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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.
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.
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.
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.
Percussion is a whole family of instruments and being a percussionist involves playing and knowing how to care for them all, although in beginner band the focus will be on snare drum and bells. Below you will find care and mainentance instructions for these two percussion instruments.
Snare Drum
Snare Drum
Keep your drum head clean and free of dirt and dust. Wipe with a soft, clean cloth as needed. When setting up your snare drum, make sure it is securly placed on the snare drum stand.
Drum sticks are used to play the snare drum. They are made entirely of wood with a small bead on the head. Using drum sticks on other percussion instruments such as mallet instruments can cause damage.
Drum heads will need to be replaced occassionally as they will wear out and the sound will begin to change on your drum as a result. If you begin to notice a change in the sound of the drum, check in with your teacher to see if a new drum head is required.
Bells
Bells
Keep your bells clean by wiping the bars off with a soft, damp cloth as needed. When setting up your bells, make sure they are seculely placed on the bell stand.
Rubber or plastic mallets are used to play the bells. Using these mallets on other instruments can potentially cause damage. As a general rule, do not use a mallet that is harder than the material you are playing on. There are additional types of mallets best suited for other mallet instruments.
Monthly Care
Check all screws 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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