 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Patrick Akridge
Date: 2014-02-03 00:41
I've been told for years that swabbing keeps your mouthpiece clean, but on the other hand, I was told not to because it can change the rails or facings of the mouthpiece.
Do you swab your mouthpiece? As a player of nearly 6 or so years, I've NEVER been told not to swab my mouthpiece.
If you do swab, what kind of swab do you use (microfiber, silk, etc.) and how thick is it?
If you don't swab, how do you clean yours? Have you ever had the rails change over time from swabbing?
Thanks for the replies on this such interesting topic.
Patrick
"Everyday in Every way."
"Tomorrow you'll wished you had practiced more, so make every moment in the practice room count"
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2014-02-02 19:44
Absolutely not! I do gently dry it with a Kleenex, but that's it. And not even every time.
B>
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Author: Patrick Akridge
Date: 2014-02-03 00:47
"Absolutely not....."
If gunk builds up, how do you clean it?
I'm new to this concept... Do you dry the mouthpiece or just leave it alone after sessions??
Patrick
"Everyday in Every way."
"Tomorrow you'll wished you had practiced more, so make every moment in the practice room count"
Post Edited (2014-02-03 00:49)
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2014-02-03 00:56
I have a very small homemade cotton swab attached to a short length of plastic covered garden wire which I use on the mouthpiece. Always putting in via the tenon and pulling carefully through to avoid abrading the edge or tip rails.
Admittedly I mostly play on crystal mouthpiece but also use it on ebonite with no ill effect after many years.
Only bother to use it at home after practice sessions.
I advise my youger customers to occasionally clean their mouthpieces with luke warm water and detergent in a plastic bowl using a mouthpiece brush or soft kitchen paper to clean the bore and very gently the chamber.
Gets rid of the home grown penicilin anyway.
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Author: bradfordlloyd
Date: 2014-02-03 01:10
I swab my mouthpiece very carefully with a silk swab after each time I play.
Yes, I know that this is controversial for some, but it works for me. I need to know that it's clean….I'm putting it in my mouth after all. And I haven't had any damage to any mouthpiece by doing it.
I'm happy to hear opposing opinions/practices, and I'm sure that there are many.
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Author: Patrick Akridge
Date: 2014-02-03 01:13
I don't use a mouthpiece brush because I heard it deteriorates the inside of the mouthpiece overtime.
Patrick
"Everyday in Every way."
"Tomorrow you'll wished you had practiced more, so make every moment in the practice room count"
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Author: PaulIsaac
Date: 2014-02-03 01:19
I do exactly what bradfordlloyd does - very gently and carefully. I also rinse the mouthpiece in mild warm water regularly and occasionally add a few drops of disinfectant to the water. I've had the same mouthpiece - a Selmer C85 120 - for over 20 years and cannot detect any change at all.
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Author: Patrick Akridge
Date: 2014-02-03 01:31
Regular ol' dishsoap?
Patrick
"Everyday in Every way."
"Tomorrow you'll wished you had practiced more, so make every moment in the practice room count"
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2014-02-03 01:52
Quote: ""Absolutely not....."
If gunk builds up, how do you clean it?"
Gunk doesn't build up. I Water Pik and brush my teeth before I play my instrument(s).
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Author: gkern
Date: 2014-02-02 21:04
As much as I slobber, brushing the teeth doesn't do much to help except to eliminate food particles which really foul everything up. And I think the gunk is more a result of the saliva. I always swab after playing, using a silk Hodge swab, and being careful so the weight does not strike the baffle. Then I scrub the outside and baffle with a cotton ball or makeup pad soaked in rubbing alcohol to clean off the saliva.
Maybe once every month or so, I will treat some of them to a bath in lukewarm water and dishwater soap. I don't use a brush that often - that has to be more damaging to the interior than a swab...
Gary K
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Author: mihalis
Date: 2014-02-03 02:39
I use a small square piece of silk.
I fold the two corners, and fold again, creating a point.
I push it though from the bottom, hold one side between my knees,
and the other side on my hand, and move the mouthpiece up and down
to clean a bit of the moisture.
I am taking it out, and wipe the table.
And that's all.
Mike.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2014-02-02 21:55
The Buffet swab that came with my newest R13 is enough for me. It really does not touch the rails or tip when pulled through. The mouthpiece is from about 1956 and still plays great. If saliva is left on a mouthpiece interior after playing, it can eventually roughen and craze the baffle as I've seen.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2014-02-03 03:22
Yup. I swab it. Slowly.
Given the flexibility and softness of a swab (it's not a hard, inflexible surface), and the hardness of the interior of the mouthpiece, it's pretty likely that the swab is conforming to the interior dimensions of the mouthpiece, and NOT forcing the mouthpiece to conform to the swab (by taking away mouthpiece material). Sandpaper? Less flexible. Toothbrush? Less flexible. Silk swab? Flexible and soft enough that I don't worry about it one bit.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2014-02-03 03:37
I swab carefully with a silk swab. Never damaged one yet.
