Woodwinds can be very finicky because they have a lot of moving parts, keys, screws, etc. However, regular care and maintenance is VERY easy and can help prevent major issues with your instrument.

Reeds

If your child plays clarinet, saxophone, oboe, or bassoon, their instrument uses a reed. The reed is quite possibly the most important part of their instrument - Good reeds support good sounds. Bad reeds cause bad sounds! In 2017, Dr. Shelley Jagow (professor of saxophone at WSU and a professional Vandoren clinician) completed a research project with beginning band students at Coy MS in which she studied the effects of different reeds and mouthpieces on tone production. You can click HERE to read about her findings and hear the difference between good and bad reeds and/or mouthpieces - it is incredibly noticeable when a student plays on a good vs. a bad reed!

Long story short - reeds are disposable and students should throw them a way as soon as they look "not-new." Any chips, cracks, color changes, etc. are a sign the reed is ready for the trash can. Students should always have 2-3 reeds on hand at all times. Reeds are given to students but there is not an endless supply, so responsibility is important!

Additionally, reeds should be stored in a proper reed case and not on the instrument. There are two big reasons for this - first, the reed case will allow the reed to dry properly to prevent warping and/or mold (both of which will turn the reed into garbage). Second, leaving the reed on the mouthpiece creates a breeding ground for bacteria and mold which is gross and can actually make you sick if left to fester long enough!

Instrument

Moisture is an enemy to any woodwind instrument and we want to do what we can to keep the instrument dry. When you play, a small amount of condensation and saliva will accumulate in the body of your instrument. It is very important to swab the instrument after every use. Flutes should have a thin, silk cleaning swab while clarinets, saxes, and oboes will have a silk swab attached to a long string. When swabbing, check your swab for knots before starting, swab one piece at a time, and go from the big end to the small end. This will prevent the swab from getting stuck in your instrument. If your swab does get stuck/caught, do NOT pull on it - bring it to Mrs. Kienzle to be fixed. Trying to yank the swab out can cause irreversible damage to your instrument.

Woodwinds have lots of screws, springs, and rods that allow the keys to move. These have to be precisely adjusted for everything to work properly - do NOT try to move or adjust any of these parts your self. Some screws may look loose but they are actually in the right spot. However, if you notice a part that is coming unscrewed or loose, bring it to Mrs. Kienzle ASAP - she can let you know if it is fine or fix it is need be.

written by Ankeney Middle School Band director, edited by Mrs. Kienzle

Taking proper care of your instrument is very important in order to keep it in good working condition and ensure it lasts a very long time. Please follow the instructions below for basic cleaning of your instrument and oiling of your valves/slides.

HOW TO OIL YOUR VALVES/SLIDE

General Tips

• Always oil your valves before important performance events, such as concerts, rehearsals and lessons. Even if they’re working fine now, they could start sticking at the worst possible moment.

• If one of your valves is sticking, OIL ALL THREE! If you oil only the valve that’s sticking, you can almost guarantee that another one will soon stick.

• Keep your valves (and your entire instrument) clean! You can oil your valves all day long, but if there’s a cat hair in there, they’ll keep sticking anyway!

Trumpets, Baritones, & Tubas

• Unscrew the valve caps on all three valves at the same time, then pull each valve PARTWAY out - do not complete remove them yet (you don't want to get them mixed up!)

  • Be careful not to rotate the valves as you pull them. You don’t want to accidentally put them in backwards when you finish!

• Working on one valve at a time, put a few drops on the smooth exposed area of each valve. Three to four drops per valve should be plenty.

  • You don’t need to oil the spring, or the part of the valve that holds the spring. The only area that needs oil is the part that comes in contact with the valve casing

• Carefully slide the valves back into their original positions, taking care not to spin them as you do so. On most valves, there is a number on the spring area that tells you whether this is valve 1, 2 or 3. This number usually faces the mouthpiece.

  • DO NOT FORCE THE VALVES BACK IN – If you have any trouble getting the valves back into position, gently, slowly, and carefully wiggle them back and forth and up and down. This usually will do the trick.

• Once the valves are in position, carefully screw the valve caps back on. They should be only “finger-tight”. You want to be able to unscrew them easily next time you oil them!

• Final Testing- After everything is back in place, it’s always a good idea to blow some air through the horn and make sure everything is working. If you can, play a note or two to make sure they come out. If you’ve accidentally put a valve or two in backwards, you’ll discover it now instead of during your performance!

French Horns

French horns are the only brass instruments today that still commonly use the rotary valve system. The valve is operated with a key attached to a string that rotates the valve in its casing to manipulate the air flow through it. Rotary valves need consistent maintenance and can cause lasting problems if neglected. If a valve becomes sticky, it is probably already too late. Oil your valves frequently to avoid issues with them sticking. 

• Locate the bottle of Rotary Valve Oil that came with your care kit (don't try to use your trumpet, trombone, tuba friend's valve oil)

• Remove the first valve cap (turn counter-clockwise).

• Using the needle, apply a few drops of oil to the center of the rotary valve (should be elevated from the smooth circle around it).

• Move the corresponding key to work in the oil and repeat for each key

Trombone

• Place the end of your outer slide on the ground and extend your slide out to around 5th or 6th position.

• Apply a small amount of slide grease to the inner slide in a way that it trickles approximately 10 to 20 cm from the top of the inner slide towards the bottom.

• Spread the liquid by moving the outer slide back and forth several times.

written by Ankeney Middle School Band director, edited by Mrs. Kienzle