Instrument care

General

The instrument is very fragile, despite looking strong and solid. Please do not force, bend or drop any part of the instrument. Dents not only spoil the look of the instrument but can seriously affect its tuning and ease of playing. 

Mouthpiece 

The Mouthpiece must be put in and taken out with a gentle turning motion. It should be washed out thoroughly and often, either using a cotton-bud or special mouthpiece brush. Should the mouthpiece get jammed in, your tutor will be able to advise you on getting it safely extracted, at your next lesson.

Cleaning

• Trumpet and other piston valves will only need cleaning and oiling as and when they get sluggish or stick.
• Horn players can avoid sticking rotary valves by regular washing out of the instrument.
• Trombone slides need to be cleaned and creamed every few days and sprayed with water frequently.

All brass instruments collect small amounts of dirty deposits inside them, which must be washed out every few weeks, to avoid an unhygienic build-up. Remove all tuning slides and carefully place the instrument and slides in a bath of warm, soapy water. Leave for 10 minutes for all the deposits to loosen up. A flexible cleaning brush will help to get the insides of the tubes clean. Empty out the dirty water from the instrument and the tuning slides before rinsing through with clean, warm water. The instrument must be emptied of all water before drying it on an old towel.

Putting it back together

Dry the tuning slide ‘legs’, put a thin application of Vaseline or slide-cream on them, and put them back into the instrument, wiping off any Vaseline which has oozed out.

Cleaning valve instruments

Horn players must not attempt to take rotary valves apart; only occasionally will you need to apply valve oil to the valve linkage.

The Trombone inner and outer slide will need to be thoroughly rinsed out with clean water. Once the inner slide has been dried, apply a small amount of special slide-cream to the bottom ends of the slide and spread it around the lower, wider area, (roughly the last 10 centimetres). Carefully put the inner slide back into the outer one, having checked that both parts of the slide-lock are matched. Work it up and down a couple of times, then with most of the inner slide showing, spray it with water from a fine spray bottle.

For all other valve instruments, the piston valves should be removed one at a time and the bottom caps unscrewed, so that you can gently push a cloth though the valve case, either with a recorder cleaner or perhaps a pencil. Wipe the valve clean, lightly oil with valve oil (or just rinse in water), then carefully replace. Make sure that the valve guide is lined up so that the valve will slot into place.

Outside of the instrument

The outer finish of the instrument may be of unpolished brass, or of shiny lacquer, silver plate, or what remains of one of these. Ask your tutor about the best way to maintain its outward appearance.

Instrument case

Please do not attempt to put music books in the instrument case unless there is clearly a space provided and take all reasonable efforts to ensure that the instrument travels to and from school safely. Once at school, put your instrument in the place designated by the school. It is not recommended that you leave the instrument there overnight unless the school is prepared to accept responsibility for it.

These instruments are carefully made and increasingly expensive to buy and repair, but if discipline is exercised in their use, maintenance and storage, they will give very long service. There are instruments over 100 and 200 years old still in regular use in orchestras all over the world, and it is often these very old instruments that are the most valuable.

A ‘soft’ case will only protect the instrument from minor knocks and keep off dust, dirt and rain – you will still have to exercise great care when handling or carrying it. Please do not place any additional items in the case unless there is special provision in the design, since this is likely to damage the instrument. Always see that the means of fastening it are secure.

The body of the instrument should be kept clean and bright, and accumulations of rosin dust should be avoided – wipe them off with a soft, dry cloth. String instruments need to be kept in dry, temperate places, since dampness loosens the glue and too much heat (radiator, fire, sun) will harm the varnish.

The bridge is held in place by string pressure only, not glued on; it should be upright, or it may break. Check that the bridge is in the correct position before tuning it.

The sound post is situated inside, under the foot of the bridge (on the A-string of a cello, or the G-string side of a double bass). If it falls down, slacken the strings and please do not use the instrument until a qualified person has re-sited it. It is not glued in.

Strings

The strings will break if they are put under excessive tension. On the cello a fine tuner on each string makes tuning much easier, especially when metal strings are used. The tuners can be damaged if the instrument is squashed against something else in its case. Seek advice from your Tutor before replacing a string and ask them to put the new string on for you. In the early stages in learning Cello or Double bass tuning is best left to the Tutor as well.

Bow

Please avoid touching the hair of the bow with your fingers as it will become greasy and dirty.

