 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-05-22 01:36
So, I've just procured an Evette Bb clarinet. Probably the first thing anybody should do when buying a clarinet, especially if it's used, is to make sure it's disinfected. Seriously, you could get laryngitis, or something. So, 35-45min. of swabbing with alcohol, brass cleaner, and even dipping the instrument into a sink of warm, soapy water.
All but the alcohol is extremely bad for the pads, key oil, and the instrument if it were made of wood, but if y'all saw the layer of brown that came from the instrument before I recorded the video, then you probably would've done the same. In other words, my bathroom sink is dirty now.
Please clean your instrument.
Otherwise, some poor soul just might use brass cleaner and dip it into water On the plus side, there are no leaks and the intonation on this instrument is excellent.
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Author: Kalashnikirby
Date: 2018-05-22 03:08
Ok, there's been an influx of posts on this tops, but has anyone read the full study?
https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c188/3aded60d03bb22671586b72a22c7df07a52a.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwi2nLnL7pfbAhWBKFAKHZANAyYQFjASegQIARAB&usg=AOvVaw2ZM8L9_NWjZUkIiMuvvcKm
From my interpretation, it mostly refers to band instruments (for obvious reasons) and clearly states that many bacteria will only last for a limited time on the inside of an instrument, as long as there is no mold or dirt in there.
Honestly, what more than cleaning my instrument do I have to do? Do you disinfect your toothbrush regularly? I highly doubt that the normal musician, with their own mouthpieces and reeds and hopefully some knowledge about their immune status, will ever run into the risk of infecting themselves with their own instrument.
To draw an analogy: Patients are advised to clean their dentures/ orthodontic appliances with water and soap and nothing more.
And what about the other 11 months of the year when the bore
is not disenfected? In the long run, we cannot avoid a certain amount of bacteria on instruments / mouthpieces unless we disenfect on a daily basis (which is not necessary!)
Obviously, dirt and mould have to be removed.
So yeah, I agree if you the message is that an instrument with unknown origin should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, but doubt that there is any risk of infection unless the bore is really dirty.
Post Edited (2018-05-22 03:19)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2018-05-22 04:39
If you dipped the instrument in warm water, then unless you first removed the keywork you will have introduced water into the hinges. Most, but not all modern instruments have stainless steel rods, but if yours are not then you will get a build-up of rust in the hinges unless you now clean the hinges and rods. Simply oiling the pivot points won't remove all traces of water. The same applies to pivot screws.
Tony F.
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2018-05-22 05:42
All of that "Brown stuff" is natural oil that you have now removed from the wood. While it may seem gross it is completely harmless and helps prevent the wood from dry rotting. You should not need to use such aggressive methods like rubbing alcohol to clean the wood, simply oiling the bore with a natural oil and swabbing it out is enough to remove accumulated dust and debris and leave the bore with a nice shine in most cases.
While I 100% agree that a clean instrument is important, there is such a thing as overdoing it.
The mouthpiece on the other hand CAN be disinfected, and that alone should be enough to protect you from germs.
Congrats on your new instrument btw!
-Jdbassplayer
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-05-22 06:11
Thank you jdBassplayer. I swabbed the instrument when I was done being frustrated/practicing for three hours. Perhaps it's an old habit from when I worked at the carwash, but seeing that much brown on my swab alarmed me. Although, when I cleaned the instrument I did give it one more go at a tune; I did find that the instrument was now more resonant, darker/fuller, and the intonation improved tenfold.
I have this Bb clarinet more or less to learn how to do clarinet repairs, but still for $100 this instrument has some charm and seems like it can do whatever you want it to in terms of timbre. Also, it was funny to see that the pads were actually white and not brown when I dipped the clarinet and swabbed alcohol on the pads and dried them.
I agree, there is such thing as over-cleaning and we humans do have immune systems for a reason. That being said, I feel this might've been an unusual case. Regardless, I'm happy that the Evette is clean, and that it happened to improve too. Here's hoping I won't have to do more than just swab this clarinet from now on.
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Author: William
Date: 2018-05-23 21:18
And brush your teeth before you play. Your pads and reeds will last longer and they will not stink.
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Author: Kalashnikirby
Date: 2018-05-23 21:51
If you do brush your teeth, I'd strongly recommend cleaning the tongue too, as it accomodates a lot of plaque too.
When I serviced a friend's clarinet, I noticed a foul smell coming from the inside of the bore. As I'm pretty sure she has periodontitis, I wondered how much that affects an instrument. I carefully swabbed the bore with a bit of Isopropyl alcohol and then oiled it, swabbing it again afterwards, which was enough to remove this foul odor and smell more like a nice grenadilla instrument. This certainly demonstrated that all kinds of germs have the potential to reach the bore
Studies show that saliva is composed very individually, and I suppose that removing all cavities and treating an exisiting periodontits should help making for a cleaner instrument, but there's actually no evidence that brushing one's teeth reduce damage to the instrument/ pads, but common sense suggests that removing plaque which reduces the number of germs in one's saliva should help. However, I defininetely wouldn't practise right after a meal, as the accumulation of carbohydrates makes the pH go down due to the increased activity of some bacteria (that is to say, they fermentate), no matter if you've brushed your teeth or not. After about half an hour, the pH normalizes.
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-05-24 00:48
...and if your reeds do stink, then you could always gently submerged them into a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Personally I don't play directly after eating; it inhibits my lungs from expanding, and burping into the instrument for 30min. isn't practicing.
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Author: gatto
Date: 2018-05-24 22:18
>When I serviced a friend's clarinet, I noticed a foul smell coming from the inside of the bore. As I'm pretty sure she has periodontitis, I wondered how much that affects an instrument.
