Brass Hints & Tips

A brass instrument requires proper care and maintenance. 
Here are some tips to keep your brass instrument working well 
providing maximum enjoyment in your playing.

Place the instrument in its case whenever you finish playing it
Use a mouthpiece brush to clean the mouth piece regularly
Make sure that you never use excessive force to insert the mouthpiece into the instrument


Oil valves on a regular basis to keep them lubricated - check every couple of days

Apply tuning slide grease to slide - check every week

Trombone inner slides can be cleaned with a soft, lint free cloth 
Trombone outer slides can be cleaned with either a cleaning rod or washed in water and a flexible cleaning brush. 
Apply slide cream sparingly to the ends of the inner slides & then spray the inner slides with water. 
Always keep trombone slides locked when they are not being played


Do not eat or drink immediately before playing your instrument (in particular avoid soft drinks)


Bath/Wash your instrument on a regular basis (make sure you remove all slides and valves first!). 
After immersion, you can use a valve brush and flexible cleaning brush to clean extended lengths of tubing. 


Use a polishing cloth to remove fingerprints and grit from the instrument's body.