ALTO SAXOPHONE

Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following:

1. Remove the reed, wipe off excess moisture.

2. Remove the mouthpiece and wipe the inside with a clean cloth.

3. Place reed in reed case.

4. Remove the neck and shake out excess moisture.

5. Drop the weight of the swab in the bell. Pull the swab through the body several times. Return the instrument to its case.

6. Your case is designed to hold only specific objects. If you try to force anything else into the case, it may damage your instrument.

BARITONE HORN

Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following:

1. Use the water key to empty water from the instrument. Blow air through it.

2. Remove the mouthpiece. Once a week, wash the mouthpiece with warm tap water. Dry thoroughly.

3. Wipe off the instrument with a clean soft cloth.

Baritone valves occasionally need oiling. To oil your valves:

1. Unscrew the valve at the top of the valve casing.

2. Lift the valve halfway out of the casing.

3. Apply a few drops of special brass valve oil to the exposed valve.

4. Carefully return the valve to its casing. When properly inserted, the top of the valve should easily screw back into place.

Be sure to grease the slides regularly. Your teacher will recommend special slide grease and valve oil, and will help you apply them when necessary.

CAUTION: If a slide, a valve, or your mouthpiece becomes stuck, ask for help from your band director or music dealer. Special tools should be used to prevent damage to your instrument.

***Your teacher will give you a handout on how to clean your baritone horn.

CELLO

1. Never touch the bow hair, or the wooden part of the instrument with your hands.

2. Protect your instrument from extreme heat, cold, and quick temperature changes.

3. Wipe any rosin off your instrument with a soft cloth.

4. Loosen the bow hair after every use. Tighten it the same amount every time before playing.

5. Keep your instrument away from those who do not know how to properly care for it.

6. Do not attempt to repair your instrument. Tell your teacher or qualified music dealer if something needs to be fixed.

CLARINET

Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following:

1. Remove the reed and wipe off excess moisture.

2. Remove the mouthpiece and wipe the inside with a clean cloth. Place the reed in your reed case.

3. Hold the upper section with your left hand and the lower section with your right hand. Gently twist the sections apart, pressing the ring that lifts the bridge key. 

4. Drop the weighted chamois or cotton swab into each section and pull it out the bottom.

5. Carefully twist the barrel and bell from each section. Dry off any additional moisture.

6. As you put each piece back in the case, check to be sure they are dry.

7. Your case is designed to hold only specific objects. If you try to force anything else into the case, it may damage your instrument.

DOUBLE BASS

1. Never touch the bow hair, or the wooden part of the instrument with your hands.

2. Protect your instrument from extreme heat, cold, and quick temperature changes.

3. Wipe any rosin off your instrument with a soft cloth.

4. Loosen the bow hair after every use. Tighten it the same amount every time before playing.

5. Keep your instrument away from those who do not know how to properly care for it.

6. Do not attempt to repair your instrument. Tell your teacher or qualified music dealer if something needs to be fixed.

FLUTE

Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following:

1. Draw a cleaning cloth and rod through the middle and foot joints, and into the head joint.

2. Carefully wipe the outside of each section to keep the finish clean. Don't try to polish between the keys. Let a repair specialist do this for you when needed.

FRENCH HORN

Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following:

1. Remove water by removing the main tuning slide and inverting the instrument.

2. Wipe the instrument off with a clean soft cloth. Return the instrument to its case.

3. Remove the mouthpiece. Once a week, wash the mouthpiece with warm tap water. Dry thoroughly.

PERCUSSION

1. Cover all percussion instruments when they are not being used.

2. Put mallets away in a storage area. Keep the percussion section neat!

3. Mallets are the only things that should be placed on your instrument. NEVER put or allow others to put objects on any percussion instrument.

TROMBONE

Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following:

1. Use the water key to empty water from the instrument. Blow air through it.

2. Remove the mouthpiece and slide assembly. Do not take the outer slide off the inner slide piece. Return the instrument to its case.

3. Once a week, wash the mouthpiece with warm tap water. Dry thoroughly.

Trombone slides occasionally need oiling. To oil your slide, simply:

1. Rest the tip of the slide on the floor and unlock the slide.

2. Exposing the inner slide, put a few drops of oil or slide cream on the inner slide. Spray water over the oil or cream.

