Recommended Clarinet 'Care Kit'

The Clarinet Care Kit

I was obliged to make some recommendations when a new beginner pupil has come to me with a clarinet and no additional accessories. The instrument had sticky pads and dirty keys. The following were my recommendations for a ‘care kit’ for years to come...

Thoughts - 

I have never felt the need to bombard a novice player with a bewildering and costly list of ‘extras’ or special equipment as they begin their study. A well made instrument, quality mouthpiece, appropriate reeds and the development of good habits and practice discipline rate much higher in my priorities. However, some items are sensible to purchase and introduced from the outset so that an instrument can be well cared for, serve better and its value maintained.

To address the sticky pads I would recommend cleaning paper. Cleaning paper is paper that has a finely ribbed texture and which has no sticky gum line like one would find with cigarette paper. It is used to absorb excess moisture when smaller tone holes have become blocked through a build up of water or as a first level treatment for the onset of the ‘tacky’ sound of a sticky pad. Cleaning paper can be used when pad surfaces are wet but the sheets are very thin and are likely to disintegrate if used under too great a pressure. Yamaha make a good product.

If the sticky pad problem persists move on to powder paper. The application of powder paper has been around for years as a treatment to reduce the surface adhesion of pads to tone holes on woodwind instrument, i.e. the familiar ‘tacky’ sound on the lifting of a pad that is caused by a build up of saliva or moisture on the surface from playing or even just during transport when keys are held shut for a long period. The powder residue on the paper creates a new barrier between the pad surface and the tone hole rim. Best applied when the pad surface is dry. Once again, Yamaha make a fine product.

For individual ‘problem pads’ I would recommend the BG Pad Dryers. These are a washable, micro fibre fabric product that provides an alternative to cigarette paper or cleaning paper to use for removal of moisture from tone holes. Simply insert between pad surface and tone hole and allow the moisture to be soaked up into the Pad Dryer. They are very absorbent and one Pad Dryer is intended to last for years of regular use.

To avoid moisture build up in the first place an absolute must is a good cleaning swab. Many types are available, good and bad, but my preference runs to the Dryer Swab which I helped design. I believe that this is simply the best clarinet swab on the market for both absorption and easy of use. Designed with an asymmetrical shape that makes pulling through the clarinet far easier and the brushed cotton fabric used is both highly absorbent and durable. The addition of a ‘pull back’ strap is a bonus ‘belt and braces’ extra to lend confidence when using the swab. High quality alternatives from BG and Yamaha are also available, each with different features. All of these are preferred to basic cotton or felt versions on the market.

Every clarinettist should use some type of cork grease to aid in the assembly of their instrument and to preserve the cork itself. Most brands are acceptable but some stand out for being either longer lasting or more effective. Rico and D’Addario greases are good, Elm bark grease from Doctor Slick products is a very ‘clean’ product and Selmer Tuning Slide and Cork Grease is deservedly recommended.

To clean around keywork a traditional shaving brush is the best quick answer to removal of dust and link from between keywork mechanisms on any clarinet (or other woodwind). Simply use the brush to lightly and quickly dislodge particles that otherwise might ‘gum up’ mechanisms or compromise the seating of the pads themselves. Regular use will not only keep an instrument looking better but playing better as well.

I like to see all players using mouthpiece patches to protect their mouthpiece and aid the formation of good habits for teeth placement. For most purposes I would recommend ‘thick’ patches, as they tend to be more durable and provide a greater cushion for the teeth. Thinner patches serve well to reduce mouthpiece wear and are almost unnoticeable to the player. Yamaha, BG and Kolbl are leading brands.

To protect reeds from damaged and warping once they begin to be used some type of reed storage device, other than that supplied by the reed manufacturer, should be used. Whether to hold 1, 2, 4, 6 or 8 reeds or more, something that will protect the reed tip, allow for air circulation during storage will help reeds to serve better and last longer. Many brands are available and some of these are small enough to store easily inside a case and some that also feature a humidity control.

