Take your instruments apart

ByBret Pimentel

I highly recommend taking your instruments apart.

Here’s why:

  • There’s no better way to understand the workings of a mechanical device like a woodwind instrument than to take it apart and put it back together again. They’re your tools. You should understand how they work.
  • Take ownership of your instrument’s maintenance. Discover problems that need a repair tech’s attention BEFORE they affect your playing at an inopportune time. Or, even better, use your newfound confidence with a screwdriver to fix minor problems yourself, and consider learning how to change a pad, or at least a cork.
  • Keep your instrument sparkling. With your horn in pieces, you can easily get into the nooks and crannies to remove dust and gunk. Your instrument will shine like new, your mechanisms will move smoothly and quietly, and you’ll feel good about treating your precious horn with such loving care.


Here are some tips:

  • Arrange your workspace. A large, clean workbench is ideal, but I’ve done this many times by spreading an old bedsheet on the floor. That way, when (not if, but when) I drop a tiny pivot screw or something, I know it can’t have gone far. Plus I have plenty of space to…
  • Lay out the parts in the order you remove them. Put them back on in reverse order.
  • Take your time. If you’re like me, you’ll find that sometimes you put a part back on, and then have to remove it again to get another part in place. Be patient. Don’t rush it.
  • Use the right tools. You need screwdrivers that are a good fit for the screws. Using the wrong size increases the chance of scratching something, damaging a screw, or even accidental stabbing. For a few dollars, you can get a little set of screwdrivers at most any hardware store. There are usually six of them in a little plastic case. You won’t need the Phillips head screwdrivers, but the flat-head screwdrivers will meet most of your instrument-disassembly needs. Note: I’ve seen similar screwdriver sets at dollar stores, and they aren’t as good. The metal is soft and the heads are sometimes misshapen. Go for the better set at the hardware store.
  • The trickiest thing to deal with are springs. They can stab you, catch on your clothes, or even break off if you get too violent. Be cautious and everything will be fine. A small crochet hook is handy for getting springs into (or out of) place. I used a Dremel rotary tool’s cutting wheel to put a notch in the other end of the crochet hook, so now I can either push or pull on springs with it.
  • While you’ve got the instrument taken apart, clean and lubricate everything. Use Q-Tips or pipe cleaners (but be careful of the inner wires) to get the crud out of the keys and instrument body. Use a soft, damp rag to wipe the stickiness off the toneholes. If you’re comfortable with it, you can also clean the pads. I like a slightly-moistened Q-Tip for this. Some people recommend lighter fluid or other solvents; I just use water, but that’s up to you.
  • Run a pipe cleaner carefully through the tubes of the keywork, and wipe off the inner rods. That black stuff is old lubricant mixed with very fine metal dust from the gradual wear on your mechanisms. Clean it off and apply fresh oil to keep your mechanism quiet and slow down the wear and tear. Use your favorite key oil—there are lots of conflicting recommendations out there for which product to use. Personally I like to use automotive gear oil, since it gives a nice smooth feel and you can buy a lifetime supply for a few bucks. Sometimes knowledgeable people warn about the dangers of various lubricants, but those doomsday scenarios all seem to involve leaving the lubricant alone for a very long time so that it can gum up or whatever. I clean and lube my instruments minimum once a year, so I figure I’m okay.
  • Saxophone and bassoon rollers tend to be noisy, and they fit loosely enough that key oil just drips out. Try cork grease instead to keep these quiet. I like the gooey red liquid stuff from Selmer (USA?) for this. Try not to get it on your hands, because it takes forever to wash off.
  • Don’t forget to do a quick playtest when you put the instrument back together. I often miss re-engaging a spring or two. Easily remedied.
  • If you’re nervous about doing it, start with your clarinet, especially the upper joint. It has few parts and they go back together easily. (If you’re REALLY nervous, buy a junker clarinet on eBay for a few bucks and experiment on it.) I think oboes are the most complicated.

Have fun!

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    For woodwind doublers and lots of other musicians, the shopping list can go on and on. Do I need a clarinet in A? In E-flat? Do I need an alto flute? A contrabassoon? A bass saxophone?

    Clearly there’s no one-size-fits all answer, but here are some things to consider.

