Bassoon Assembly, Care and Maintenance

 

Assembly

 

Before you open your case, be sure that it is right side up.  Be sure to hold the body of the bassoon where there are no keys and gently twist the parts together.  If there is any difficulty, apply cork grease to the corks. Be sure to hold down the Bb key pad with a thumb to align the bridge key.  Hold the bocal near the cork and push it in.  Do not bend the bocal downwards when pushing it in.  Be careful not to bend any keys.  Attach the neck or seat strap- whichever you are using. Insert the reed and you�re ready to play! 

 

 

After Playing

 

Be sure to swab the inside of your bassoon every time you finish playing with a lint-free cloth swab.  Be sure it is a bassoon swab, so it won�t get stuck.   Be sure to swab out each section.  Use a cloth, preferably muslin, to wipe off moisture and finger marks.   Shake the moisture out of the bocal from both ends.  Blow through it from the large end to force water out.

 

Always keep your bassoon in the case when you are not playing it.  Never put anything in your case that it was not designed to hold.  The pressure from music or papers in your case can bend the keys and rods.  Vacuum your case when necessary.

 

 

The Reed

 

Blow moisture out of the reed and put it in a reed case so that it can dry out.  If you are using a sealed plastic case, poke a hole in it to allow air to circulate.  The inside of the reed should be cleaned weekly with a wet pipe cleaner.  Put the pipe cleaner in the reed tubing and carefully pull it out the top.  Run lukewarm water through the reed for a quick cleaning.

 

 

Regular Maintenance

 

Do not polish the keys on your bassoon, as this can ruin the pads and body of the instrument. Instead, use a cloth, preferably muslin, to wipe off moisture and finger marks.  Do not adjust the screws on your bassoon- only your teacher or a repairperson will know how to use them correctly.  Keep assembly corks greased to avoid cracking and leaking and to make assembly of the bassoon easy.  Occasionally run water through the bocal to keep it clear.  Watch out for the corks-  water can damage the cork!

 

Under each key is a pad that seals the tone hole when the key closes.  If pads start to stick, it means they are dirty.  To clean the pads, place a piece of clean cloth, such as muslin, under the pad, close the key, and pull the cloth through.  To keep pads clean, don�t eat candy or chew gum before or while playing! Rinse your mouth if you�ve been eating anything sweet.

 

 

Supplies Needed to Care for the Bassoon

 

1.  Bassoon Swab

2.  Clean cloth, preferably muslin (to clean keys and body of instrument)

3.  Pipe cleaner

4.  Cork grease

 

 

 

 

 

 

Handling the Bassoon

 

Don�t let anyone but your teacher handle or play your instrument.  If you need to set it down during rehearsal or practice, put it on a stable, flat surface with the keys up.  Never leave your oboe on the floor.

 

 

Identification

Be sure your instrument has a tag identifying that it belongs to you.  Also, have a record of the serial number of your instrument for insurance purposes.