Oboe Maintenace Tips
Part of being a good musician means knowing how to care for your oboe. If you follow the directions below, your oboe will stay in great shape and play beautiful music for a very, very long time.
When not using your oboe, keep it closed in its case to help protect it and to prevent the possibility of damage.
Do not store oboe in areas of extreme temperature changes. Keep oboe away from heating supplies or from windows where direct sunlight or other weather can cause damage.
Never Run water through the oboe or submerse it in water.


Assemble your Oboe
Grease the oboe tenon corks with cork grease before assembly so that they work freely. Dry, tight corks may cause bent keys or broken tenons during assembly. Grasp the oboe upper joint with the left hand near the bottom and the oboe lower joint with the right hand near the bottom and carefully push the two joints together with a slight back and forth twisting motion. Line up the bridge keys carefully to avoid meshing them together and bending them. Grasp the oboe lower joint near the bottom and attach the bell. If the bell has a key mechanism, be careful to line up the bell’s key mechanism with that of the oboe lower joint and avoid bending them. Insert the reed into the receiver at the top of the oboe holding it by the cork. NOTE: The oboe should NEVER be stood upright on its bell on the floor or any other surface! It will easily fall in that position resulting in very serious consequences.


Storing your Oboe
When not using your oboe, keep it closed in its case to help protect it and to prevent the possibility of damage. Keep reeds stored in a reed guard to allow them to properly dry out and to avoid any chipping or cracking.
Do not store oboe in areas of extreme temperature changes. Keep the instrument away from heating supplies or from windows where direct sunlight or other weather can cause damage.


Oboe Daily Maintenance
YOU WILL NEED: Cleaning swab. Wipe down your oboe, inside and out. Remember, the pads of your oboe do not like to be wet!
o Drop the weighted end of the swab through your oboe backwards, that is, starting with the bell.
o Make sure the swab is not tangled or bunched up as you pull it through, or it may get stuck.
o Pull the swab all the way through your oboe and make sure each piece looks dry on the inside. You may need to swab twice if the first time didn’t work very well.
o Carefully place each piece inside the case as you finish cleaning it.
As you play, your oboe collects moisture inside from the warm air coming out of your mouth. If you do not clean this moisture out after each playing session, it can accumulate in your keypads and cause air leaks. After playing, take your reed off, squeeze the excess water out of it and put it safely away. Drop the weighted end of the cleaning swab through the top end of the oboe and let it fall to the bottom end. Pull the swab gently through the instrument and repeat a second time. The outside of the oboe should be wiped off with a clean cloth to remove fingerprints. This will stop your oboe from tarnishing and keep it in good working order.
Oboe Weekly Maintenance
YOU WILL NEED: Soft cloth (lint-free). Wipe down your oboe, inside and out.
o Take an extra moment to gently wipe down the
outside of your oboe. This will remove excessive fingerprints and help keep the oboe dirt- and dust-free.
Keep the tenons (the places where your oboe joints fit together) clean and greased. Apply a small amount of cork grease if the instrument is difficult to put together.
If you have pads that stick as you play, take a sheet of cigarette paper and place it beneath the sticky key. Gently push the key down, but with a little more pressure than when you play the oboe. Pull out the paper while being careful not to tear it. Repeat as necessary.


Oboe Yearly Maintenance
Have your oboe checked out at a music store. They will do minor repairs and replace worn pads or corks. You may ask for an estimate for cleaning and repairs before having the work done.
NEVER:
* Run water through the oboe or submerse it in water.
* Turn the adjustment screws found on some of the keys--these are regulating screws and should not be tightened or loosened by the player.

* Use materials, oils, or other products not specifically designed for use in oboe maintenance. 

  2012.05.17 Oboe Maintenance tips -HK Oboe Center香港雙簧管中心