Caring for brass instruments

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It is the responsibility of every musician to take care of the instrument. This is of great importance not only for the aesthetic value of our instrument, but above all for our health. That is why it is worth developing a few permanent habits, some of which we should use every day after almost each exercise, while some can be used less frequently, but regularly, e.g. once a week.

You have to be aware that the brass is blown with the mouth, so it is inevitable that undesirable particles, e.g. our saliva and breath, will get inside the instrument. And even if we say ugly, when we “don’t spit” into it in the literal sense of the word, human breath has its own specific humidity and temperature, and this causes all these vapors to settle inside our instrument. The first element for thorough cleaning is the mouthpiece. We should basically rinse him with warm water after each finished playing, and from time to time, e.g. once a week, give him a thorough bath using warm water, soap and a special brush. Cleaning the mouthpiece is essential to maintaining proper hygiene. When it comes to cleaning the surface of the instrument, specially dedicated pastes and liquids are used for this. Another type of these measures is used for brass instruments, other for unpainted ones and yet another for varnished or silver-plated ones. However, the technique of use is basically the same, i.e. we apply a small amount of the appropriate cosmetic to the surface to be cleaned and then polish it with a cotton cloth. It is important to choose the right preparation, because different types of pastes have their own consistency. For example: silver applied to instruments is very soft and susceptible to scratching, therefore a suitable liquid should be used to clean such an instrument.

This is the easier part of the maintenance of our instrument, but you should also take care of its interior. Of course, we will not do this activity every day or even every week, because there is no such need. Such thorough cleaning is enough to carry out, for example, once every few months, and how often it depends on the need. This may be once every three months and sometimes every six months. The instrument should then be disassembled into its first parts and all elements should be thoroughly washed in warm water with a washing-up liquid. If we organize such a bath, for example in a bathtub, it is good to put a towel or some sponge on the bottom to protect the instrument from possible impact. This operation must be performed with great delicacy so as not to accidentally damage the instrument. Every even the smallest dent can affect the correct operation of the instrument and its sound. For cleaning the instrument, it is good to have a dedicated cleaning rod and brushes. After thoroughly washing and rinsing, the instrument should be dried well. When assembling our instrument, e.g. such a trumpet, we put a special lubricant on the ends of the tubes and then install them. We should also remember that the pistons must be placed in the correct order and also lubricated with appropriate oil.

Regardless of whether it is a trumpet, trombone or tuba, the cleaning pattern is very similar. The mouthpiece requires almost daily care, other elements are less frequent, and a larger bath is enough every few months. If you are beginner brass players and do not know how to start such a general operation, I advise you to take the instrument to a professional workshop. It is worth taking care of the instrument and at least once a year – two years of thorough maintenance from A to Z. A well-serviced instrument, just like a car, will be reliable and ready to play at any time.