As the old saying goes, practice makes perfect. But what if the tool you’re practicing with isn’t in tip-top condition? Can you really expect to reach perfection with a sub-par instrument? Of course not! That’s why taking special care of your instrument is just as important as the work you put in learning to perform with it. Aside from keeping your instrument looking great, proper instrument maintenance offers many benefits to new musicians. These far-reaching benefits include better practice sessions with better results, a longer life, and no unexpected financial surprises. And hey, your instrument was an expensive investment, why not keep it looking brand new?
4 Benefits of Instrument Maintenance
Improved Practice
Whether it’s a woodwind, brass, or string, your instrument was designed to be played in a clean and pristine state. As you use it, foreign substances will build up on it. These can be oils from your fingers, a buildup of spit or moisture, or even, in the most disgusting cases, actual bits of food blown from between your teeth into the inner workings of your instrument.
Any of these, as well as all manner of other environmental factors, including atmospheric humidity and ambient temperature, can hurt the sounds that your instrument can produce. This impact might be as simple as pushing the instrument just slightly out of tune; preventing important moving parts from moving the way they need to; to the extreme of making your instrument unplayable.
Can you imagine trying to learn to play on an instrument that won’t stay in tune? For someone with experience, this may be a manageable hurdle. It might even be something fun to play around with. But this can be a huge problem for a novice. If your ears haven’t been trained to tell when you’re out of tune, you won’t know–and your playing will ultimately suffer.
Regular instrument maintenance is an easy and inexpensive way to ensure that your instrument consistently creates the sounds it is meant to. This will, in turn, make keeping your instrument in tune easier, make your practice sessions more effective, and provide better results for your work!
Longer Instrument Life
No matter the device, if it has moving parts, it must be maintained for a long life. This is, of course, especially true of musical instruments. Even if you don’t practice as often as you might want to, or really ought to, it’s a good idea to keep your instruments clean and play them at least once in a while. Even the most basic maintenance, like wiping your instrument down with a clean, soft cloth can help prevent a buildup of dust, environmental residue, and fingerprint oils.
Not only can these elements cause problems with making music, but they can also have a long-lasting effect on the instrument itself. Basic maintenance every once in a while can not only keep the music-making parts of your instrument in working order, but it can keep the structural elements in good condition, too. Brass instruments are prone to rusting and sticking valves, woodwinds can crack and rot, and all stringed instruments are under a lot of tension, which puts a lot of pressure on the instrument’s body.
Simply keeping your instrument free of dust, dirt, and oils can help give it a long life of sounding and looking great. On the other hand, neglecting the most basic maintenance can make your instrument nothing more than a useless hunk of junk sitting in the corner.
Avoids Unexpected Expenses
When it comes to maintaining your musical instrument, you have only two options, which can result in three outcomes. First, you follow through on all your basic and necessary maintenance. That ensures that your instrument stays in working order and good condition. If you do this, it’s unlikely you’ll run into too many unexpected financial expenses. A well-cared-for instrument may have an occasional problem, like a worn-out key or new string heads, but any issues should be mild and, in most cases, expected.
On the other hand, you can choose to neglect your instrument. This option usually ends in one of two results caused by the same problem. Neglecting any musical instrument for too long will directly impact its performance and appearance. That often results in extensive, expensive repairs–or even replacement. Either of these eventualities represents a massive price tag. Avoid it with the most basic of instrument maintenance routines.
Looks & Sounds Great
Ultimately, a well-repaired and maintained instrument will always look and sound great, regardless of the brand name or the materials from which it is made. Look at it this way: musical instruments are an investment. If properly cared for, they can be passed on, bringing the joy of music to others. If not, all you might have to pass on is a tuneless hunk of wood or metal. You wouldn’t allow your car or home to fall into disrepair, would you? Of course not. You bring your car in for regular oil changes; when your home’s roof leaks, you fix it; you put in the effort to keep your investments in good condition.
Your instrument is exactly the same. If you put in the basic effort to maintain it, it will last longer, play better and more consistently, help you avoid unexpected costs, and stay looking good for a long time!
Every instrument requires its own maintenance. Before deciding on an instrument, be sure that you know what goes into its care. Committing to an instrument maintenance routine is just as important as committing to a practice routine!
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Want a little more help than what a clean and well maintained instrument can offer? Check out all the lessons and programs offered by the professionals at The Music Studio, and sign up today!
