Author: jhoyla
Date: 2008-04-27 11:17
A quick, 60 sec. treatment that will get your top joint "as dry as its gonna get" when onstage. Useful if you are really in trouble between movements, or during applause:
1. Disassemble the top joint and swab dry
2. Close all the holes as normal with LH and block the bottom with a RH finger
3. BLOW down the reed well as hard as you can, flicking all problematic keys as you go
4. BLOW across open octave key holes, as if you were trying to play the flute
5. Dab dry all the pads, inserts and bed-places with a piece of cigarette paper
6. seal up the joint as in (2) and SUCK through the octave holes, and then other holes
7. Swab again, and reassemble.
The sucking can dislodge beads of condensation around the octave key inserts. Also, you suck in dry, ambient-temperature air (you blow moist, warm air).
This is the emergency procedure - I endorse the repairman approach for a longer-term fix.
General advice includes NEVER leaving the instrument damp inside when not playing and NEVER turning the instrument so that the tone-holes are pointing downwards. Be aware of the angle of your instrument at all times, especially when inserting a reed!!
J.
Post Edited (2008-04-27 11:32)
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