After tightening the bow, rosin the hair on the bow from end to end regularly. Apply rosin by rubbing the bow hair on the rosin, not the rosin on the hair. Broken rosin is useless. You can buy small cakes of rosin from a music shop – be sure to ask for cello rosin or double bass rosin – there are different degrees of “stickiness”.

The bow must always be slackened after use, otherwise the stick may warp, and the hair pulls out. Only tighten the bow until there is a centimetre between the hair and the middle of the stick (perhaps one-and-a-half centimetres on the double bass). If the stick bows outwards even a little bit, it’s much too tight. Do not force the bow screw.

Packing and unpacking

If in any doubt as to where to hold the instrument, grab it by the neck. When unpacking a cello from a soft case, stand in an open space and always take the bow out the case first. Next, stand the instrument on its head, undo the fastenings, take the case off and pull the cello out. Sit down on the front of the chair and put the cello across your lap to lower the spike.

When packing the cello away into a soft case, place it across your lap and put the spike back in (not too far as it can be difficult to get out again), grab the cello by the neck with one hand and don’t let go, take the case by the neck with other hand and lift it over the cello. Check that the case is really on before letting go of the cello and holding by the case alone; stand the cello on its head and fasten it; put the bow in last.

Much the same advice applies to unpacking and packing a double bass except that it’s too big to turn upside down; keep it the right way up and lay it on its side on the floor to pull the spike out.

When not in use the instrument must be laid on its side (not on its back) with the spike in, or in a suitable storage place such as a rack. As previously mentioned, canvas cases provide little protection so extra care is needed when transporting and storing. Make sure the instrument does not become knocked or trapped in the door when going through and take extra care in windy weather. Your Tutor will offer you advice on how best to carry your instrument.

Cleaning

If you wish to clean the body of the instrument, use almond oil or a special polish from the music shop. Please do not use furniture polish.

Music and accessories

Keep your music flat – do not bend or roll it, and keep it separate from the instrument case.

When playing, keep your fingers away from the space between the fingerboard and the bridge – this is for bowing, and you don’t want to get rosin on your fingers and spread it all over the instrument or yourself. Fingernails should be kept short – long nails impede technique and harm strings and the fingerboard of the instrument.

Seek the advice of your tutor before buying accessories such as strings, mutes, endpin-holders, ‘T’ squares, double bass stools, etc.

• Your Instrumental Tutor will show you how take the instrument out of the case without moving the tuning pegs.
• On no account attempt any repairs yourself.
• Only tune the strings if you know exactly what you are doing-if they are over-tightened they can put excess pressure on the bridge causing it to break.
• Place the instrument case on a flat surface before opening – don’t open the case on your lap.
• Never put a guitar against a radiator-when the radiator is on it will warp the wood and melt the glue that is holding the instrument together.
• Ensure that the instrument remains dry.
• For home storage-music shops sell special stands for guitars or, even better, specially designed hooks that can be screwed to the wall. Storage-avoid high/low temperatures and sudden changes of temperature. Air humidity of 40-60% is ideal (a Digital Hygrometer will measure this).
• Do not use water-based furniture sprays to clean the instrument-a wipe down with a soft cloth after playing will suffice.

These instruments are carefully made and increasingly expensive to buy and repair, but if discipline is exercised in their use, maintenance and storage, they will give very long service. There are instruments over 100 years old still in regular use in orchestras all over the world, and it is often these very old instruments that are the most valuable.

The case is shaped to take the instrument safely and protect it against minor knocks, and also keeps it away from dust and dirt. Please do not place any additional items in the instrument case, unless there is special provision in the design, since this is likely to put strain on delicate parts and can cause serious damage. In inclement weather, ensure that rain and damp cannot get into the case, and always see that the means of fastening it are secure.

The body of the instrument should be kept clean and bright (e.g. you may use almond oil or a special polish from the music shop, but not furniture polish), and accumulations of rosin dust should be avoided – wipe them off with a soft, dry cloth which you keep with the instrument.

String instruments need to be kept in dry, temperate places, since dampness loosens the glue and too much heat (radiator, fire, sun) will harm the varnish.

The bridge is held in place by string pressure only, not glued on. It should be upright or it may break. Check that the bridge is in the correct position before tuning or playing.

