11. Tips for Playing and Maintaining
If you want your clarinet to last a long time, you should take good care of it. Taking care of it doesn't mean locking it away in its case after playing to keep dust away. But what's important? Ideally, after every playing session, and especially during extended periods of playing, you should dry the inside of the clarinet with a cloth.
This helps remove some of the moisture from inside the clarinet. However, since the body is usually made of wood, some moisture will always remain inside. Therefore, it's crucial that the clarinet can "dry" in the open air after cleaning. If you put the instrument directly into its case, the moisture has no choice but to accumulate inside the case. After playing, the clarinet should not only be cleaned from the inside. To preserve the shine of the nickel-silver parts on the clarinet, it's ideal to wipe the keys with a soft cloth after playing. This prevents sweat from attacking the material. After cleaning, it's best to place the clarinet on its designated stand in a secure location. Additionally, it's essential to occasionally treat the wood with oil, but be cautious! The oil should not come into contact with the keys or the pads, only the interior bore of the instrument.
Moisture during playing can also get into the keys, which can sometimes cause them to "squeak." This is normal and not a cause for concern.
Cleaning Products
When assembling or disassembling the clarinet, remember: the cork on the joints should be regularly greased with cork grease. This makes assembly easier and prevents the cork from becoming brittle. The care instructions have already mentioned a few items that are part of the clarinet: a cloth for cleaning the inside, one for the outside, oil, and grease for maintenance, a clarinet stand, a strap, and also, not yet mentioned but important, a storage case for the reeds. Reeds are vital for clarinet players. Handle them with care, transport them in a case to avoid early damage.
If you're not sure if you're doing everything correctly, remember one principle: treat the clarinet just like a person! No one likes to stand out in the cold without a coat or in the sun without sunscreen. The clarinet also dislikes extreme temperatures. This applies to its location in your home as well. It doesn't like being placed near a heater, as this can unnaturally accelerate drying, and it should not be near an open window or in a humid environment, so the bathroom is also off-limits.
