Name Date
How to Care for Your Baritoneor Tuba(l)
lead pipe
mouthpiece
water key
water key fuphonium Tuba Nery similar to a baritone)
BeforeYou Play tion from the player'sbreath-just like the moisturefrom a steamingkettle that con- Thereis very littleto assembleon a bari- denseson windows.When this moistureaccu- tone or tuba.All you haveto do is placethe mulatesinside the baritoneor tuba,it makesit mouthpieceinto the leadpipe. Do this with a gurgle and hasto be releasedthrough the gentletwisting motion. Do not hit or pop the water key or spit valve.Open the water key mouthpieceinto place.This can leadto a stuck and blow air (don'tbuzz\ into the instrument. mouthpiece.Oil the valvesevery day you play Emptyyour spitvalve onto the floor, not on or everysecond day. Removethe valvesone at your chair or your neighbor'sshoe! a time andapply three or four dropsof high qualitythin oil. Replacethe valve,slotting it lf your mouthpiecegets stuck while you into placeor turningit untilit clicks.lf the are playing,do not attemptto removeit your- valveis not in the proper position,you can selfor haveanyone yank it out for you. Forci- blow hard,but no air will go throughthe horn. bly removinga stuckmouthpiece can break lf thishappens, check the positionof each of the braceson an instrument.Carry the instru- the valvesto correctthe problem. ment to your teacher(it won't fit in your case) and he or shewill removeit with a tool made speciallyfor pullingmouthpieces. To prevent Tuningand Playing stuck mouthpieces,always insert the mouth- To lowerthe pitch of the baritoneor tuba, piece gently,don't pop it during rehearsal,and lengthenthe instrumentby pullingthe main don't use too much pressurewhile you play. tuningslide out. To raisethe pitch,push the After playing,remove finger marks with a maintuning slide in. soft cloth. Thiswill removeperspiration which Themoisture that accumulatesinside the can damagethe lacquerand metal.Do not use baritoneor tubais not "spit."lt iscondensa- polish on lacqueredinstruments because it can scratchthe finish.
@ 1992l. WestonWalch, Publisher 25 How to Care for Your Musical Instrument Name Date
How to Carefor Your Baritoneor Tuba(ll)
RegularMaintenance SuppliesNeeded to Carefor the Baritoneor Tuba A cleaninstrument works and soundsbet- ter than a dirty one. Once a week cleanthe 1. Valveoil 5. Snakebrushes mouthpiecewith warm waterand a mouth- 2. Slidegrease 6. Valvecasing brush piecebrush. Help keep the mouthpieceand 3. Mouthpiecebrush or cleaningrod and instrumentclean by avoidinggum, candy,and cloth pop beforeyou play.Rinse your mouth if you 4. Softcloth havebeen eatinganything sweet.
Once a month giveyour instrumenta Handling the Baritoneor Tuba bath.Take all the slidesout. Takethe valves Thetuba and baritonewill dent easily. out one at a time and laythem in orderon a Dentslook ugly, affect the tone of the instru- towel.This will help you to put them backin ment,and are expensiveto remove.Don't the correctorder when you havefinished. Put standthe instrumenton the floor on its bell. the slidesand the body of the instrumentinto All too ofteninstruments left in this position warm soapywater. Run snakebrushes through are knockedover and dented.Always put the all the tubes.Use a valvecasing brush or a tuba or baritonein its casecorrectly. Don't cleaningrod and cloth to cleanthe valve crambooks and musicinto your casebecause casings.Rinse them off in cleanlukewarm the pressureon the tubingcan causedamage. water.Wash the valvesthoroughly, checking Besure the mouthpieceand other accessories so that no lint, dirt, or other substanceremains are put awayproperly so they don't iar loose in the ports(holes). Wipe the wateroff the and causedamage. Remember that the bari- outsideof the horn. Don't leavethe instrument tone andtuba are veryexpensive instru- in the watertoo long or the lacquerfinish can ments-not toys-and shouldbe handledwith peel off. care. Putthe instrumentback together. Oil the valvesand greasethe slides.For slide lubrica- tion you can use petroleumjelly, anhydrous lanolin,or commercialslide grease. Wipe off excessgrease.
O 1992l. WestonWalch. Publisher 26 How to Care for Your Musical Instrument Name Date
How to Carefor Your Baritoneor Tuba (lll)
Directions:Match each clue in the left column with the correct answerin the rightcolumn. Write the letter of the answerin the blank.
1. - A baritoneor tuba worksbest when it is A. metalpolish
2. - You shouldnever do thisto your mouthpiece. B. its bell
3. - Your valvesneed this everyday you play or everyother day. C. clean
4. - Nevereat this before you play. D. snake
5. - Cleanyour mouthpiece this often. E. candy
6. - Theseshould be removedwith a soft cloth. F. oncea month
7. - Thiscan scratch the finishof your baritoneor tuba. G. oil
B. - You shouldbathe your baritoneor tuba this often. H. fingermarks
9. - A flexiblebrush used to cleanthe tubes of a baritoneor tuba. l. anhydrous lanolin 10. - Bathethe baritoneor tuba in this. cleaningrod '1'1. J. - Valvecasings can be cleanedwith a brushor with this. K. soapywater 12.- lf your mouthpiecegets stuck, do not attemptto it! L. remove
13. - You cangrease slides with this. M. once a week
14.- Neverstand vour tuba or baritoneon this. N.pop
15. - Alwaysremember that your baritoneor tuba is an O. expensive musicalinstrument and handleit with care.
.1992 O l- WestonWalch, Publisher 27 How to Care for Your Musical lnstrument