Finally a silver polish cloth, used to wipe over keywork after playing to remove fingerprints reduce oxidation tarnish is a good practice. Denis Wick and others offer good, generous cloths for the purpose.

These products represent my suggestions for a best practice maintenance ‘kit’. As a player progresses and becomes more discriminating the enhancements to be found from experimentation with equipment including the upgrade of instruments, experiencing different mouthpiece options, learning about varieties of reeds and the effects of different ligature designs, barrels, bells, etc. are all waiting to be discovered – but after a good foundation in playing has been laid.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful. 

Thomas Dryer-Beers

Cracks In Wooden Instruments - Do They Matter? CASS Article

Cracks In Wooden Instruments - Do They Matter?

The vexed question of cracks in wooden clarinets and oboes arises frequently and can be the cause of much anxiety for players or potential purchasers of instruments. A bit of background may help to bridge a gap in the perception of cracking, its reason for occurrence and its relevance to performance. I wish to state that this blog entry is a sharing of information and a relation of my experience over many years - it is not a scientific treatise and should not be interpreted as such.

The African blackwood Grenadilla, latin name Dalbergia melanoxylon, or mpingo in Swahili, which is chosen for most wooden instruments is among the densest wood available for instrument manufacture. It has been the wood of choice for centuries, prized for its stability, workability and resonance for the purpose. It is still a piece of wood. The wood has a grain and the grain is a natural occurrence.  Blackwood grows very slowly (hence its density) and with a very close grain that helps to resist motion and absorption of moisture. The best wood is quite rare and supplies are diminishing worldwide so manufacturers take great care of their wood stocks and use them very efficiently.

Once the wood is harvested, billets are cut from which the joints, barrels and bells will eventually be manufactured. Since the late 1970's until the present day the billets are subjected to a heat and pressure treatment by the manufacturers to stabilise them and further reduce the likelihood of cracks occurring. For instruments manufactured before this technology came into use oil soaking was employed to the same end.

FYI - This is why oiling is not often recommended for modern instruments as it tends to be ineffectual and is more likely to cause damage to pads than real protection to the wood. For older instruments oiling with almond or linseed oil can be very helpful but the caveat of taking great care not to oil in excess must be observed. Oil will shorten the life of any pad with which it comes into contact. If you do wish to oil an instrument use a dedicated swab, chamois leather if available, and only apply a small quantity of oil at a time. Oil the inside of the instrument, as this is where the oil has a preventative role stopping moisture absorption. If the outside of the instrument has a 'tired' or dry look about it some oil may be applied to 'liven up' the appearance but do exercise caution.

Should the wood grain on the surface of an instrument 'open up', either following use or due to climate changes, it is a sign of the wood releasing tension and if this is sorted out by a skilled repairer, usually by the application of modern 'super glue(s)', the wood will actually be more stable than previously and the repaired 'crack' will be made invisible. If the crack opens up to a greater extent and goes through the wood entirely it may require more extensive attention including the possibility of 'pinning' to stabilise it - this is the more serious insertion of a screw mechanism into the wood which is used to draw together the walls of the crack. Prior to the advent of super glue technology this was the common practice to address cracks. If the crack goes through to the edge of a tone hole sealing with glue may work and should be tried initially but it may be necessary for an experienced repairer to insert a liner, usually made of plastic, and remake the tone hole itself. Once this is done the instrument should perform 'as good as new' and will be even less likely to have a similar problem in the same are in the future.

I have played on clarinets and oboes that have had cracks both sealed and pinned for many years with no loss of performance or my confidence in them. When a crack happens on a new instrument despite the best efforts of the manufacturer, if it still under warranty (typically a 1 year warranty is standard with exceptional manufacturers offering a 2 year warranty against cracking) in most cases the instrument will be received back by the manufacturer to have the crack assessed for either repair or  joint replacement. If an instrument is out of warranty an experienced repairer should be able to offer the same attention and the same likelihood of a successful repair to the instrument.

