Clarinet Care and Maintenance
Adam’s Music rents clarinets for musicians from beginners to professionals. We have a wide range of rental instruments suitable for players at any level, and for all budgets. No matter how much your rental instrument costs, Adam’s Music ensures it is in good working order before you take it home. Use these handy care and maintenance tips to keep your instrument looking and sounding great.
Assembly
Apply cork grease
Apply cork grease to the tenon corks on each of the joints on your clarinet.
Connect the barrel
Connect the barrel to the upper tube on your Bb clarinet. If you have a bass clarinet, connect the neck to the upper tube.
Connect the lower tube and bell
Hold the lower tube firmly, but be careful of the key assemblies. Gently press the bell onto the lower tube.
Connect the upper and lower tubes
While depressing the ring keys, connect the upper tube assembly from step 2 to the lower tube from step 3. This will protect the bridge key mechanism from damage.
Attach the mouthpiece
Press the mouthpiece onto the assembled barrel. Align the mouthpiece so that the ramp surface of the mouthpiece (where the reed goes) lines up with the thumb register key.
Attach the reed
Align the reed on the mouthpiece, then slide the ligature over the reed. Be careful not to damage the tip of the reed during assembly. When you have the ligature in place, hand tighten the ligature screws.
Disassembly
Remove the reed
Loosen the ligature screws and remove the reed, the ligature, and the mouthpiece from the barrel.
Separate upper and lower tubes
Press the ring keys on the upper joint while you separate the upper and lower tubes by gently turning and pulling.
Remove the barrel
Detach the barrel from the upper tube.
Remove the bell
Detach the bell from the lower tube.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Clean the clarinet body sections
After each playing session, clean your clarinet by pulling a cleaning swab through each body section. This will remove any moisture that condenses on the inside surfaces of your clarinet.
Wipe the exterior of the clarinet
Using a soft cleaning cloth, wipe the body and the keys gently to remove fingerprints and dirt. Be careful not to scratch the body sections or damage the keys while cleaning.
Store the mouthpiece and reed
Clean and dry off the reed and mouthpiece. To maintain peak performance and lengthen the life of the reed, store it in a reed protector.
Be Careful !
Your clarinet is designed and built to make beautiful music for many years. While your instrument is sturdy, it’s not designed to work if it’s neglected or abused. Here are some dos and don’ts of proper clarinet care:
- Always keep your clarinet in its case when it's not in use
- Clean your clarinet after every playing session
- Use cork grease to make assembly easier
- Clean your mouthpiece weekly with warm soapy water and mouthpiece brush to keep it sanitary
- Don't exert a lot of force on the keys during assembly and disassembly
- Don't expose your clarinet to extremes of temperature or humidity
- Don't leave your clarinet on a music stand, chair, desk, or anywhere it could easily fall
- Don't leave your clarinet in your car
If There's a Problem
Adam’s Music wants you to enjoy your clarinet. These maintenance and care tips will help keep your clarinet in top playing shape. If you have a problem with your instrument, don’t try to fix it yourself. Contact Adam’s Music for instructions. We’re your friendly neighborhood music store in West Los Angeles.
Click here for a printable PDF version of the Adam’s Music Clarinet Care and Maintenance Page