Tony F.
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Author: Patrick Akridge
Date: 2014-02-03 08:07
Mouthpiece bath???
Full submerge? If this is an ignorant question, sorry, but wouldn't that damage the cork on the mp?
Patrick
"Everyday in Every way."
"Tomorrow you'll wished you had practiced more, so make every moment in the practice room count"
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-02-03 08:11
Standard silk swab every once in a while.
Must be noted that you should pull through S-L-O-W-L-Y. It was noted above that swabs are soft..............ever hear of a rope burn? Just be careful to pull straight out (not putting any undue stress on the interior edge of the rails....sides or tip). And go slowly.
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2014-02-03 14:01
Oh yeah. And it goes without saying that the MOST important part about swabbing your mouthpiece is taking care to make sure the weight on the end of the swab doesn't contact your rails, edges, whatever on the mouthpiece. That's the part that has the potential to do the most damage.
Since I'm retaking physics this semester, Force = mass times acceleration. So to keep the amount of force down on the mouthpiece, make sure the LIGHT part of the swab (silk) is pulled through SLOWLY!
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: kilo
Date: 2014-02-03 10:45
Thought I'd point out that Kleenex and paper products are more abrasive than silk or soft cotton.
I've stopped even playing my mouthpiece at all because of the destructive friction of air molecules, water vapor, and (gasp!) biological components.
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Author: Funfly
Date: 2014-02-03 19:17
This is a question not a statement.
I have a Buffet pull-through which goes easily through the (Yamaha) clarinet including the (CL5) mouthpiece and I do this at the end of every time I play while the instrument is still together.
As I practice for short periods a few times every day (I run out of puff easily) I do leave the horn assembled on its stand with only the reed removed. Once a week I take it to bits and give all the sections a clean and store it in its Yamaha case in pieces.
When I pull through I do this gently and make sure that the rope bit is not pulled across the edges of the mouthpiece. I wash the pull-through every couple of weeks.
Reading the comments above I am thinking that I should pull through with the mouthpiece removed.
Bearing in mind that I paid a lot of money for the horn and also the mouthpiece would anyone care to comment on what I am doing?
Mart
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Author: Patrick Akridge
Date: 2014-02-03 20:27
Thanks for your thoughts. Silk swab. Removed weight. Okay.
Any other thoughts on maintence?
Patrick
"Everyday in Every way."
"Tomorrow you'll wished you had practiced more, so make every moment in the practice room count"
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2014-02-03 20:54
Funfly,
I'd just take off the mouthpiece and swab that separately. You can leave the rest of the clarinet assembled if that's easiest for you.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2014-02-03 16:26
Mart: Sockets and tenons show exposed end grain. Here water will ingress into the wood faster than through straight grain. So in my opinion it is even more important to dry out tenons and especially sockets daily than the bore, and btw. I oil the end grain extra carefully.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2014-02-03 16:32
Funfly,
If you're going to keep your clarinet together indefinitely, I'd suggest a non-wood clarinet. Then you only need to worry about some cork compression at the tenons, and corks are easy and cheap to replace when they do go.
Even better, buy an old one-piece metal clarinet! Cause it looks darn cool on the stand anyway!!!
lol.
US Army Japan Band
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Author: Funfly
Date: 2014-02-03 23:09
Point taken guys.
End of each day take to bits, gently pull through and make sure all ends are dry, clean keys and store in the case provided. Mouthpiece clean gently and reed lay on flat surface.
It's all about respect for the instrument and donating those extra few minutes. Guess I'm just a bit lazy eh?
Thanks all.
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Author: TJTG
Date: 2014-02-04 04:15
I was told by Richard Hawkins that he doesn't believe mouthpieces he's gotten back are damaged by careful swabbing. He recommends, as stated earlier, to watch how you pull it out as to not run the rope against the rails and such, otherwise the swab doesn't really change the dimension of the mouthpiece.
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Author: Gordon (NZ)
Date: 2014-02-06 02:47
I wouldn't say "no" damage.
But I'm sure you would have to swab it several times a day for 500 years before there was any detrimental effect.
There are more important things to worry about.
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2014-02-06 20:56
Always, from the bore end to the facing. No exposed metal for the weight.
ESP eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-02-08 22:51
"I've stopped even playing my mouthpiece at all because of the destructive friction of air molecules, water vapor, and (gasp!) biological components."
LOL
Long post, so... EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
I swab my mouthpiece with the first pass through my clarinet. Then I set mouthpiece aside as I swab horn at least 1 more time. Mouthpiece then gets Sterisol on outside.
