Instrument Care
Here are some hints and tips for how to look after your instruments, including minor adjustments. However if you are unsure, then please do not attempt a repair. If you contact your teacher they will advise you appropriately.
How to put a Clarinet & Sax Reed on correctly.
How to correctly put together a Bassoon
How to look after your flute
Oboe care
When assembling, start with the bell & middle joint, then add the top joint.
Always gently twist the joints together - NEVER push straight down.
Apply a thin layer of cork grease regularly to joint corks.
Take care to line up your corresponding mechanisms (on the bell & between the upper and middle joints). Do this gently.
Take care with the feather keys (LH Eb, B and Bb cluster) as these can be easily bent.
Always clean your oboe out with mops at the end of playing. If using a pull-through always check there are no knots before using.
Keep your oboe away from any heated surfaces (radiator, underfloor heating etc). In cold weather, allow the instrument to come to room temperature before practicing. The combination of a cold oboe & warm breath can split the wood and create cracks.
Useful links for oboe accessories
Howarth of London - https://www.howarth.uk.com/
Crowthers of Canterbury - https://oboeshop.co.uk/
Caring for your Alto Saxophone.pdfCaring for your Sax
Caring for Your Clarinet.pdfCaring for your Clarinet
Caring for your Flute.pdfCaring for your Flute
Bassoon Care -
Daily:
Make sure you soak your reed before playing. This will help with the longevity of the reed and also will get the reed ready to play on! I would suggest keeping a small pot (old camera film pot) in your case to have reed soaking in while you assemble your bassoon. If you do not have a small pot like that then make sure you put your reed in your mouth to moisten it up while you set your bassoon and music up.
Swabbing or mopping your Bassoon out after playing is extremely important to help remove any saliva/condensation that may have built up. There are only two joints that need this step....they are the the Wing and Boot joints. There are specially made swabs/mops made for each of these two joints as they are two different sizes.
Fortnightly/Monthly (depending on amount of playing):
Cleaning your Crook. This is a step that is overlooked by many, but will drastically help, not just with the hygiene but with sound quality, responsiveness, and ease of playing. To do this, soak your crook in warm water (only for a few minutes), then pull through a crook brush or swab. do this once every two weeks to ensure keeping your Crook free of dirt and buildup.
Checking stiffness of the joints. If the joints are becoming a little stiff when putting you Bassoon together and taking it apart, then use a little cork grease on the cork of the joints to ease this. Be careful to use sparingly though to avoid the Bassoon falling apart in your hands.
For the more fussy cleaners:
Dusting the Bassoon keys. You can do this using a natural haired paint brush. Focus on the areas with the most keywork as this is where dust is more likely to settle. It is important to use a natural haired brush as more synthetic types could be likely to scratch the surface of the Bassoon.
Polishing the keys. There are special instrument silver polishing cloths you can get. The keys will end up looking lovely and shiny, but carefull not to do more than 5 minutes every now and then as to not wear any of the silver plating on the keywork. Never use any liquid form of silver cleaner/polish as these contain an abrasive that could cause noticeable damage.