    • Are you doing, or aspiring to, the kind of gigs where not having access to the right instrument is a dealbreaker? Or the kind where nobody minds too much if you cover that bassoon part on something else? (The answers to these may depend on a lot of factors like the musical genre, the hiring contractor, the location, and the availability of other musicians in the area.)

    • Are you happier being the person who is equipped for every situation? Or are you happier being the person who gets by with the necessities? (It’s okay to be either, or some of each.)

    • Do you expect, in purely financial terms, a return on investment for your new instrument? Do you see a clear path to pay for the instrument, its upkeep and accessories, and then some, by getting gigs you wouldn’t otherwise get? (It’s also okay if you have non-financial motivations.)

    • Are you pondering another purchase because of opportunities you’ve had to turn down? Or are you betting on future opportunities? Or just fascinated by another shiny object? (Any of those can be acceptable reasons if they fit with your financial resources and goals.)

    • If the purchase is part of a strategy to get more opportunities, what is the market like? For a particularly expensive instrument like a contrabassoon, it might be worthwhile if there is an unmet or under-met need for it in your area. (But if other contrabassoonists nearby have already locked down all the gigs, your expensive toy might end up collecting dust.)

    It’s hard to predict which instrument purchases will help you meet employment or income goals. Ultimately, it’s up to you to weigh the tangible and intangible factors and decide whether investing in something new is the right choice. Good luck!

  • Why doesn’t my new mouthpiece work?

    ByBret Pimentel

    So you bought a new mouthpiece! How exciting. But wait—it’s not playing as well as you hoped. Maybe it squeaks, or some (or all) notes don’t come out very well, or the tuning is weird. Let’s consider some possible reasons why:

    • First, it’s always a good idea to review the fundamentals of tone production: breath support, voicing, and embouchure. Those things probably didn’t really change when you got a new mouthpiece, but maybe the old one was more forgiving of some weaknesses in your technique, and the new one is revealing those issues.

    • A new mouthpiece is likely to require a different reed than the old mouthpiece. Try some harder or softer reeds and see if your results change. In general, a mouthpiece with a larger tip opening tends to like a softer reed, and a smaller opening works better with a harder reed. But it’s more complicated than that, and the only way to really know which strength, cut, brand, etc. will work best is to try them out. (Some mouthpiece makers do suggest reeds that go well with their mouthpieces, but your results may vary.)

    • Also: even if your new mouthpiece is compatible with the reeds you have been buying, ones that you previously used on the old mouthpiece may have kind of molded to the old mouthpiece. Try some fresh ones.

    • Not all mouthpieces are created equal, even mouthpieces of the same brand and model. This can be due to hand-finishing or other manufacturing variables. It’s possible that the one you got isn’t as good as the one that your friend or teacher or favorite professional player uses. If possible, it’s worth trying several before you pick one. And especially with older or used mouthpieces, they can warp or otherwise change shape in small ways, and that can change their playing characteristics and ability to mate well with a reed.

    • Let’s consider one more hard truth: if you bought a mouthpiece never having played on it (or at least one like it) before, you may have picked something that just isn’t going a good match for you. It’s easy to get caught up in the promises in advertising copy or on product websites, or to assume that your favorite player’s mouthpiece will be suited to your equipment and playing style. Some mouthpieces are made for extreme or unusual reed choices, embouchures, or playing situations, but most players benefit from a relatively middle-of-the-road mouthpiece. And, of course, some mouthpieces just aren’t as good as advertised at all. Your best bet might be to return or sell the new mouthpiece, and invest instead in lessons with a good teacher who can either guide you in a better-informed purchase, or help you get the results you want out of a mouthpiece you already have.

    A good rule of thumb is that a mouthpiece can’t give you skills, talent, or creativity. It can only remove, or add, obstacles to tone production. Pick a mouthpiece that makes it easier for you to do what you do, and get some help from a qualified teacher if needed. Good luck!

