighten until the screws are snug and the reed is securly in place.
After you are finished playing, carefully remove the reed, and place it in a reed case. Remove the mouthpiece and gently wipe away any moisture with a cloth. Pull a cleaning swab through the reamining parts of the clarinet starting at the BIGGEST end (the bell) and pull through to the smallest end (the barrel) to remove any moisture. Carefully wipe off the outside of the clarinet with a polishing cloth as needed.
Always store your clarinet in its case when you are not using it. Do not place anything in the case that can press on the clarinet as it could bend the keys.
NEVER leave your clarinet standing upright. If you need to put it down, take it apart between the upper and lower joint and place it lying horizontally on your chair with the keys pointed upward.
Monthly Care
Check all screws and springs to see if there are any coming loose. If you notice any, bring your instrument to your teacher to have them adjusted. Do not try to adjust them yourself as they can be over-tightened or damaged.
Yearly Care
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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