3. Rapidly move the slide back and forth. The oil or cream will then lubricate the slide.

4. Be sure to grease the tuning slide regularly. Your teacher will recommend special slide oil or cream and grease, and will help you apply them when necessary.

CAUTION: If a slide or your mouthpiece becomes stuck, ask for help from your band teacher or music dealer. Special tools should be used to prevent damage to your instrument.

***Your teacher will give you a handout on how to clean out your trombone.

TRUMPET 

Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following:

1. Use the water key to empty water from the instrument. Blow air through it.

2. Remove the mouthpiece. Once a week, wash the mouthpiece with warm tap water. Dry thoroughly.

3. Wipe off the instrument with a clean soft cloth.

Trumpet valves occasionally need oiling. To oil your valves:

1. Unscrew the valve at the top of the valve casing.

2. Lift the valve halfway out of the casing.

3. Apply a few drops of special brass valve oil to the exposed valve.

4. Carefully return the valve to its casing. When properly inserted, the top of the valve should easily screw back into place.

Be sure to grease the slides regularly. Your teacher will recommend special slide grease and valve oil, and will help you apply them when necessary.

CAUTION: If a slide, a valve, or your mouthpiece becomes stuck, ask for help from your band teacher or music dealer. Special tools should be used to prevent damage to your instrument.

***Your teacher will give you a handout on how to clean your trumpet.

VIOLIN & VIOLA

1. Never touch the bow hair, or the wooden part of the instrument with your hands.

2. Protect your instrument from extreme heat, cold, and quick temperature changes.

3. Wipe any rosin off your instrument with a soft cloth.

4. Place a cloth over your violin or viola before closing your case. Be sure to latch the case.

5. Loosen the bow hair after every use. Tighten it the same amount every time before playing.

6. Keep your instrument away from those who do not know how to properly care for it.

7. Do not attempt to repair your instrument. Tell your teacher or qualified music dealer if something needs to be fixed.

from Essential Elements 2000 by O'Reilly and Williams, published by Hal Leonard Corp.

Additional tips for taking care of your string instrument:

Your instrument is your baby.  You should take very good care of it.  Some of this may seem like common sense, but you never know.

The Case

When not in use, keep the instrument in its case.  Hanging from the shower rod: not a good idea.

Never force the case closed.  If you have to force it shut, something's wrong.  Fix it, don't make the problem worse by breaking something.

Do not keep music, programs, or liquid polish inside the case. Or gum. Remove shoulder rest before placing in case.  Duh.

Vacuum case periodically to remove rosin particles. 

The Instrument

Do not expose instrument to extreme heat, cold, dampness, or dryness.

Do not leave your instrument in the car.  Especially in summer and winter, if you go inside, take your instrument with you. Set it in the seat next to you.

Handle instrument at its neck and chin rest or endpin.  You don't want someone picking you up by your hair: don't pick your instrument up by the strings.

Check regularly the position and angle of the bridge.  If bridge does not stand at right angle to top of instrument (i.e. leaning slightly towards tailpiece), ask instructor or instrument repair person to adjust.

Wipe rosin and perspiration from instrument with a soft cloth after each use.

If you notice a crack in the instrument or the soundpost has fallen down:

1. Do not play on the instrument.

2. Loosen pegs to reduce string tension at once.

3. Take the instrument to a qualified string repair person as soon as possible.  Always keep an extra set of strings as replacement for broken or worn strings.

The Bow

Tighten bow to playing tension, careful to maintain the inward curvature of the stick.  If it curves outward, you're trying to make it into the wrong kind of bow.

Loosen hair sufficiently to release tension on stick when not in use.

Do not touch bow hair; natural skin oils will make the hair slick and resistant to rosin. I know it looks pretty and smooth, but hands off.

Apply rosin by "bowing"  firmly and slowly on rosin cake.  A little rosin applied regularly is better than a lot of rosin applied infrequently.  It's like eating; have some food every day and don't pig out.

Do not drop, wave, or lean on bow. It's not a cane or a sword.

Have bow rehaired at least once a year or when bow hair becomes worn or broken.

Knowing how to care for your instrument can increase its longevity and value over time.  Treat it well and it may do the same for you.