Saxophone Set-Up, Care, and Cleaning
- Set your case down on a flat surface, and make sure the latches on the case open upwards. You don’t want to open the case upside down! Some very old cases may be the opposite – the latches open toward the bottom of the case. In this instance, a sticker placed on the top of the case will ensure you never open it upside down.
- Remove the instrument from the case, holding it by the bell or the valve casing. Insert the mouthpiece into the lead pipe by rotating the mouthpiece as you push it on. Do not push down, pat, or apply any force as you insert it – it should rest gently inside the lead pipe. Trying to push it could lead to the mouthpiece getting stuck.
- Frequently throughout play sessions, and once finished playing, empty the water keys by opening the key with one hand and blowing air through the instrument. Your trumpet will have a water key on the main tuning slide, and some trumpets may have one on the third valve slide. When emptying the third valve slide water key, you must also press down the third valve. (Note: despite popular belief, you are not actually emptying spit out of your instrument – that’s why we call it a water key, not a spit a valve. You are emptying moisture that has condensed inside.)
- You can remove excess moisture from the other valves by removing their tuning slides and shaking them out. When removing or inserting a tuning slide, press down the valve it is attached to. (If the valve was not pressed down, you will hear a popping noise. Too much of this and the valve will no longer seal properly.)
- It is safe to remove the valves and run warm water and soap through the instrument. It is even recommended you soak the instrument in a tub with some mild dish soap and lukewarm water about once a month. When soaking, do not use hot water as it can destroy the trumpet’s lacquered finish. Remove the valves (which contain springs and felts that will be damaged when soaked), and soak the trumpet for several minutes.
- You can scrub out the mouthpiece, pistons, and valve casings with a mouthpiece brush. A cleaning snake can be run through the trumpet’s tubing and slides after it has been soaked.
- Dry the pistons with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. The rest of the trumpet can be dried off with paper towels. After drying the outside, let the trumpet air-dry before reassembling it.
- Never attempt to polish your instrument with household polishing agents. Your instrument is lacquered and does not need polishing; only follow the above cleaning instructions.
- Your instrument is fragile, so be sure to hold it carefully and closely. It is very easy to bump the instrument against objects around you, including your body or chair. Denting your instrument could make it unplayable!
- Ideally, a technician should check out your instrument once a year. They will check for air leakages, faulty pads, sticky valves, and other issues. Most annual tune-ups cost around $70-$100, or more if major issues are found.
- Avoid exposing your instrument to large swings in temperature and climate. Don’t store it outside or in your car. Sudden changes in climate can effect the instrument’s tuning, and extremely hot weather can ruin its lacquered finish.
- If your mouthpiece gets stuck, take it to a music shop. They have a special tool for this very purpose. Do not try to remove it with pliers or other household tools!
- The valves will occasionally need to be oiled. Oil them whenever you feel the valves sticking or moving slowly to their original position. See oiling instructions below.
- Only oil one valve at a time, replace it, then move onto the next one.
- Remove the valve by unscrewing the cap at the top (do not unscrew the button on the very top of the key – the part your finger rests on).
- Pull the valve out of the casing, and then add two or three drops of valve oil to the piston (don’t put the oil inside the casing).
- Reinsert the valve until it won’t go in any further and then rotate it until you feel it click into place and cannot rotate it anymore. Screw the cap back on.
- Push the valve a few times to set the oil and then move onto the next valve.
- If you ignored the above advice and removed more than one valve, the valves will be labeled with a 1, 2, or 3 to help you set them into the correct casing. Your trumpet will not work if the valves are in the wrong spot.