  • David Liebman on not doubling

    ByBret Pimentel

    Living jazz icon and soprano saxophonist David Liebman discusses his decision to abandon his doubles, even other saxophones:

    There comes a point in an artist’s life that he or she must be objective and identify the strongest aspects of their work. After the first flush of talent and success with all the dreams and desires accompanying that stage, there naturally comes a point in development where concentration of energy becomes necessary and one can see that with increased focus greater gains may be realized. … I realized that in a given set of an hour when I played all three instruments it resulted in very few actual moments spent on each horn. It had always been clear to me that one of the most important aspects for attaining a high level was achieved by pure and simple instrumental virtuosity. The only way that is accomplished is by the sheer amount of man hours spent with the horn in your mouth. And that means ONE horn, because though the tenor and soprano belong to the same family of instruments, they are different in many ways. It was clear that the only way for me to advance further was to concentrate energy on one or the other horn.

    Read the whole thing at Mr. Liebman’s website.

  • The few, the proud, the woodwind doublers

    ByBret Pimentel

    I’m back from the the excellent Region VI conference of the North American Saxophone Alliance. I went to soak up some good saxophone playing and to deliver what is becoming more or less my standard spiel on woodwind doubling.

    This time I gave away half of the handouts I brought with me. That’s a dramatic improvement over some of my earlier presentations. Unfortunately, it’s not because attendance has gone up, but because I no longer find it realistically necessary to bring extras “just in case.”

    photo, Benson Kua
    photo, Benson Kua

    As usual, my presentation was scheduled first thing in the morning, in a distant corner of the conference venue, and conflicting with a masterclass by one of the conference’s most admired performers. But, also as usual, the stalwart few who came were there early and already bubbling over with questions. Some were people I had previously been in touch with through this blog. And, as usual, they were all extremely attentive, and many of them went out of their way throughout the day to offer gratitude and compliments.

    I really don’t blame the conference hosts or attendees (of this conference or any of the various others) for giving a woodwind doubling presentation relatively low billing. Woodwind doubling is a niche topic. Most of the conference-goers are probably better served by attending a good masterclass on their instrument. Plus, it works out well to give these presentations to small but enthusiastic groups, with lots of opportunity for questions and discussion. I preach to the (woodwind) choir.

     

  • Woodwind doubling and flute problems

    ByBret Pimentel

    Many doublers start out as clarinetists or saxophonists, and many doublers would say that the flute is particularly challenging as a double. These phenomena are related. Let’s look at some of the issues woodwind doublers have with the flute. I’ll offer a sort of glib, inadequate tip or two for each situation, but the real solution here is to learn the flute right, with lots of patience, years of dedicated practice, and a well-qualified and longsuffering flute teacher.

    photo, Peri Apex
    photo, Peri Apex

    Lightheadedness, inability to play long phrases, fuzzy tone, weak low register. These are products of a too-large aperture (the opening in your lips). Single-reed players tend to have a mental image of a relatively large clarinet or saxophone mouthpiece held in their embouchures. Think instead of the actual opening between the tip of the reed and the tip of the mouthpiece—this is much closer to the size of opening you need to create in your lips. (Think especially of a high-pitched instrument like a clarinet or soprano saxophone, and a mouthpiece with a narrow tip opening.) Or try this: close your lips and relax them as much as possible, then blow gently until a tiny “needle” of air pokes through the center of your lips. That’s how much smaller your aperture needs to be.

    Thin/shrill tone, weak low register. The saxophone uses a medium voicing, and the clarinet uses a high voicing, but the flute uses a very low voicing. (Flute doublers coming from a double reed instrument or even a brass instrument have an advantage here.) Keep your airstream very warm, even in the highest register, to give your tone depth.

    Uneven intonation and tone. If you are counting on similarities between flute fingerings and clarinet or saxophone fingerings, then you are likely committing a number of flute crimes. F-sharp uses the right third finger, not middle finger. And you must master the ballet between the left index finger and right pinky finger, especially in the transition from first to second octave. (If middle-finger F-sharp and a lazy right pinky sound fine to you, it’s because your tone production technique and tone concept aren’t well developed yet.)

    No dynamic control. The typical problem is loud third octave, medium-loud second octave, and very soft first octave. This is a sure sign that you are trying to change octaves by blowing harder or softer. Your “octave key” on the flute is your flexible, well-trained embouchure. Instead of cranking up to gale force for the higher octaves, try pushing gently forward with your lips. (As a side note, if you find in doubling situations that your embouchure is tense and swollen when switching from reeds to flute, that’s a sign that you are playing reeds with too much tension.)