Players can dramatically reduce the occurrence of cracking by observing some very simple care suggestions:

• Use the swab frequently during practice sessions and performances
• Pull it through slowly to allow for absorption of moisture - do not 'whip it though'
• Blow across opened upper joint tone and trill key holes to dislodge moisture
• Clean the inside of joint recesses to remove accumulated moisture
• Use cork grease regularly as this helps both assembly and to seal joint tenons
• Avoid moisture extremes wherever possible
• Avoid 'stressing' cold instruments with warm air, always bring to room temperature before use
• Never store instruments in cold conditions
• Avoid direct sunlight or any heat source that could damage the wood
• Examine your instrument regularly but without anxiety - just get to know it's natural condition
• If a grain is noticed to be opening up have it seen to straight away and you will likely have no further trouble

In my experience it is extremely rare that a grain 'crack' has not been able to be successfully and cosmetically satisfactorily corrected. I have taken more than a little solace in the knowledge that should a crack happen and been sorted out my (an) instrument is actually better off and more stable than it was previously when the 'crack' was waiting to happen. It is a bit like the adage 'Whatever does not kill you makes you stronger' and but another example for the musician to heed.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.
Thomas Dryer-Beers 

Reed Adjustment - A Survival Guide for the Single Reed Player

Reed Adjustment – a Survival Guide for the Single Reed Player

The single reed that clarinet and saxophone players rely upon is a piece of cane (from bamboo, Arundo Donax, therefore wood) which, when in use, is continually changing state between moist and dry conditions. The reed fibres swell and contract with moisture absorption and evaporation. In addition, the fibres of the cane are tubes that will collect skin cells from lip tissue and handling as well as saliva residue, food particles and dirt. The fibres will also, over time, lose their resilience after being subjected to the many hundreds of thousands of vibrations required in order to produce the tones we all love to make.

 No wonder reeds need care and attention!

To make your reeds last longer and player better try the following: 
Have a planned ‘break-in’ routine with your reeds - 

• Soak your reed for 30 seconds to 1 minute, in warm water if possible, tap / cold water if warm is not possible, or soak in your mouth if no water source is available.

• Place on a flat surface and press with your thumb along the vamp of the reed before playing for a maximum of 5 minutes when new. 

• Place that reed safely in a reed storage case and repeat with another new reed.

One should ideally try to have 3-4 reeds on the go at any time so as to avoid getting ‘caught out’ with nothing ready to play. Once a reed has settled the period of use can be extended to an hour or more over several sessions. If a reed is working particularly well you may wish to set it aside and mark it for performance use in the future.

If on the other hand a reed does not seem to be performing as well as you wish then it is time to see if it can be improved …

Sounding dull / playing with a stuffy, resistant feel -

Place the wetted reed on a flat surface and use reedrush (natural sandpaper), a ReedGeek tool or a very sharp, straight knife and gently work at the tip area to remove some of the some cane (always stroke away from the reed tip, never back towards it). If the tip area is evened up and made more flexible this may be all that is required. If the reed is still ‘not right’ check that the underside of the reed is truly flat by sighting along the underside of the reed with a flat ruler or straight edge of the knife looking in the direction of a strong light. If you see daylight leaking through either at the edges or in the middle then the underside of the reed has warped and must be flattened. You can use the tool edge or the straight edge of the knife to accomplish this. Finally, if this is not enough you can experiment with removal of some cane in the ‘heart’ region to reduce resistance. Be careful – you cannot put anything back once it has been removed.

If a reed is almost right but just feels a bit like ‘to much hard work’ try placing reed on the mouthpiece as usual and then press it in towards the facing with your thumb, holding it in a closed position for 10 seconds or so. I refer to this practice as ‘pre-ageing’ a reed and it can often be all a new reed needs to quickly settle in ready for successful use. 

