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RE: clean

Author: kdk
Date: 2010-06-20 01:24

It would certainly be possible for spit to get into the mouthpiece and from there run down into the bore. That said, most of what's inside the clarinet is, for most of us, condensation. That said, it probably doesn't make much difference what it is - if it gets into the tone holes it will gurgle or, occasionally, may interfere with the seal of a closed hole, mimicking a leaky pad. The results can be musically disastrous, but not especially dangerous to the clarinet itself.

The original poster has probably long ago figured out what he or she needed to know about how often to swab. I'm curious what the result of your teacher's cork grease trick is. The water (whatever generates it) will still run down into the instrument - it has to go somewhere and the clarinet is down, which is where the water is going to flow. My repairman has painted melted beeswax around (above) the tone holes that are most in the line of the water flow, and others recommend coating around the tone holes with bore oil. The purpose is only to divert the water with a water-repellent surface so it goes around the hole instead of into it.

In the end, the problem with condensation or saliva in the clarinet bore while you're playing has more to do with gurgles and leaks than with doing physical damage to the clarinet that could ruin it. Water left in the bore and joint sockets while the instrument is stored in its case is another matter, which is why you should always swab when you take the instrument apart and put it away.

Karl

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