Looking After And Tuning Your Musical Instrument
Musical Instrument Maintenance
 Once you have bought your musical instrument it is important to
keep it in good condition to make sure that you get the best out
of it, all of the time. Always return the instrument back to its
case and store it in a safe place where it cannot be knocked or
sat on by other people or animals.
Clean your musical instrument regularly
but in accordance to the manufacturer's instructions, care should
be taken not to use abrasives as these could damage the instrument.
Most music shops sell a range of soft cleaning cloths and tube
cleaners for this purpose.
With regards to servicing your musical instrument, you can if you wish, take your instrument to
a music shop to have it checked out on an annual basis, this should
help to maintain the quality and value of the instrument. The paperwork
is also worth keeping as a record of it's service history. For
brass instruments it would be worth flushing them out with luke
warm mild soapy water and rinsing them with cold water to clean
out the insides. Don't use hot water. For instruments with valves
you can buy a special valve cleaner which can be used to clean
out the valve casings. Make sure that you use the correct tuning
slide grease when lubricating slides and the proper valve oil on
pistons, if you are not sure ask for some advice from your local
music shop. If you use a mouthpiece make sure this is cleaned regularly
with warm soapy water to avoid the build up of dirt. Lastly do
not expose your instrument to the extremes of temperature as this
could cause serious damage.
A piano can be expensive and therefore should be treated like
a fine piece of furniture, it needs to be kept clean. Try
to avoid standing drinks or flower vases on them as these can
leave marks. When it comes to dusting them just use a damp cloth,
there will be no need to use a spray polish, as the piano will
normally have a coat of lacquer on it.
 Tuning
Although all instruments need tuning, most can be done by an individual
after a few goes and it is really on the larger instruments that
need a professional to come and do the job properly. One such instrument
that should be tuned annually is the piano.
Piano Tuning
If a piano is not tuned regularly at least once a year then it's
performance will suffer with the main effect that the pitch will
drop. Local piano tuners can be found in the yellow pages or alternatively
go online and visit the website of The Association Of Blind
Piano Tuners . It is also worth remembering that the action of the keys
may need to be serviced from time to time as they can be subject
to wear and tear.
Maintaining A Piano
If you have a piano, you've probably made it the centerpiece of a particular room. There's no doubt that pianos are a beautiful piece of furniture and can be a wonderful addition to your home. But where should you put it? And how do you care for it? These are questions you may not have considered until the delivery van is in the driveway or the first layer of dust has accumulated. Take some tips from the pros.
One of the first things to consider is that your piano is probably going to have to stay where you put it for some time. Unless this is a compact model, moving it from one side of the room to another is going to be a major undertaking. Even with wheels, you're likely to damage flooring.
Get the exact measurements of your piano before it arrives and take careful stock of your room. Clear the spot you want the piano, then mark off the space the piano will take up. Is there comfortable room for someone to be seated on the bench to play? Making a paper or computer outline of your room and placing your furniture in the model is a good idea if you have the time and patience for this kind of undertaking.
If you have central heat, be sure your piano isn't going to be blocking a vent. Not only will it knock down on the distribution of heat, but the direct stream of air isn't good for the piano. Be sure there's a light source for the pianist, but you also shouldn't put the piano in direct sunlight.
Remember that little critters may very well take up residence in a piano, especially one that's not used often. With that in mind, it's probably a good idea to keep a grip on mice and bug infestations. If you have a piano in storage, be sure the area is "vermin free."
Cleaning a piano is not a tremendously difficult chore if you start with a few simple rules. Never play with dirty hands. It's especially important to enforce this rule if you have children in the house who take lessons or simply can't resist touching the piano. Keeping the cover closed is a good start, but kids tend to be fascinated by the instrument and dirty hands can cause some serious cleaning issues.
If keys do get sticky, a slightly damp, soft cloth is probably your best bet. Be sure the cloth isn't wet enough to drip. Wipe the top of the keys first, then depress each key to clean the sides of the keys beside it. Remember that grime on the sides of the keys can cause the keys to stick. Avoid harsh cleaners and keep in mind that many household cleaners will leave a sticky residue. For tough stains, try a bit of lemon or alcohol on your cleaning cloth.
As for the case, it all depends on the material. It's best to follow manufacturer's suggestions, A general rule of thumb is to clean a wood case as you would any other wood, but be careful that you don't allow any cleaner or water to drip through cracks and crevices in the case.
Article by Charles Kassotis
"Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com "
For more information about your piano, including how to care for it, visit Piano Set
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