Sounding thin / playing without enough resistance -

 First, test to see if it seems to play better when positioned ‘too high’ on the mouthpiece (i.e. deliberately extending the reed over the end of the mouthpiece tip by 1mm or so). If this seems promising then try to return strength to the reed by clipping it with a reed cutter (Cordier is my  favourite clipper, Vandoren do a fine precision clipper for their own reed range). Work in small stages and try blowing again following each clip. When the resistance feels right the reed may need re-balancing at the tip (see above) as you have effectively returned thicker wood to the tip through the clipping process.

The changing nature of reeds -

Once good reed begins to decline try rejuvenating it by gently placing it on the mouthpiece and with the ligature in place, insert a thin/stiff playing card between reed and mouthpiece facing and gently bend the reed away from the mouthpiece using the card. Re-test. This often does just enough to get through a concert or rehearsal session.

If you are returning to a reed which was once good and now seems to perform differently it is useful to bear in mind that changes of humidity and moisture content will affect cane reeds and what the reed may require is breaking in again or a review given a change of season. Do not throw it away as in a month or two it may be 'just right' once again.

In summary - 

The ability to analyse reed behaviour and to be resourceful with various adjustment options in the face of the inevitable challenges posed by the use of cane reeds is of great benefit to all players. This knowledge increases your confidence, reduces pre-performance stress, and leads to more playing enjoyment and helps to save money!

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.
 

Thomas Dryer-Beers

Owning and Caring for a Wooden Clarinet

Owning and Caring for a Wooden Clarinet

 This is a subject of interest to all clarinet players at some point in their musical progress and of vital understanding for teachers or those in a position of influence and guidance for younger players. I hope the following thoughts and suggestions will be found helpful.

Why purchase a wooden bodied instrument in the first place?

The short answer is that it should sound better and almost without exception be more rewarding to play than even the best of the plastic bodied models. However, to understand the reason for the recommendation (and the expense) of upgrading to a wooden instrument a few other points might be useful to bear in mind:

• Grenadilla (African Blackwood), the wood from which most instruments are made, grows very slowly and is in short supply, and the highest quality wood, with the greatest density of grain, is rarer still.
• The billets of wood (the rectangular blocks of wood cut to size from the tree trunk and limbs) are stored and dried for years and specially treated before being turned into instruments.
• While computer aided manufacture is now common for boring the billets, the cutting of tone holes and the making of keywork, much handwork for the fitting of keys, padding and finishing remains. The workers undertaking this work are specialists who have been highly trained for years.
• Most metal parts are silver plated to a high standard of finish and the turned wood is stained and polished.
• Even the least expensive model ranges carry these costs but corners are cut to help to hold down prices at the intermediate and upgrade levels. More expensive and professional quality top end instruments receive additional finishing by hand to balance resonance and playing response as well as careful final fine-tuning. Such instruments are quality control tested by experts prior to release for sale.
• Cases, accessories and mouthpieces supplied add to the overall cost.

Care tips and suggestions

Once you have invested in your lovely instrument you will hopefully wish to take good care of it. Developing a few good habits and taking on board a couple of tips will pay large dividends in long term performance and service.

• Handle the clarinet carefully during both assembly and disassembly. Apply cork grease whenever needed and when handling hold the instrument in such a way as to avoid damaging or bending the keywork.
• Warm up the instrument before playing by holding in your hands or placing under your arm for a time and never blow warm/hot air down the tube as this will risk stressing the wood.
• After playing use a swab to dry out the instrument including the recesses of the barrel and joints - moisture often accumulates here as well. Do this frequently during a practice session and draw the swab through slowly even allowing it to come to a stop for several seconds in the top joint to allow it to absorb the moisture within and not just 'spread it around'. There are many brands of swab available and using any are better than doing nothing but my favourite, for many reasons including the fact that I designed it, is the Dryer Swab available from Woodwind & Reed and Reeds Direct Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk/clarinet.../the-dryer-pull-through-bbaeb-clarinet.asp ) Follow the link to read about this product. It is pictured here: 

 

