Bare-bones of Instrument Maintenance

Brae Grimes - Product and Repair Specialist, Band and Orchestral - Yamaha Music Australia

Apart from ensuring great performance, having a well-maintained instrument can prevent the build-up of bacterial growth and spread. The added knowledge and discipline required for a young person to take care of a mechanical device crosses over with common engineering standards, for example: how to screw/unscrew a thread, lubricate bearing surfaces, remove moisture from a tapered bore, etc.

Below is a list of maintenance concepts to introduce during instrumental music lessons. Students should be introduced to Basic Maintenance tasks at the start of their first semester of learning, and guidance on Advanced Maintenance should be given at the end of that semester.

Brass Instruments

Basic – Piston and Rotor Instruments

Oil the valves/rotor bearings before playing.
After playing, remove as much moisture as possible from the tuning and valve slides. This can be done by:

Using a leadpipe/slide swab (most effective and hygienic)
Removing the slide and gently shaking out excess moisture onto a washable/disposable cloth
Blowing through the instrument while opening the waterkey (N.B. – you need to depress the corresponding valve when using valve slide waterkeys)

Basic – Slide Instruments

Lubricate the slide.
Wipe down the inner slide after playing.
Remove as much moisture from the slide assembly. This can be done by:

Using a slide swab (most effective and hygienic)
Blowing through the slide while opening the waterkey
Gently shake the excess moisture out of the outer and inner slides

Advanced – Piston Instruments

Use a clean cloth to remove lubricants from the pistons and slides. Lubricate pistons liberally, and slides frugally.
Clean the leadpipe and mouthpiece using a dedicated cleaning snake, and a mild detergent in warm water.
Remove excess lubricant from the exterior using a clean cloth.

Advanced – Rotor Instruments

Use a clean cloth to remove lubricants from the slides. While the slides are out, apply a few drops of rotor oil directly onto the rotor, moving the rotor as you apply oil. Lubricate the slides frugally.
Clean the leadpipe and mouthpiece using a dedicated cleaning snake, and some mild detergent in warm water.
Remove excess lubricant from the exterior using a clean cloth.

Woodwind Instruments

Basic Maintenance

Swab the body, neck, and mouthpiece after use.
Use a corner of the swab or cleaning paper to remove moisture from keys that are sprung shut (For example; G# and C# on saxophone, trill keys on clarinet and oboe, rear G# and trill keys on flute, etc.).
Remove the reed from the mouthpiece and store it in a dedicated container.

Advanced – Single Reed

Hand-wash the mouthpiece with mild detergent and lukewarm water.
Remove excess cork grease using a clean cloth and cotton tips.

Advanced – Flute

Use a clean cloth to gently clean the tenons.
Check the headcork adjustment using the cleaning rod.

Advanced – Double Reed and Piccolo

Remove excess cork grease using a clean cloth and cotton tips.

Brae Grimes (B.Mus., Hons. — Monash University) is part of Yamaha Music Australia’s Band and Orchestral team, in the role of Product and Repair Specialist. Brae has had various roles in the music industry: performer, educator, retail sales assistant, and technician. Brae is a qualified technician under Yamaha Music Japan, having trained at the Toyooka Factory in Hamamatsu, Japan. In addition to this qualification, Brae is currently Director of Region 9 of NAPBIRT. Outside of his role at Yamaha, Brae has a passion for jiu-jitsu and woodworking.