Instrument Maintenance

caring for your instrument

When placing your clarinet back into the case, make sure it fits correctly. You should never force your case to close. If it isn’t fitting check the instrument alignment in the case.

Avoid eating, drinking something sugary or chewing gum right before playing. If you do have one of the above make sure to drink a lot of water and rinse your mouth out before playing.

Pull a cleaning swab or cloth through your instrument prior to storage to avoid any excess moisture from sitting in the instrument which can cause cracking.

Apply a small amount of cork grease on the corked joints as needed. Cork should never be dry.

Clean mouthpiece and ligature prior to storage.

Periodically check the keys for loose screws.