Bathtime for Brass by Philip T. Cansler
A clean instrument will greatly improve your ability to play consistently
All brass musicians struggle to maintain a steady level of playing from day to day. We can sound great on one day, and within 24 hours our problems will have returned. There is something you can do to make a huge difference in your playing — and it has nothing to do with practicing. It starts with the answers to these questions: How long has it been since you cleaned your instrument? More importantly, have you ever cleaned the receiver of your brass instrument?
All brass instruments should be cleaned at least four times a year. To start, take the instrument to your bathtub and run the water to the temperature you'd like for a lukewarm bath (never hot!). Put the bell under the spout and let the water run through the horn for three or four minutes, allowing the water to empty into the tub. Avoid letting water spill over the bell and definitely do not submerge the instrument, as you don't want the felt pads in the valve casing area to get wet.
Next, mix a few tablespoons of baking soda with approximately five cups of warm water and carefully pour it into the bell. Let the mixture sit in the horn for 45 minutes before flushing the instrument. When clearing the instrument of the mixture, make sure you press down each valve separately and in groups until the water runs clear, with no residue. This might take four or five minutes. Empty the water from the instrument by turning it upside down and opening the spit valves. Now you are ready to take the instrument apart.
Bring the instrument to a countertop or other work area that will be out of the way for the next twelve hours. Take out the valves and all the slides. Wipe down all the parts and let them sit overnight. (Avoid using a cloth towel, as the oils may stain it. It is best to use a thick, absorbent paper wipe.)
The next morning, wipe the slides and valves again until clean. Then apply slide grease (to the slides) and valve oil (to the valves). Use a mixture of slide grease and valve oil to help any slides used for tuning certain notes work more quickly and easily. Work the slide back and forth until it operates smoothly. This might require wiping off the slide and starting over with the lubricants.
The best trick to improve consistency and response is to clean the receiver. There is a small ledge just below where the mouthpiece fits. This ledge can collect a film of bacteria, and it rarely gets cleaned sufficiently with just the water flush. Although it can be a hard area to clean well, doing so will make a huge difference in your tone and articulation.
To demonstrate this point, play a scale with an accented articulation before cleaning the area. Then straighten a paper clip and run it several times around the ledge of the mouthpiece receiver. Now play the same scale again. Depending on how much film you pulled out, you should hear a vast improvement in articulation and tone. You might want to do the paper clip cleaning before flushing the instrument with water.
Lastly, do not forget the most critical part to be cleaned — the mouthpiece. This should be cleaned with a mouthpiece brush in warm water.
After finishing these procedures, you should notice an immediate improvement in the consistency of your playing, and you'll understand why a clean instrument makes for a happy instrument — and a happy player.
Philip Cansler is a senior-ranking professor in the department of performing and fine arts at the University of Portland. He conducts two wind groups, instructs trumpet students and teaches courses in fine arts and music education. Dr. Cansler has written two books on trumpet and many articles on music topics.
