Piano Tuning should be done every 6 months!
Contact me for a recommended, professionally trained local piano tuner!
Brush teeth or drink water before playing instrument to avoid getting food/sugars into your instrument.
Clarinet/Saxophone: Store reeds in reed guard and rotate reeds each time you play to allow reeds to completely dry out between uses. If sick, soak reeds in a bacteria killing mouthwash such as Listerine. Consider throwing reeds away after serious illness such as strep throat, flu, coronavirus, etc.
Woodwinds: Clean your instrument every time after playing.
Brass: Empty water key (spit valve) when done playing.
Wash your instrument cleaning swabs and spit rags frequently.
Wash your mouthpiece with warm soapy water. Rinse well and dry completely. (Not for flutes!)
See below for information on mouthpiece brushes to use
If moisture is present then the virus will stay active as long as there is moisture.
The virus, right now, does not stay active in mold or the other icky things in an instrument unless there is moisture present.
Used reeds should be disposed of at a certain point as they will retain the virus longer.
Disassembling the entire instrument without cleaning it and let it dry disassembled for a week will kill the virus if it is infected.
Of course cleaning it disassembled and letting it dry would be a better option.
Surfaces of the instrument will not hold the virus for more than 72 hours like we know about other materials as long as it is dry.
Brass Mouthpiece Brush: https://riemanmusic.com/p-100081-brass-mouthpiece-brush-venture-v1022.aspx
Clarinet and Sax Mouthpiece Brush: https://riemanmusic.com/p-100086-woodwind-mouthpiece-brush-venture-v1021.aspx
Brush teeth or drink water before playing your instrument to avoid getting food/sugars into your instrument.
Wash your instrument cleaning swabs and spit rags frequently.
Use a cleaning rod and tshirt cleaning cloth to clean out each piece of your instrument.
Use polishing cloth on the outside to shine it up.
Use polishing cloth on the ends of joints to clean off so they go together easily.
Check head joint to be sure the cork is in the correct place.
Check for loose screws and undone springs. (Do not tighten top screws!)
Have at least four working reeds at all times.
When first using a new reed, soak it in a cup of water while putting instrument together. Press water out on a flat, hard surface before playing. Do this for the first 3-4 days of a new reed.
Store reeds in reed guard and rotate reeds each time you play to allow reeds to completely dry out.
If sick, soak reeds in a bacteria killing mouthwash such as Listerine. Consider throwing reeds away after serious illness such as strep throat, flu, coronavirus, etc.
Clean mouthpiece occasionally with warm water, drop of hand soap & gentle cleaning with brush. Rinse well and dry completely.
Check for loose screws and undone springs.
Clarinet: Take off mouthpiece before swabbing. Turn clarinet upside down and put swab weight in bell. Pull swab through the instrument 2-3 times.
Clarinet: Use cork grease on corks to keep them in good shape and usable.
Sax: Take off mouthpiece and neck before swabbing. Pull swab through the neck. Put swab weight in bell & turn sax upside down to retrieve swab. Pull swab through the instrument 2-3 times.
Sax: Be careful with octave arm when putting neck on and off saxophone.
Sax: Use polishing cloth on end of neck joint to clean off so they go together easily.
Brush teeth or drink water before playing an instrument to avoid getting food/sugars into your instrument.
Do not “pop” the mouthpiece!
Empty water key (spit valve) daily when done playing.
Wash your instrument spit rags frequently.
Clean mouthpiece weekly with warm water, drop of hand soap & gentle cleaning with brush.
Use polishing cloth on the outside to shine it up.
Use cork grease on tuning slides to keep them moving easily.
Take care not to drop your valve when taking it out for oiling.
When valves are sticking: unscrew & remove valve, put few drops of valve oil on valve, return to instrument turning valve to spread oil all around inside of casing, be sure to click into place, tighten to secure.
Use “rotary valve oil” only on valves. Remove cap, apply few drops of oil, return cap, move key.
Daily: Spray inner slide with spray bottle a few times before playing
Weekly: Wipe off old grease, then apply grease or slide-o-mix. Gently move slide out to 6th position, put few drops of slide-o-mix slide or slide grease on inner slide, pull outer slide back to 1st and move in and out to spread grease throughout the slide