Brass Instrument Maintenance
Taking a few minutes after each playing session to Clean your instrument
will not only prolong it’s life
but will also prevent problems with intonation & cosmetics. The cleaning
process consists of three different stages:
1. Removing moisture from your instrument.
2. Wiping over your instrument to prevent tarnishing.
3. Lubricating valves.
It is necessary to blow through your instrument, whilst opening the water keys
and moving the valves up and down, in order to remove as much moisture as possible.
It is imperative that this is done after every session. Wipe over your instrument
to prevent tarnishing. It is recommended that you use either a silver or lacquer
cloth depending on the finish. Both cloths are non-abrasive and need to be used
after every playing session.
Valves should be lubricated on a regular basis to prevent damage to the pistons
and valve cases. Unscrew the chamber top cap and pull the piston most of the
way out. Apply three or four drops of oil onto the piston and slot it back into
the chamber, taking care to insert the valve back in the correct way. To avoid
mixing up the valves, lubricate one at a time. Screw the chamber cap back into
place, being careful not to cross the threads. Valves should be lubricated at
least once a week for beginners and more frequently as your playing schedule
increases.
Once a month it is necessary to wash your slides and mouthpiece to remove any
build up of saliva in the bore, which will affect the performance of your instrument.
Wash them through with warm water(no warmer than hand temperature) and a small
amount of washing up liquid. It is a good idea to use a mouthpiece/bore cleaning
brush to agitate any dried on residue. Dry the slides and mouthpiece with a soft
cloth. Apply a small amount of slide grease to each leg and re-insert into your
instrument. This should be enough to keep your slides working smoothly and freely.