The sound post is situated inside, under the foot of the bridge (on the E-string side of a violin). If it falls down, slacken the strings and do not use the instrument until a qualified person has re-sited it. It is not glued in.

Strings

The strings will break if they are put under excessive tension.  A fine tuner on each string makes tuning much easier, especially when metal strings are used.  Avoid screwing the fine tuners too far down as they may scratch the belly of the instrument.  Seek advice from your Tutor before replacing a string and ask them to put the new string on for you.  In the early stages of learning Violin or Viola tuning is best left to the Tutor as well.

Bow

Please avoid touching the hair of the bow with your fingers as it will become greasy and dirty. 

Rosin the hair on the bow from end to end regularly. After tightening the bow, apply rosin by rubbing the bow hair on the rosin, not the rosin on the hair. Broken rosin is useless. You can buy small cakes of rosin from a music shop but be sure to ask for violin/viola rosin (double-bass rosin, for instance, is much too “sticky”). 

The bow must always be slackened after use, otherwise the stick may warp and the hairs pull out. Only tighten the bow until there is a centimetre between the hair and the middle of the stick. If the stick bows outwards even a little bit, it’s much too tight. Do not force the bow screw.

Packing and unpacking

• Always open your violin case on a hard, flat surface, as it is so easy for it to fall out and be damaged.
• Make sure you have plenty of room around you when getting your instrument and bow out.
• Always double check that you have shut the case properly after putting you violin away.
• Always store rosin in the little end compartment – if it rattles about it’ll break and make a mess in your case.
• Always try and keep some spare strings in the case if there is room.
• Never leave a sponge or shoulder rest on the instrument when putting it away, as the lid of the case may knock the bridge off or worse.
• Do not put your instrument or bow on the floor in case they get trodden on. Please do not use the bow for anything other than playing the violin.

Tuning and playing

Never tune an instrument before checking that the bridge is straight up and in the correct position.

When playing, keep your fingers away from the space between the fingerboard and bridge – this area is for bowing, and you don’t want to get rosin on your fingers and spread it all over the instrument or yourself.

Fingernails should be kept short – long finger nails impede technique and harm strings and the fingerboard of the instrument.

Music and accessories

Keep your music flat – do not bend or roll it and keep it separately from the instrument case.

Ask the advice of your instrumental tutor before buying accessories such as shoulder rests, chin rests, mutes or strings etc.

Packing and unpacking

• Your Instrumental Tutor will show you how to assemble the instrument correctly.
• Place the instrument case on a flat surface before opening – don’t open the case on your lap.
• Reeds are fragile. Your instrumental Tutor will show you how to take care of them.

Music shops sell special stands for most woodwind instruments, and one of these is the best thing to use when you have to put the instrument down during a playing session. If you don’t have one, simply lay the instrument on a flat surface and make sure it can’t slip off.  Don’t try to stand a clarinet, for instance, upright on its bell; sooner or later it’s bound to fall or get knocked over.

Cleaning and maintenance

• The bore of the instrument and the mouthpiece/head joint should be dried out after playing. Your Instrumental Tutor will show you how.
• Corks should be wiped with cork grease from time to time but be sparing – over greasing can create loose joints.
• Metal polish should not be used on any part of the instrument. A soft cloth or duster can be used to shine the keys, but you should check with your tutor before doing even this.
• Please do not oil the keywork or the bore of a wooden instrument. It is true that wooden instruments are sometimes treated with oil, but you should not attempt this without guidance from your tutor.

On no account attempt any repairs yourself, or try to adjust any screws or springs.

It is quite easy to bend keys on some woodwind instruments, as they are made of fairly soft metal to facilitate adjustment (that is, adjustment by a proper instrument repairer).

Take care not to knock the instrument. If any keywork accidentally becomes bent, do not try to bend it back again; show it to your Tutor.

Music should not be stored in your instrument case unless there is a built-in space for it, as this can push the keywork out of alignment.

Woodwind instruments in general need very little maintenance, and generally they are extremely reliable.  If you are unlucky enough to damage the instrument, or if a mechanical fault develops, put the instrument in its case and wait until your Tutor can look at it – they will know what to do. Please do not attempt a repair yourself, or allow anyone else to do so.

If you notice damage to your instrument, put the instrument in its case and wait until your Tutor can look at it – they will know what to do.

Above all, please do not attempt a repair yourself, or allow anyone else to do so.