• If your wooden instrument is brand new you should consider being kind to it and playing it for short periods of time - say 30 minutes maximum at a session - then giving an hour or so to recover before playing again. Following this routine for a settling-in period of a month or so can avoid many future problems.
• If, despite your best efforts, a joint becomes stiff to assemble or remove then you may be experiencing a swelling of the wood due to moisture. A skilled repairer will be able to sort this problem out but if, in the meantime, you need to remove the offending joint then here is a tip: Hold the stuck parts firmly one in each hand and exert a rocking pressure in each of the four points of the compass to try to 'break' the tension of the wood-to-wood contact that has developed. Patiently repeat as necessary. You may have to leave the stuck portions for a period of time or even overnight to allow for drying out and then repeat the process. This almost always works but is of course best to avoid through regular use of your swab.
• It is not generally necessary to use bore oil on modern era instruments (post approx 1980), as their wood has usually been pressure treated. However, for older instruments or wherever the wood has begun to look 'dry' a light oiling with almond oil or a proprietary bore oil can be helpful. Do not apply in excess as the oil can run and will eat away at pads and attract lint.
• It is very good advice to have your clarinet checked over by a skilled repairer once a year as any instrument can suffer adjustment or regulation problems from the atmosphere, handling, compression and moisture whether used infrequently, regularly or heavily. 

Having said all the above it remains to add that playing and taking care of your wooden clarinet should be a great joy as well as a responsibility. The tips above should help you to increase the pleasure you experience from playing and reduce both the cost and frustration related to maintenance.


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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers

Instrument Assembly Tips - Woodwind & Brass

We all are creatures of habit when it comes to assembling musical instrument(s). It is my hope that by observing the following tips one should be able to avoid creating problems and thereby help ensure the very best performance from the instrument. 

Note: Players have their own approach to assembly, sometimes informed, most often formed simply out of repetition. There is such a thing as 'best practice' in the assembly of an instrument. The bottom line should be to assemble (and disassemble) without putting delicate keywork or valves at risk. Thomas 

• Pay attention and handle with care - never in a rush 
• Avoid placing unnecessary pressure on key work or valves
• Keep all cork joints and valves/slides lubricated and metal cleaned
• Carefully clean following use

  

Instrument Assembly Tips

My suggestions are summarised below:

Flute – Make sure the tenon joints (headjoint and body tube) are clean and free of dirt and grease. Holding the main tube at the ferrule with the left hand, and the footjoint with the right hand positioned at the bottom with thumb on the low C-key, align the joints and twist the footjoint into place with a gentle back and forth motion. The pillar of the Eb/D#-key is usually positioned approximately 2/3 to 3/4  down the length of the D-key touch. Continue to hold the ferrule with the left hand and assemble the headjoint with the same motion. Align the headjoint by sighting down the flute from headjoint end after assembly and lining up the embouchure hole to proper playing position with the headjoint pulled out between 3-5mm for most playing situations.

Clarinet – Make sure the joints are well greased. Holding the upper joint between the LH fingers and palm (fingers where fingers go is an easy way to communicate this) and grasping the lower joint with the RH over the bottom of the joint with thumb closing the low E-key bring the joints together in a twisting motion rotating as you do so that the bridge key linking the RH rings to lift the LF Bb/Eb-key arm lines up properly. Continue to hold the clarinet in the left hand and add the barrel with a twisting motion then re-grasp the clarinet in the LH with the palm holding down both low E and F (F#)-key cups and add the bell with the twisting motion. It is traditional to line up the insignias when present but this is not vital. Finally add the mouthpiece to the assembled instrument pushing down while resting the clarinet bell on a chair or leg if desired. The reed can then be positioned with ease. The entire assembly (and disassembly) can be accomplished in under 10 seconds using this method.