Though I believe that periodontitis or something similar might be the main initial reason for this smell I am pretty sure that a second (necessary) reason is a deficit of cleaning the instrument.
I have the following "rules" for myself after playing:
1. Swabbing the whole bore (including barrel and bell) 2 times.
2. Blowing out/free each padded tone hole from outside, then treating each of them briefly with a piece of cigarette paper. After that again swabbing the entire bore 1 time.
3. Polishing (drying) each (!) socket and tenon with a cloth. In particular, I also disconnect the bell each time for this (it is connected when in the case). Additionally (in particular if sweating) quickly wiping the keys and wood with a (the same) cloth.
4. Rinsing the mouthpiece under a tap. Drying it with a kleenex. From time to time (or if a have a cold or something similar) treat the mouthpiece with an alcoholic spray for disinfection. (If not possible to do this right after playing this could be postponed.)
Of course, this needs some ten minutes. But careful drying is not only important for avoiding cracks, also the polishing will secure the instrument from smelling badly.
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Author: Kalashnikirby
Date: 2018-05-25 01:38
gatto,
that's pretty much my procedure too and my main clarinet still looks fine from the inside, no cracks on the outside. The original Buffet swab was almost useless, but with the cord cut off, serves as a nice tenon cleaner - don't want any grease to on my main swab that is a BG, which is excellent.
With the calculus on her mouthpiece, no doubt that she neglected that procudure - also, the swab in her case didn't serve very well, so that seems likely to be another factor. In another case, I saw an extremely rough portion of the bore on a upper joint on a clarinet that has been used by a pro and wondered what he did to the instrument. Interestingly enogh, he claimed that he used to need a new instruments every few years because they were "blown" out. I'm beginning to suspect that this also has to do something with his oral health (he had a rather smelly breath and not the best dental status) and cleaning habits, but who knows. But if plastic softeners and other chemicals in toys, bottles etc. are dissolved by saliva, I guess grenadilla is going to be affected in some way, too.
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-05-25 06:57
Oral hygiene... I understand not wanting to brush your teeth, but at least for the love of the instrument and your reeds. Clarinets don't blow out unless you've neglected them somehow. There are still an abundance of Selmer Centered Tones, Buffet R13s, and Uebels clarinets off the top of my head that I know are from the late 50s that are still in very good condition and haven't "blown out".
As someone's who's diligent in their oral hygiene, I can understand it's cumbersome and annoying to do at times. Surely though, can't a clarinetist use a swab when they finsh? ...Perhaps I'm losing the topic here
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2018-05-25 21:15
Sam,
I would agree that you have lost the topic but am more concerned about your sharing of your personal dental hygiene and eating habits. Please keep these things to yourself; I do not care to hear about them.
Also, I am a bit puzzled first by your use of the word "kids" in this post. I believe that a large number of people on this bulletin board are mature adults. You need to be aware of to whom you are addressing.
But most importantly, in reviewing this posting and others, they continue to be a collection poorly focused musings that are not supported by facts or common knowledge. As an example of your rambling, what is your basis for saying "Clarinets don't blow out unless you've neglected them somehow" and "There are still an abundance of...clarinets...from the late 50s that are still in very good condition and haven't "blown out". How did you determine this and above all, what does it have to do with the original topic for this thread?
HRL
Post Edited (2018-05-27 05:05)
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-05-26 03:47
The basis being Kashinkrby's response about servicing his clients/friends clarinets. He also first mention he oral hygiene. Yes clarinets can be played into disrepair and deterioration, but assuming that the instrument was serviced regularly and proper player's maintenance (swabbing, the occasional key oil, and cleaning of the throat Bb tone hole, etc.) was performed, that process takes roughly 80-100 years.
Kashinkirby's example pro. mentioned having "blown out" his instruments and having to buy new ones every few years. I have that notation based on insight from a saxophone professor on YouTube. It hasn't too much to do with the initial topic, but since it was brought up, I figured it'd make good discussion.
Okay Hank, I'll do my part to keep things like oral hygiene to myself. If possible though, with all due respect, I'll kindly request that my ignorant statements aren't referred to as "rambling". I might be a inexperienced twenty-something, but I'm far from confused, Hank.
Oh, and the kids thing. I suppose the "click-bait title" best be reserved for YouTube and other social media. Hank, thank you so much for enlightening me; you're too generous. I do apologize if I did happen to disobey any rules of these forums; I joined only a month ago. Hoping things still seem hunky-dory and lacking any sense of... um... "heated debate" from my side. Thank you again Hank, but if possible please don't call my statements rambling even if they are misguided, for I am trying to make more logical responses when I do take the time to respond to a post here.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2018-05-29 08:36
Wash the mouthpiece in & out thoroughly after playing. Dry the cork and add cork grease if needed. Wash the reed thoroughly and place back on the mouthpiece and MP cap on--or reed goes into reed holder. Swab clarinet after taking it apart. Blow on keys & wipe with cloth to keep keys shiny. What else is there to say? There are more 'tips" in my book "The Most Advanced Clarinet Book".
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2018-05-29 08:37)
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Author: Speculator Sam
Date: 2018-05-29 09:09
Tom H, I'm familiar with your book. Supposing that aside from the advertising plug there... Tom have you had the pleasure of playing an instrument that might've not been cleaned or taken care of in a long time? Otherwise, I agree that it's shocklingly simple to care for a clarinet aside the repairs that need to be done every so often.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2018-05-30 08:20
Spec Sam, Actually, a couple of years ago I found an old Penzil Meuller that was given to me circa 1971. I found no reason to do anything other than swab it out after playing it. Maybe I was lucky, but that old clarinet went with me to many places where I lived in Canada after leaving NY in 1977, so it was exposed to different locales, climates, etc.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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The Clarinet Pages
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