===========================================
I had a 38 yr break in my clarinet playing, from about age 19 to 57. And I am far more fastidious in my handling of the woodwind/mouth bioload than I was in my early years. I look back in horror at how I and my classmates handled things- probably very similar to any school band room today. People have learned not to swim in warm canals in the summer (amoebas), musicians can learn not to reinfect themselves with previous illnesses or grow new ones. (Though I'm sure clarinetists still only get about 15 sec to put away their stuff and get out the door to next class... those were the days- ugh.)
I'm a nut about it- you probably don't need to be. But I think doing nothing is a bad idea. One reason I liked Legere reeds and stuck with them so long (and might return to them if I can make them work the way I want), is that I could Sterisol them AFTER EVERY SESSION with impunity, just like I do TO MY MOUTHPIECE. Now I'm back on cane reeds, and the best I can do is a dilute peroxide soak at the end of the session (Sterisol remains in the cane and tastes bad). I know peroxide doesn't kill everything, but it's better than nothing. (And no, that's not why my reeds stop playing extreme altissimo after a while- that happens even in the first playing session before peroxide.) I did learn not to do the peroxide on the mouthpiece- after a couple of months I began to see it bleach, and since I care how it looks (I know some of you don't) I switched back to Sterisol and complicated my regimen even more because now I need both solutions.
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Bruno
Date: 2014-02-08 18:26
One of the chief reasons for the huge increase in auto-immune diseases today is the lack of external challenges to our immune systems. It has been studied and found to be a fact. Lack of external challenges is also responsible for increased susceptibility to wintertime cold and flu viruses. We've screwed up our immune systems to the point where they can't distinguish real external dangers from our own bodily tissues.
(I was going to copy/paste a list of auto-immune diseases here but the list is far too long!)
So sterilizing our mouthpieces may not be all it's cracked up to be. I, for one, refuse to go through all that rigamarole. It only makes us weaker. This morning I wanted to try a MP that I haven't played for at least 10 years. I took it out of it's little box, tore open an alcohol swab, swabbed the MP the best I could (mostly the outside. I poked the little swab down the chamber as far as I could reach), put it on the clarinet and blew.
Dr. Bruno>
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2014-02-09 01:27
Bruno wrote:
>
> So sterilizing our mouthpieces may not be all it's cracked up
> to be. I, for one, refuse to go through all that rigamarole. It
> only makes us weaker. This morning I wanted to try a MP that I
> haven't played for at least 10 years. I took it out of it's
> little box, tore open an alcohol swab, swabbed the MP the best
> I could (mostly the outside. I poked the little swab down the
> chamber as far as I could reach), put it on the clarinet and
> blew.
>
First question - how is this different from "sterilizing our mouthpieces?"
Second question - how long can organisms live on a dry hard rubber mouthpiece that's been put away in a box in a drawer and not played? Can there still be microbes on it after 10 years?
Karl
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Author: MichaelW
Date: 2014-02-09 03:04
What Bruno describes is not "sterilizing" but at best "disinfecting".
One of the first impression people in "Old Europe" had of the Americans was that they found it necessary to disinfect everything. In the meantime we also use more often disinfectant sprays (mainly in favour of the chemical industry) and guaranteed germ- (and vitamin?) free fast food.
My teacher and I disinfect mouthpieces when we exchange the same clarinet, and I do so when I buy or sell a used mouthpiece. But for me alone I (as an old doctor) would find it absurd to desinfect my mouthpiece. I dry it, and sometimes I wash it. Tuberculosis bacteria and pathogenic bacterial spores might indeed survive for a longer time on dry surfaces, but at first somebody had to put them there. HI-Virus will not, and anyhow it is not transferred by saliva.
Post Edited (2014-02-08 22:11)
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Author: AAAClarinet
Date: 2014-02-09 03:23
I once took hold of a student's oboe to look at his reed. He started yelling at me not to play his reed. It never even got near my mouth, sheesh.
AAAClarinet
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Author: Patrick Akridge
Date: 2014-02-09 03:49
Thanks for all of your responses. I will take all of them into close consideration.
Patrick
"Everyday in Every way."
"Tomorrow you'll wished you had practiced more, so make every moment in the practice room count"
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Author: chris moffatt
Date: 2014-02-09 04:45
I really don't think swabbing your mouthpiece will do much harm unless you are really hamfisted about it. A standard pullthrough should work just fine. When the crud buildup gets too much for your personal sensibilities then a good cleaning in accordance with many of the suggestions above is in order.
But - do not leave your clarinet in one piece for extended periods of time. The separate parts will bond together at the sockets and you will risk considerable damage to the keywork when you try to muscle it apart. If your horn has soft metal keys it may never play properly again.
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