Sax – Assemble the mouthpiece alone to the crook into rough tuning position first then add reed and ligature. Following that, grasp the instrument by the bell with the LH and taking the crook assembly with the RH over the top of the crook and with pressure exerted between palm and finger tips and slip a finger under the octave key arm near the pad (for alto and tenor sax). Then bring the crook and body together in a side to side rotating motion while watching that the octave key arm does not foul the octave key link tube on the sax body. This is to avoid inadvertently causing damage to the octave key extension are above the body or bend the delicate lever arm on the crook itself. When assembling double crook sopranos take care to hold the crook carefully between fingers and thumb at the octave key mount to better control the assembly and help avoid wrenching the octave key arm out of alignment.

Oboe – Make sure the joints are well greased. Grasping the upper joint in the LH between fingers and palm ‘fingers where fingers go’ and holding the lower joint in the RH with the bottom of the joint in the palm and thumb over the low B-key align the tenons and assemble with a small rotating back and forth motion while watching carefully that any link keywork is not damaged – ending up in proper alignment for G# regulation screw, conservatoire link keywork and duplicated trill key mechanism when present. This is often (but not always) achieved by lining up the pillar posts. Re-grasp the oboe bottom joint with the LH palm below the thumbrest and fingers curved over the feather key rod (the long key starting with the LH little finger touch and operating the low B and Bb-keys) and closing the RH finger keys and take the bell in the RH with thumb depressing the low Bb-key. With a rotating motion assemble and align the link key(s). Finally, add the reed last holding it with fingers squeezing at the thread and pushing the corked staple down into the receiver tube in the top joint. This is often made easier by resting the bottom of the bell on a chair and having both hands free to steady the oboe and insert the reed.

Bassoon – Make sure the joints are well greased. Take the wing joint in the RH with palm over the holes and finger tips in the ‘cut away’ on the opposite side. Insert the wing into the small hole of the boot joint and make sure the cut away portion is lined up with the larger hole (used for the long joint) in a concentric ark – make sure you do not damage the crook key link mechanism – it must finish up above the boot joint lever arm. Next grasp the long joint over the top end with the RH holding down the low B key with fingers and insert this joint to the boot joint larger hole being careful to not over rotate the joint and cause the low D#/C#-keywork to bash into the wing joint. Then rest the partially assembled instrument with the boot joint on the ground and holding the long joint with the LH over the B-key with palm grasp the bell joint with the RH placing the thumb over the Bb-key and assemble and line up the keywork. Add the ‘bird’ or handrest. The final stage of assembly is adding the crook (held between RH fingers and palm in the ‘middle of the bend’ to the top of the wing joint being careful to line up the ‘nipple’ with the crook key pad and add the reed last.

Brass –

Brass instruments are much simpler to handle and assemble but still deserve respect and consideration. Always try to avoid unnecessary pressure on slides and valves and take time to move the slides frequently to avoid them becoming 'locked in' or stuck. Take care to insert the mouthpiece with only a gentle twist into the receiver – never a tap!

Trombones are assembled with extra care with the slide lock engaged to avoid the outer slide shooting off out onto the floor and to avoid any chance of denting the slide itself. Once assembled the bell and slide should form an acute angle (at least a right angle) with the bell on the left for playing position and both the slide and the bell sections able to be held comfortably by the left hand palm, index and first fingers.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers

Care of Brass instruments Oiling / Greasing

This is my overview of care suggestions for all the brass instrument family. It has been a training guide for non-brass players as well as a 'best practice' suggestion for players and teachers. I hope you will find it useful. Thomas

Care of Brass Instruments: Oiling / Greasing

Regular lubrication of slides, tuning slides and valves is an absolute requirement for brass players who desire the proper functioning of their instruments. Without such regular care the likelihood of problems both short and long term are dramatically increased. However, because it takes a bit of time to do and the consequences of not caring for the instrument are not fully appreciated, it is constantly overlooked.

