Dumping water (Horn – see BC, pp. 58-59 for oiling, p. 57 for dumping H2O)
Do not lay trumpet down on 2nd valve slide – might bend valve casing; make valve stick
Oil valves daily – last forever
Grease all slides & valve caps as needed, keep them loose (Vaseline/slide grease/STP)
Clean monthly with a snake (H2O once a week) – not before big performance
Pink spots and black spots
Clean mouthpiece weekly with brush – intonation, response, germs
A. Keep the valve oiled – piston
1. Unscrew the top of the valve
2. Oil (no silicone oil) – Blue Juice; Al Cass Fast
3.
Put the valve back without rotating it (valve alignment; clicking valves
means felts
are loose or cap is loose)
4. Check felts for wear
5. Check the springs for excessive bounce
6. Sticky valves:
a. Need oil
b. Dirty – Valve and casing may require washing with soap and water if excessively dirty; maybe the entire instrument (dirt moves in from nearby)
c. Bent slides
d. Bent stem
e. New valve guide
B. Wash the inside and outside of instrument with warm soapy water (reasons = longevity of instrument, intonation, players health)
1. Don’t use hot water! reason
2. Use the appropriate snake for inside
C. Don’t use gritty silver polish
E. Rotor valve
1. Oil the rotor on its axis with rotor oil – top of the valve and bottom (don’t take
out rotor)
2. Oil the valve itself through the valve slides (valve oil) – oil down inside of slides
3. Check corks for wear – check alignment
4. Check strings for wear; lubricate mechanical linkage
F. Keep slides lightly greased
1. Vaseline often works
2. Slides may work better with a
thicker grease like lanolin – may thin with oil –
short or worn
3. May be out of alignment
Pro valve alignment by adjusting felts – if you think it plays better, it plays better; cryogenics
Storing Instruments – grease and oil; prevents oxidation and freezing up; Mr. C, Mr. Lillya & D tpt