 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Jameslyons
Date: 2008-06-02 19:23
I think most people learn early into their woodwind playing experience the odorous consequences of not keeping the instrument clean. However, even after cleaning the "water" out of my clarinet, it still develops a stale smell.
I brush my teeth before pracitce and if that's not available gurgle with water/(listerine when available). The instrument doesn't stink, it just smells like something that had spit resting in it, baked with gusts of wind heated at around 98 degrees.
I like to keep mint leaves resting the mouthpiece and reed holders. With my sturdy (crummy) plastic student clarinet I also use antibacterial hand cleaning solution and citrus rines.
How do you keep your wooden clarinets pleasent smelling?
James.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-06-02 21:46
Keeping orange peels (in a perforated plastic bag) in your clarinet case is a common way to combat dryness in wood clarinets.
As long as you change the peels weekly, it will also keep your clarinet smelling fresh.
...GBK
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-06-03 03:08
otherwise you face mold inside your clarinet case, which is pretty disgusting.
what i do to keep my instrument smelling fresh is i shoot a spray of cologne a good foot away from the case to neutralize the stale smell. it does the trick. so far i've only done it twice, and my case has a very light, yet subtle scent of cologne. if your going to do it, make sure you use a light subtle smell, and not a heavy masking scent. subtle and light works best when your going to be playing the instrument for hours on end.
just my 2 cents.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-06-03 03:51
C2thew wrote:
> what i do to keep my instrument smelling fresh is i shoot a
> spray of cologne a good foot away from the case to neutralize
> the stale smell.
My orchestra (and I assume many others) forbid the wearing of cologne or perfume during concerts and rehearsals.
Not sure if that rule would apply to instruments. ![[wink]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie3.gif) ...GBK
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-06-03 05:05
is this for all orchestras? i honestly have never heard of the prohibition of cologne or perfume during concerts. kinda seems like a minor issue and not so much of an can't breathe because you smell too much like jasmine, scenario.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2008-06-03 05:22
That's not the problem. Some people have serious allergic reactions to perfume and cologne. One of the orchestras I play in just implemented this ban because our principle cellist suffered extreme discomfort at a recent concert. He almost had to leave the stage. To quote an e-mail from our Board of Directors before the concert that followed:
"And, please, no perfumes or colognes or other scented products as they can cause severe distress for some of our members."
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: marcia
Date: 2008-06-03 05:55
The opera orchestra here in Vancouver has a "no scent" rule.
Marcia
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-06-03 19:58
Wow. I don't think all the cologne or oranges in the world could cure the smell of some old bass clarinets I've had the discomfort to smell. After 20 or so years of not a single swabbing, some of those things are horrid!
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Author: C2thew
Date: 2008-06-04 06:28
you might get some great discounts since bed bath and beyond are closing alot of their stores to downsize as a result of the economic decrease in demand for higher ticketed BBB items.
Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. they are but improved means to an unimproved end, an end which was already but too easy to arrive as railroads lead to Boston to New York
-Walden; Henry Thoreau
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Author: Jameslyons
Date: 2008-06-11 21:49
I love the fresh smell of oranges. It's a nice cheap way to keep the instrument smelling good. I'd be a little concerned about using cologne-- I'm such a clutch I'm sure I'd get it all over the instrument. I've never heard of "Zero Odor", but it sounds like a great product.
I've just started playing with people and I think I can understand why scents aren't allowed in larger groups. It may suck to have to smell other people's sweat, but imagine sweating, breathing heavily, smelling your's and other's sweat plus jasmine, mint, old spice, musk, opium, and vanilla.
Come to think about it, for such a beautiful sound, orchestras sure are gross places to work. I can't imagine having mold in the case..yuck, it would be like the mildew growing in a dirty bathtub.
And Ryan, I feel for you. I can't imagine an instrument as absorbent as a bass clarinet with years of spit stuck inside. Do you repair instruments for a living?
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Author: beejay
Date: 2008-06-12 12:40
I keep a piece of pure camphor in my case, which has a pleasant fragrance. More importantly, I read in an old book of household hints that camphor is an antidote to tarnishing on silver. It seems to work, but perhaps the Doc could give a scientific opinion ....
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Author: beejay
Date: 2008-06-25 23:11
Wonder if the Doc or other chemical expert could answer this one.
I read in an old book of household hints that camphor is an antidote to tarnishing on silver. Is there any truth to this or is it just an old wives' tale? As I said in a recent posting, it sure makes the case smell nice, and it's a pretty good cure for colds as well.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2008-06-26 03:10
>My orchestra (and I assume many others) forbid the wearing of cologne or >perfume during concerts and rehearsals.
yes!
mine too.
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: Alfred
Date: 2008-06-26 04:41
Oh my God, I played off of a friend's contrabass, and I nearly vomited in the instrument! Though, honestly, that may have improved the smell!
Low clarinets and their reeds are disgusting.
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Author: Bassie
Date: 2008-06-26 15:45
Hmm... not sure about this one. Smells can be hiding in odd places...
- Check the mouthpiece is really clean with no crustiness. It sneaks up on me. Bin any really old reeds.
- Pullthroughs can get really rank - you're not getting back-contamination?
- How about the case itself? What smells: the instrument or the case?
- Make sure to dry out the tenon sockets after use.
I've had my main instrument maybe ten years with nothing but a regular pull-through, occasional cork grease (I only use stuff that I think smells nice - that stuff that smells of liniment is right out), and bore oil sparingly a couple of times a year, and it smells like new.
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Author: LicoriceStick
Date: 2008-06-27 14:18
If it's your case that's causing the odor, try a spray of Febreze - it comes in nice "fresh" scents that won't overpower anything, and it also removes unpleasant odors. If it is your instrument, I found that switching to organic almond oil, instead of petroleum-based bore oil, really improved my own clarinet. Use sparingly and cover those pads when you use it. The Doctor's mouthpiece sterilizing wash is also a mainstay of my maintenance kit, and I use a silk swab for everyday cleaning after practice. Old reeds don't really seem to make much of a difference - but I don't have too many old reeds in the first place! :-)
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