How to clean a woodwind mouthpiece

Let's face the facts.  You probably need to clean your mouthpiece.  I've known for a while that my mouthpieces needed a good cleaning.  It's one of those things we know we as woodwind players know we should do more often but don't.  After reading this article on NPR about wind players getting sick from the filth in their instruments, I finally decided to do something about the declining state of my mouthpieces.  (one could argue that while some instrumentalists are suffering from hypersensitivity pneumonitis, there are still millions of professionals, amateurs, and students who do not)    

What you will need:  

  • Liquid dish soap
  • Warm water
  • Woodwind mouthpiece brush OR a soft bristled toothbrush

 

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How to clean a saxophone

As a private music teacher, I am often asked by my students how do you clean a saxophone.  We do cover things such as swabbing after use, wiping the neck tenon dry after use, and cleaning the mouthpiece regularly.  One thing I don't often get to go into detail is how to clean the exterior (i.e. the keys and body) to give it a shine.  Well I've noticed that my alto has picked up some grime lately, so I figured I would document the experience and do a blog post about it.  The techniques I use are the same that was taught to me in my training as an instrument repair tech.

What you'll need: 

  • Cotton Swabs (a lot)
  • Water                                          
  • Furniture Polish
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