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STRING INSTRUMENTS: 1. Never touch the bow hair, or the wooden part of the instrument with your hands. 2. Protect your instrument from extreme heat, cold, and quick temperature changes. 3. Wipe any rosin off your instrument with a soft cloth. 4. Place a cloth over your violin or viola before closing your case. Be sure to latch the case. 5. Loosen the bow hair after every use. Tighten it the same amount every time before playing. 6. Keep your instrument away from those who do not know how to properly care for it. 7. Do not attempt to repair your instrument. Tell your teacher or qualified music dealer if something needs to be fixed. -from Essential Elements for Strings 2000, by Michael Allen, Robert Gillespie & Pamela Tellejohn Hayes, published by Hal Leonard Corp. FLUTE: Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following: 1. Draw a cleaning cloth and rod through the middle and foot joints, and into the head joint. 2. Carefully wipe the outside of each section to keep the finish clean. Don't try to polish between the keys. Let a repair specialist do this for you when needed. OBOE: Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following: 1. Carefully remove the reed and blow air through it from the bottom to the top. Return to reed case. 2. Take the instrument apart in the reverse order of assembly. Swab out each section with an oboe swab. If the swab has a weight on one end, drop the weight through and pull until you feel a slight resistance. Then pull the swab back out from the bottom. Never try to pull the swab all the way through the top section. Return each section to the correct spot in the case. CLARINET: Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following: 1. Remove the reed, wipe off excess moisture. 2. Remove the mouthpiece and wipe the inside with a clean cloth. Place the reed in your reed case. 3. Hold the upper section with your left hand and the lower section with your right hand. Gently twist the sections apart, pressing the ring that lifts the bridge key. 4. Drop the weighted chamois or cotton swab into each section and pull it out the bottom. 5. Carefully twist the barrel and bell from each section. Dry off any additional moisture. 6. As you put each piece back in the case, check to be sure they are dry. 7. Your case is designed to hold only specific objects. If you try to force anything else into the case, it may damage your instrument. ALTO SAXOPHONE: Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following: 1. Remove the reed, wipe off excess moisture. 2. Remove the mouthpiece and wipe the inside with a clean cloth. 3. Place reed in reed case. 4. Remove the neck and shake out excess moisture. 5. Drop the weight of the swab in the bell. Pull the swab through the body several times. Return the instrument to its case. 6. Your case is designed to hold only specific objects. If you try to force anything else into the case, it may damage your instrument. TRUMPET and BARITONE HORN: Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following: 1. Use the water key to empty water from the instrument. Blow air through it. 2. Remove the mouthpiece. Once a week, wash the mouthpiece with warm tap water. Dry thoroughly. 3. Wipe off the instrument with a clean soft cloth. Trumpet and Baritone valves occasionally need oiling. To oil your valves: 1. Unscrew the valve at the top of the casing. 2. Lift the valve half-way out of the casing. 3. Apply a few drops of special brass valve oil to the exposed valve. 4. Carefully return the valve to its casing. When properly inserted, the top of the valve should easily screw back into place. Be sure to grease the slides regularly. Your teacher will recommend special slide grease and valve oil, and will help you apply them when necessary. CAUTION: If a slide, a valve or your mouthpiece becomes stuck, ask for help from your band teacher or music dealer. Special tools should be used to prevent damage to your instrument. *See Ms. Dvorak for a handout on how to wash out your trumpet or baritone. TROMBONE: Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following: 1. Use the water key to empty water from the instrument. Blow air through it. 2. Remove the mouthpiece and slide assembly. Do not take the outer slide off the inner slide piece. Return the instrument to its case. 3. Once a week, wash the mouthpiece with warm tap water. Dry thoroughly. Trombone slides occasionally need oiling. To oil your slide, simply: 1. Rest the tip of the slide on the floor and unlock the slide. 2. Exposing the inner slide, put a few drops of oil or slide cream on the inner slide. Spray water over the oil or cream. 3. Rapidly move the slide back and forth. The oil or cream will then lubricate the slide. 4. Be sure to grease the tuning slide regularly. Your teacher will recommend special slide oil or cream and grease, and will help you apply them when necessary. CAUTION: If a slide or your mouthpiece becomes stuck, ask for help from your band teacher or music dealer. Special tools should be used to prevent damage to your instrument. *See Ms. Dvorak for a handout on how to wash out your trombone FRENCH HORN: Before putting your instrument back in its case after playing, do the following: 1. Remove water by removing the main tuning slide and inverting the instrument. 2. Wipe the instrument off with a clean soft cloth. Return the instrument to its case. 3. Remove the mouthpiece. Once a week, wash the mouthpiece with warm tap water. Dry thoroughly. Be sure to grease the slides regularly. Your band teacher will recommend special slide grease and rotary valve oil, and will help you apply them when necessary. CAUTION: If a slide, a valve or your mouthpiece becomes stuck, ask for help from your band teacher or music dealer. Special tools should be used to prevent damage to your instrument. SNARE DRUM: Snare drums occasionally need tuning. Ask your band teacher to help you tighten each tension rod equally using a drum key. 1. Be careful not to over-tighten the head. It will break if the tension is too tight. 2. Loosen the snare strainer at the end of each rehearsal. 3. Cover all percussion instruments when not in use. 4. Put sticks away in a storage area. 5. Sticks are the only things which should be placed on the snare drum. NEVER put or allow others to put objects on any percussion instrument. KEYBOARD PERCUSSION (BELLS): 1. Cover all percussion instruments when they are not being used. 2. Put mallets away in a storage area. 3. Mallets are the only things which should be placed on your instrument. NEVER put or allow others to put objects on any percussion instrument. -taken from Essential Elements 2000 by Tim Lautzenheiser, et al, published by Hal Leonard Corp.

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