Below are the instruments that are taught in the
band program along with a basic description of
how each one is played and basic maintenance
tips on how to keep your instrument in good
condition.
Choose your
instrument
Flute
Clarinet
Alto
Saxophone
Trumpet
Trombone
Flute
The flute is an instrument in the woodwind
family, but, unlike the clarinet and saxophone, the sound is produced by blowing
across the mouthpiece, much like you would if you were blowing into a coke
bottle.
Click Here to hear what the flute sounds like.
Caring for Your Flute
Cleaning the Inside of the Flute As
you play, your flute collects moisture from your
mouth throughout the inside tube of the flute.
If you do not clean this moisture out after each
playing session, it can accumulate in your
keypads and cause air leaks. To clean the inside
of your flute, take a corner of your cleaning
cloth and pull it about 3 - 5” through the slit
of your cleaning rod. To keep from scratching
the inside of your flute, twist part of the
cloth around the top of the rod and carefully
push it through the body piece of your
instrument. Be careful to twist the rod as you
clean, so that the metal of the rod does not
contact the inside of your flute. Do the same
for the head joint and the foot joint.
Cleaning the Outside of the Flute
WARNING: NEVER (ever!) USE SILVER POLISHES ON
YOUR INSTRUMENT!
In
fact, it’s wisest to leave any major cleaning to
a professional. Silver polishes, even polishes
that claim to be safe on silver instruments, are
not meant for the flute. Not only do polishes
strip precious silver from the surface of your
flute, but they ruin your keypads and can badly
damage the metal of your key system. The entire
flute can be seriously damaged in this way.
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Clarinet
The
clarinet is a reed instrument and is part of the
woodwind family. The sound is produced by
blowing air through the instrument past a reed
(small piece of shaved bamboo). Different notes
are produced by cover open holes on the body of
the instrument.
Click Here
to hear what the clarinet sounds like.
Caring for Your Clarinet
Cleaning Drying your Clarinet
Did you know that you are not actually Cleaning
your clarinet? What you are doing is Drying
it. Clarinets do not like moisture. Pads will
deteriorate sooner if they are wet and the
clarinet will get moldy after a while.
Especially, its not a good idea to place a wet
clarinet into a closed case. It can not breath
or dry out. In order to remove moisture from the
inside of the clarinet you must use a swab.
Pull-through swabs come in different styles but
they do the same thing, They remove the moisture
from the instrument.
Pull-through swabs have a weight on a string
that is dropped through the instrument and when
it comes out the other side you simply pull the
swab through the instrument several times.
Simply just remove the Mouthpiece after playing.
Let the weight drop through from the Barrel end
to the Bell end. Pull gently because the swab
has to clear two metal tubes in the inside of
the clarinet. If you pull too hard and too fast
the swab can get stuck and tear. Hold on to the
weight at the Bell end and pull the swab through
the instrument.
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Alto Saxophone
The
alto saxophone is a reed instrument and is part
of the woodwind family. The sound is produced by
blowing air through the instrument past a reed
(small piece of shaved bamboo). Different notes
are produced by cover holes on the body of the
instrument.
Click Here
to hear what the alto saxophone sounds like.
Caring for Your Alto Saxophone
Use
cork grease on your saxophone as little as
possible. When you do apply cork grease you will
need to rub it into the cork. When properly
used, cork grease should allow you to assemble
your saxophone without using excessive force.
Do
not leave the reed attached to the mouthpiece.
This will shorten the life of the reed and cause
it to collect germs.
Wipe
off your fingerprints from the keys after every
use. A clean, non-treated cotton cloth will work
the best. If you do choose to use a treated
polishing cloth be sure that it is for the
proper finish. Using the wrong treated cloth
could cause scratches.
After you finish playing or practicing, use a
swab to clean & remove moisture from inside your
saxophone’s body and neck. Drop the weight end
and string of a swab down the bell, turn the
instrument upside down so the weight falls
through the body and pull the swab through to
remove moisture. Under each key is a soft pad
that will deteriorate if left wet, making your
saxophone harder to play. Avoid eating, soft
drinks & chewing gum while playing to help keep
the inside of your saxophone clean. Clean your
mouthpiece after each use with a mouthpiece
brush and warm water.
DO
NOT clean the instrument with water.
Please do not leave your neck strap attached to
your instrument while in the case. Always store
your instrument in its case with the lid closed
when not in use. This will prevent any excess
tarnishing and lower the risk of damage. Do not
put anything (including sheet music) inside the
case with your instrument that does not belong.
Closing the case with extra contents can cause
damage to the delicate keys. Also, make sure
that all the latches are securely closed before
transporting your instrument.
The
trumpet is an instrument in the brass family.
The sound is produced by buzzing your lips into
a cupped mouthpiece. Different notes are
produced by tightening and loosening the amount
of the buzz while pressing down three valves in
different combinations.
Click Here
to hear what the trumpet sounds like.
Caring for Your Trumpet
The
trumpet is a very delicate instrument. Any
damage to the outside of the horn can keep it
from playing properly. Keeping the valves on the
trumpet moving freely is one of the most
important things you can do to keep your
instrument playing well. The valves (see
Fig. 1 at right)
slide inside the valve casings with precision
so, even the slightest dent can cause them to
rub, and therefore move slowly OR STOP MOVING
ALTOGETHER. Even something as small as not
putting the trumpet down gently can cause
damage.
To
keep the inside of the valves moving smoothly
you should oil them every time you play. Your
teacher should instruct you how to do this
within the first few weeks of the class.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE MOUTHPIECE IF IT
BECOMES STUCK.
If it does stick, take it to a technician
immediately for removal. NEVER try to remove
stuck parts with pliers or hammers! The
reason for this is that the welding joints
on the instrument are more likely to break
before the mouthpiece comes loose.
Always store your instrument in its case
with the lid closed when not in use. This
will prevent any excess tarnishing and lower
the risk of damage. Do not put anything
(including sheet music) inside the case with
your instrument that does not belong.
Closing the case with extra contents can
cause damage to the valves or dents. Also,
make sure that all the latches are securely
closed before transporting your instrument.
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Trombone
The
trombone is an instrument in the brass family.
The sound is produced by buzzing your lips into
a cupped mouthpiece. Different notes are
produced by tightening and loosening the amount
of the buzz while moving the slide in or out to
different position.
Click Here to hear what the
trombone sounds like.
Caring for Your Trombone
Daily Care Great care is needed when
handling your trombone. The smallest bump or
dent in the slide can cause problems with its
proper movement. Due to the precision needed in
adjustment of the slide, repairs are time
consuming and costly, so Be Careful!
The slide needs to be lubricated on a
regular basis.
Apply a small amount of slide
oil or cream to the boot area
(see Fig. 2 at left) of the
slide as needed. The boot is at the very end
of the slide, so be careful not to allow the
slide to slip off the trombone.
Occasionally a mouthpiece will become stuck
in the trombone. If this happens don't try
force to remove it - this can cause major
damage to the instrument. Take it to a
repair shop or music store to have it
removed. Most shops do not charge for this
service.
After you are finished playing make sure you
remove any excess moisture from the inside
of the trombone by opening the water key and
blowing through the instrument. Carefully
wipe off the outside of the trombone to
remove oils or perspiration caused by your
hands.
Always store your trombone in its case when
not in use, this helps prevent damage and
aids in keeping the instrument clean. Do not
place books or folders in the case, this can
bend slides and cause problems.
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