    Sluggish technique. There are two main problems here that doublers bring to the table. The first is the habit of moving relatively large, heavy, stiffly-sprung keys. A flute’s keys are small, light, and move with a feather touch. The second issue is insecurity in holding the instrument. It can be hard for a beginner to get the instrument properly balanced (laziness about fingerings can contribute to this, too), and that will slow you down. If the flute keeps trying to roll out of your hands, rotate it a few degrees so the bulk of the keywork sits right on top of the instrument.

    Sight-reading disasters in the third octave. Flutists play way up in the ledger lines as a matter of course. If you want to hang in the flute section, it’s time to learn to read those notes fluently. Stumbling around above the staff is also a sign that you haven’t really payed your dues technique-wise yet: you’re getting by within the staff because the fingerings are similar enough to saxophone and clarinet, but above the staff is a different story. Practice your scales and arpeggios.

    Good flute playing doesn’t come from casual “dabbling.” Take the flute seriously, study it diligently with good instruction, and it will be a joy to play and a boon to your doubling career.

  • Observing woodwind playing objectively

    ByBret Pimentel

    If you are teaching a woodwind methods course, you might be interested in my book.

    I have my woodwind methods classes do a lot of observing of woodwind playing. They comment on each other’s woodwind playing in class, write concert/recital reports, and make written comments on each other’s playing exams (for my eyes only). This is a crucial skill for their future teaching careers.

    I try to push them to keep their observations objective. But often the comments are things like:

    • “Your tone sounds really good.”
    • “Your articulation was sluggish.”
    • “So-so finger fluency.”

    Remarks like this, especially if detached from technique observations or recommendations, are unhelpful but often also unfounded. “Good” tone is a difficult thing to pin down, even for a specialist in the instrument. Even my college woodwind-instrument majors usually haven’t done enough critical listening in their lifetime for me to fully trust their judgments of what tone is “good,” even on their own instrument.

    I find it more helpful to the development of my students’ disciplined, precise teaching to hold them to a standard of objectivity. Tone isn’t inherently “good” or “bad.” (It might be more possible to effectively use a standard like “characteristic,” but even that requires some context.) But it’s fairly straightforward, and more useful pedagogically, to determine whether tone is, say, consistent.

    Some better versions of the above observations might be:

    • “Your tone is consistent from note to note, and also seems characteristic of the instrument.”
    • “I hear a moment of air noise before each note, especially in the low register. Try increasing breath support to help each note respond immediately.”
    • “Your fingers seem to move quickly and confidently to most notes, but you seem to arrive late at the F-sharps. Let’s review that fingering.”

    Keeping observations factual and non-judgmental makes lessons more efficient and targeted, and keeps lines of communication open for better teaching and learning.

6 Comments

  1. Hi Bret,

    I’m a retired NYC teacher and amateur jazz musician, studying with a New York pro who just told me to get Jean Jean’s “Vade Mecum.” I stumbled onto your great website and your piece. “Take Your Instrument Apart.” I’m scared to try that on my Buffet clarinet. However, the NYC school down the street threw out 2 Bundy saxes – 1 tenor and one bary- that I’d like to get in shape, the bary especially. Local sax technicians want $$$$ to overhaul it and I’ve been thinking of just buying a new one. Would it be worth tackling the bary as a starter project? I’ve got a workbench for the job.

    I’m eager to hear your opinion!

    Thanks,

    Brad Baker
    bakermusic2@yahoo.com

    Reply

  2. Hi Brad,

    A discarded saxophone would be a great first instrument to take apart, clean and lube, and reassemble!

    However, if it’s in rough enough shape that a school actually threw it away, it likely needs more than just cleaning and oil. A professional overhaul would probably include all new pads, corks, felts, and a number of other repairs and adjustments.

    So, it may be worth it to you to get a little hands-on experience with this horn, but it may still need some professional attention before it plays well (or at all!).

    Good luck!

    Reply

  3. Hi Bret !

    Following your wise advice I just took the upper joint of my clarinet apart.

    I used some white spirit for the extra grease. I think I could use some kind of silver special cleaner to make it shiny but I’ve got no time to go to the store as I need my clarinet for this evening…

    I guess that next time I’ll have all the tools ready before I start taking it apart.

    I’ll also have to buy new Q-tips. I just left two to clean my ears for this evening’s rehearsal ;)

    All the Best,

    Pierre

    Reply
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