Band : The Importance of Maintaining Your Instrument

Flutes and Saxophones

The biggest repair costs for these types of instruments is key alignment. These can be avoided through proper set up and break down without putting pressure on the keys. The small mechanisms are not meant to bear pressure of aggressive hands and such force may twist the keys or simply knock them out of alignment. Use these simple guidelines:

  1. Swab the instrument thoroughly each time after playing, to keep the pads in good condition and prolong their life
  2. Use a lacquer cloth to eliminate fingerprints after use
  3. Do not use hand cream before touching the instrument
  4. Apply cork grease liberally on the saxophone gooseneck as this prevents the cork from ripping and needing a crucial repair
  5. Purchase only good quality cork grease as it does a better job of holding in moisture for longer periods of time
  6. Use a small paintbrush to dust around the keys and hard to reach places
  7. Never force a key open, gently lift the key from the tone hole and use either tissue paper or a dollar bill to clean the underside of a key