Tuning slides should be regularly moved and never allowed to set in one position for too long as this will lead to them ‘sticking’. What happens is that the tubing exposed to air begins to degrade / oxidise and the inner stocking of tubing exposed to moisture is collecting food particles, saliva and a coating from condensation on the tubing as well. By lubricating all contact surfaces with slide grease and frequently resetting the tuning/slide positions both problems are reduced. If the slides becomes difficult to move then the accumulated residue can be removed by coating the tubing with valve oil or a degreasing agent, the slide given a thorough rubbing to remove the build up, followed by wiping over and re-lubricating The rubbing can be done with a textured scrubbing sponge such as might be used for cleaning of dishes or a fabric cloth of an open weave. Be careful to not leave scouring marks on the tubing as this contributes to an increase of problems in the future. The inside of the tuning slides can be cleaned using a lighter / thinner cloth threaded through a cleaning rod - a flute rod can be very useful for this. Coat the cloth with valve oil or a degreasing agent and insert and remove repeatedly followed by re-lubricating as necessary. Every now and then (some players choose to do this every 6 months or so) the valves should be removed and the entire inside of the instrument washed out - i.e. 'given a bath' - in warm, NEVER HOT, water and then the above cleaning process undertaken followed by lubrication and reassembly.

Trombone slides are best lubricated with a proprietary slide cream and then sprayed with water afterwards. Remember to lubricate the ‘stockings’ as well – they are located at the very bottom of the inner slide and they receive the greatest contact with the outer slide. A properly lubricated trombone slide should feel practically weightless in use. Any grinding or hesitation in movement at all is undesirable. It is good practice to wipe off the cream occasionally and reapply so that excess does not build up.

Trumpets / Cornets and all standard valve instruments require oiling to their valve almost every time they are played. Waiting till a valve begins to stick is asking for trouble. It is not necessary to fully remove the valve from the casing entirely - simply unscrew the top cap and lift the valve assembly up about half way out of the casing then squirt a few drops of valve oil on the valve surface and spin it around inside the casing while lifting up and down to distribute the oil on all surfaces. Locate the ‘click’ position of the valve guide and gently spin into place. Before the reassembly of the valve top cap put a drop of oil on the screw threads as well (good to do the same to the bottom caps at the same time) and they will function better. This is because valve oil, a petroleum based product, helps to stop the ingress of moisture and acts as a cleaning agent as well as a lubricant. In other words it functions both as a preventative and restorative. Every now and then the inside of the casings will benefit from a thorough cleaning. Use a soft, lint free cloth over a dowel rod to run through the valve casing to remove any build up within. Wipe over the valve surface of the valve itself and re-lubricate.

Once all three valves are returned to their positions a test to see that they are in the correct place is to blow through the leadpipe while ‘twiddling’ all the valves rapidly up and down. At all times it should feel that air is flowing freely through the instrument. If you sense resistance at any point then one or more of the valves is probably out of ‘click’ position, possibly reversed, and you will need to check them all for the correct position.

French horn valves are a little different as they are ‘rotary’ valves and revolve on a bearing. It is best to use proprietary French horn valve, bearing and rotor oil when lubricating the valves and valve mechanisms. Valve oil is usually applied without disturbing the valve in the casing by adding a few drops through the port of a removed tuning slide. Do not over oil or you are sure to hear the ‘gurgling’ of trapped oil in the tubing when blowing. As horn players very frequently remove their tubing for the clearance of built up saliva / water they often have the cleanest and smoothest functioning valves and slides of any of the brass family. Their valves need to move especially easily as they are operated via a string or connection arm and not receive direct pressure from fingers.

If through neglect or abuse valves or slides become very stuck it is best they be seen to by an experienced repairer who may have to soak the instrument in a cleaning agent or use force and or heat to get the troublesome slide/valve to release and then spend have to spend costly time cleaning and returning the instrument to good condition. Obviously this is best avoided.

A final comment – when assembling the mouthpiece simply place gently in the receiver of the leadpipe and give a gentle twist to secure it. NEVER TAP ON THE MOUTHPIECE. There is no need for this and it will likely result in the mouthpiece becoming stuck.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers