Tips on How to Care for Your Piccolo

Along with learning how to play the instrument, it is equally important for you to know how to maintain the instrument. This is typically true for the piccolo. There is an entire process that you need to follow before you can hope for a healthy life of the instrument.

There are a few tips, if followed perfectly, will help you keep the instrument intact. Of course, it is also a good idea to invest in a Piccolo insurance for the long life of the instrument and also to save your pockets.

Assembling the instrument
Extreme care needs to be established while you are processing the assembly of your instrument. Here's how you can assemble the instrument with perfection

• You will first need to be sure that the tenon cork is smooth and lubricate. You ought to use the cork grease for the purpose. The reason being this lubrication will ensure smooth and easy fit of the cork in the instrument

• Next on, you ought to hold the wood above the assembly mechanism and the headjoint from below the embouchure hole in order to piece them together. Twist the two in order to make the fix properly. Make sure you don't insert the finger while putting the two together

• Make sure you don't apply too much pressure while joining the two ends. If you are unable to squeeze them together, then connect with a professional

Cleaning the instrument
Now that you know how to assemble the instrument, the next step is to make sure that the instrument is clean. Here are the techniques to help maintain the cleanliness of the instrument.

• Use a silk oboe swab connected with a string, and use the weight to remove the condensation from within the instrument

• You should ideally perform the swabbing after every use of the instrument. This way you will increase the life of the instrument, and reduce the maintenance needs exhibited by the instrument

• Make sure you keep the Piccolo protected from the temperature extremes in your surrounding environment. This could affect, specifically if you move from a warm building into a cold temperature. It can crack the wood of the instrument. You should ideally insulate the instrument within a case, so that it remains protected.

• The headjoint should be ideally warmed up before it is blown into the embouchure hole. This way, you can avoid the cracking of the headjoint or other parts of the instrument. The headjoint has a thinner piece of wood, and is more prone to the cracks

• The fingerprints on the instrument can be removed with the help of a cotton cloth that is dampened in water. You should ideally not use cloth that are infused with the cleaning chemical. It is not recommended to use silver polish on the instrument to complete the cleaning.

When not in use, keep the instrument within the case, safe and protected. You should clean the wood mechanism regularly, and oil it too at regular intervals.