Woodwind Instrument care
Caring for your instrument is very important. Please follow the guidelines below to ensure your instrument does not become damaged or broken.
General care
Woodwind instruments are very expensive. Always think carefully about how you handle and where you put them.
Do:
- Get your instrument insured to avoid big bills for loss/damage.
- Handle your instrument carefully at all times.
- Keep it in a safe place at home and at school.
- Tell your teacher if anything seems not to be working properly.
- Dry it out properly every time: your teacher will show you how.
Don't:
- Apply excess pressure to the keys when handling.
- Stand the instrument up on its end, even if it will balance like that.
- Rest the instrument on a music stand.
- Leave it in sunlight or anywhere else hot.
- Let friends play it; it's unhygienic and may get broken:
- Make any adjustments to the instrument.
- Keep music in the case; it will damage the case.
- Leave it at school overnight.
Flute
- Clean the joints with a cloth so they fit together well.
- Be very careful with the thin metal ends of the joints.
- Keep nothing in the case on top of the key work.
Oboe
- Keep the cork joints greased regularly.
- Be careful of the link and other easily damaged keys.
- Keep nothing in the case on top of the keywork.
Clarinet
- Don't forget to dry the mouthpiece every time.
- Keep the cork joints greased regularly.
- Be careful of the link and other easily damaged keys.
- Keep nothing in the case on top of the key work.
Bassoon
- Be careful with the easily damaged long keys.
- Keep nothing on the case on top of the key work.
Saxophone
- Put the stopper in the end every time it's in the case
- Clean the crook joint regularly with a cloth:
- Keep nothing in the case on top of the key work.
- Be careful with these easily damaged long keys
- Lay it down slowly so you don't damage the lacquer
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