Taking proper care of your musical instrument demonstrates a passion for your craft and serves numerous practical purposes. Excellent maintenance helps you avoid costly repairs, preserves the instrument’s value, and improves playability and performance quality. Brass, strings, and woodwind instruments each come with specific cleaning and care guides. Just as every musician brings something unique to how they play, instrument maintenance is not one-size-fits-all.

Keep Them in Tune

Whether you play your instrument daily or leave it in its case for months, it won’t magically stay in tune. Musicians continuously listen to and alter the sound of their keys or strings so they can strike the right chord. Out-of-tune instruments are not a pleasure to listen to, regardless of your musicality.

Some musicians learn to tune their instruments by ear. It allows them to make on-the-spot adjustments when something sounds wrong. While tuning by ear is a great skill, it’s not essential. There are many free, easy-to-use resources for tuning all kinds of instruments. For example, you can download a guitar tuner from the app store. It will provide real-time feedback and note detection. Most work for any guitar or bass. Some help you learn an instrument by teaching you to tune with a focus on playing songs.

Whether you’re riffing on an electric guitar or marching with a trombone on the football field, keeping your instrument in tune will show you how it sounds at its best. You’ll develop positive playing habits and improve your musicality.

Clean Them

Musical instruments are at the mercy of your hands (and often, your mouth). Both transmit bacteria. The dirtier or more poorly maintained an instrument is, the less efficient it will be at emanating sound waves.

Each instrument group comes with specific cleaning guidelines. The rule of thumb for all instruments is the gentler, the better. Harsh chemicals and exfoliants can cause unnecessary damage. Manufacturers don’t develop household cleaners with delicate musical instruments in mind. Whenever possible, use designated cleaners, oils, and polishes. It’s best to dry instruments with a dry cloth before stowing them.

Piano

Dust and oils settle on and between the keys of your piano and keyboards. These instruments are simple to clean as long as they’re not antiques. You can wipe keys down with a damp cloth, dry them, disinfect with non-alcoholic wipes, and dry them again. Paper towels might seem convenient, but they can peel and leave particles that build up over time. Soft cloths are a safer option. When you wipe down your keys, go back to front rather than side-to-side, as the latter method will leave moisture between the keys.

Strings

String instruments are primarily made of wood. After playing your guitar, consider wiping it down with a lint-free rag to keep it in better condition. UV lamps are excellent tools for cleaning wood instruments without damaging them. If you can’t access a UV lamp, you can use white distilled vinegar on guitars or alcohol-free disinfectant wipes on violins, cellos, violas, and basses. A pro tip: test disinfectant wipes on a small part to ensure they don’t remove the finish. Avoid touching the strings and bridges. To maintain sound quality and playability, you should replace strings annually. Have a professional walk you through the process the first time.

Woodwind

Flutes, clarinets, and saxophones can all use consistent wipe-downs with lint-free rags and silk cleaning cloths to remove the moisture left by your breath. Remove reeds and ligatures from mouthpieces before washing mouthpieces with soap and warm water. You can sanitize reeds with hydrogen peroxide. Many wind instruments also come with mouthpiece spray to make playing them more sanitary and enjoyable.

Brass

You must take apart brass instruments to properly clean them. You can wash each piece with gentle soap and water. Remember to thoroughly dry each component before you reassemble and store your instrument. Some recommend you send your tuba or trumpet to professional cleaners annually to avoid corrosion and expensive repairs.

Store Them Properly

Practice keeping your instruments in designated cases when you’re not using them. Instrument cases should not be at the bottom of any pile or left in the car, where fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels can negatively impact them.

Store string instruments string-side up and make use of the designated indentations for your woodwind and brass instruments. You shouldn’t have to force a case closed if all the parts are in their correct spot.

Conclusion

Intentionally maintaining your instruments will lengthen their lifespans and improve performance. It will also increase your motivation to play. After all, the better it sounds, the more rewarding it is to practice.