Taking care of the instrument allows for you to perform at the best ability. Valves Valves should be oiled thoroughly at least twice a week, if you are a regular player. If the instrument is not played that often, the valves will need to be oiled even more. Oiling the valves allows for a quicker push on the valves and quicker rebound back up. This leads to nice, quick changes between notes. I use the Al Cass Fast Oil. The valves can be taken out of the instrument for a thorough oil. For a small dab on a valve, oil can be applied through the holes at the bottom of the valves. Slides Slides need to be greased, just as the valves need to lubricated. Only the main slide and the 2nd valve slide need to be greased. These usually do not move once they are set in place. Grease allows them to stay still, while they are not completely stuck. The 1st & 3rd valve slides need to be oiled. The oil allows for them to move quickly. When playing, moving the slides quickly allows for a quick change of notes. Moving the slides should be just as fast as pushing down a valve. Washing the Instrument Pouring lukewarm water mixed with soap on the outside of the trumpet may make it seem shiny, but it is not clean. It is very important to thoroughly clean all of the trumpet, including the inside. Imagine what is inside the instrument. After all, you are basically spitting into a small confined place that gets very warm. After a while, you can get very sick if you continue to play without cleaning it. The valves do not become green by themselves. Buy some brushes for the lead pipe, slides, and the mouthpiece. Make sure the brushes are clean themselves. After washing the instrument, reapply oil and grease as they were washed away. |
