Thank you, you'd think that after playing for about 2 years, I would at least know how to USE my cleaning swab!! This is helpful for many reasons, and I actually did think the pad saver was a cleaner 😓
Good morning Sir you are the only presenter who so far l have seen demonstrate the proper way to swab and store the instrument. The pad saver is not a swab again you are the only presenter who l have seen demonstrate proper swabbing and storage properly. Thank you Sir.
Part of playing any wind instrument is saliva management. Be smart and stay on top of it. Swab out sax after every session. Don't be the lazy person whose horn is nasty!
If you are not sure what you are doing, make sure to ask your instrument repair technician. I can't stress that point enough. Your band teacher does not necessarily know everything there is to know. Properly cleaning your saxophone requires a trip to your instrument repair store - it is not possible for you to wash your saxophone properly because you need to take off all the keys - a job that only an instrument repair technician should be doing. So if you are worried about germs, get your technician to clean it properly once a year. The best you can do is to follow the advice above with two modifications: don't use the pad saver, and don't put the swab through the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece should be cleaned with water and soap and air-dried so that nothing damages the angles that are a requirement for a good sound. The pad saver makes people feel like they are doing more to clean the instrument, but I would say that it actually keeps the dirt in the instrument unless you are cleaning the pad saver itself.
Thank you so much for this video! It's been about five or six years since I last played my sax and I had quite forgotten how to properly clean it. It's a very useful video you have here, sir.
I got rid of my pad savers. They leave fibers on the tone hole rims of the E flat key and clog the lower octave key. Now I pull a swab through after playing, until it's pretty much dry.
I was going to get rid of mine and I spoke with my repair guy who is Rod Baltimore from the famous NYC store that has worked on Trane as well as Sanborn"s horns.He said when you use a pad saver you first should use a mild shampoo on them and then a conditioner so tis way the fibers do not come off. It works great!
My fear with the pad savers is they don't let the interior of the horn air out. When playing at home, I frequently leave the case open so the horn can air. And it never gets funky.
I just started playing the saxophone at the beginning of my six grade year and my van and teacher told me the wrong way to clean it so thank you for telling me the right way to clean my saxophone
Your English is actually really good! I was looking for a way to clean it and the way I do it is to swab it with rubbing alcohol. I would NOT put it in a washing machine. Though it's brass it cannot be washed like a brass instrument in a bath. The pads will be ruined! :)
It's so very important to clean your saxophone properly after every session. And not just because the sax will smell bad if not regularly cleaned. There is a very real condition called "saxophone lung". It's a reaction to the fungus that builds up in wind instruments. If your saxophone is never cleaned properly you will inhale this fungus. I swab out my saxophone body, neck and mouthpiece after every session as noted in this video. I then place the pad saver in the saxophone. I try to leave the pad saver in for about a half hour if possible. And then remove it. I like the instrument to air out. Cleaning reeds and the plastic reed case is also important. Mold can build up there, too.
Grant Koeller you are wrong this was a very good presentation. It is a pad saver not a shove it as you called it . This was an excellent video. The pad saver is intended to absorb any residue it may still have after swabbing.
Thanks for the Demo and sound device. Wouldn't it make sense for Saxophone Manufacturers to put Spit Valves on the bottom curl of ALL Saxophones, and not just the Baritone? Also, what addresses the moisture between the pads and the rims of the holes they cover? How are THEY kept clean and dry?
Sorry in advance for my English (I'm French), but how do you wash you swab when it's dirty, since it's tied to a weight (so a risk to damage the washing machine) ? Thank you for you answers.
Hey Bill, Im worried about catching or spreading Covid with my saxophone because i recently had it repaired. What should i do to prevent the spread of Covid with my horn?
Hey Bill, Good video lesson. Now what about the outside? Distilled water? Microfiber pad? My jupiter horn corrodes if you look at it harshly. And what about the inside of that looped bari neck? Thanks in advance!
My Alto has a little pipe at the (body) octave hole that protudes internally about 1/3 of the diameter, where the swab will snag. I pull the swab just up to that point, take it out and dry the rest from above. Anyone with the same problem has found a better solution? And again, thanks for the video.
So, I haven't been cleaning my saxophone in years and there is dried spit in the bottom, will doing the whole swab thing clean all that dried stuff, if not, what do I do to clean that out Also ,I believe spit has dried on the outside of my saxophone and I have tried to clean it with soap, water, and a hand towel, and it didn't come off, what do i do?
this may sound like a beginner but i raelly am one, can you please tell me how the body swab weight is going into the bell and to the neck almost like against gravity? its like youre pushing the string up ?
I do exactly the same as you but for the mouthpiece & crook being connected .. and my swabs are damp with mild bleach water. . MP & crook I soak in mild bleach water and run through with swab to dry. With respect and this is my opinion. . Using a mild bleached swab will kill the germs ... using just the swab dry only will just drag through the crap will it not? ???? I would appreciate your feedback
Thanks! Just decided to get my own tenor tonight and just remembered that I had always shared one with another person and always let them clean it out. (I was too scared because I played clarinet before tenor instead of alto)
This is a really great video. I will have all my students view this. Only one comment, remove mouthpiece, when swabbing neck. There is no reason to pull all that neck moisture through the mouthpiece. I have my students purchase a standard white 100% cotton mens handkerchief just for the mouthpiece. When laying saxophone down on the bench, do not lay it on the high D key, instead lay it down on the key post side. Those Pad savers are really called "Shove It's" and they can be great for drying sax, however just don't leave the wet shove it in the sax. Put it in and pull it out, then dry it with another towell, but do not insert it again. The sax should be stored in the case without the shove it. Thanks, Grant Koeller, USAF Bands retired.
Good morning l live in Guyana South America a small country.My two swabs were made with two new hand kerchiefs the larger one for the body. The smaller one for the neck .l attach them with polyurethane string and small mechanical nuts for the weight. They work fine been doing that for years.
What about sensitization? What is the proper way to clean and store reeds and mouth pieces? I would put one of the reeds away to use another one for awhile, and find that the old one grows mold. I would get an upper respiratory infection every time I would play
I have a wooden case that has a piece of glass the shape of the case inside and it lays on a piece of velvet type material. It's an expensive reed case, but it works great keeps my reeds like new . Before I put them away I give them a quick swipe on cloth .usually my shirt or pants LOL!
Thanks so much. If I would have known this many years ago I would have saved thousands of dollars. I am going to stick to your cleaning ritual. Thank you.
Get them! They are worth the money, here's the link www.amazon.com/Ravel-375-Alto-Sax-Care/dp/B008871Z4C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1481591894&sr=8-4&keywords=saxophone+cleaning+kit
I received a sax from a friend and it stayed in the closet for almost a year. Now i looked into it and want to learn but first I want to clean it. My problem is I got this black thing inside the sax. I'm not sure what it is but it has three small holes on top of it. Is this a part added or something i should remove? Thanks ahead of time.
"Casper the ghost going into my saxophone"... that's officially my new favourite euphamism.
Thank you, you'd think that after playing for about 2 years, I would at least know how to USE my cleaning swab!! This is helpful for many reasons, and I actually did think the pad saver was a cleaner 😓
Good morning Sir you are the only presenter who so far l have seen demonstrate the proper way to swab and store the instrument. The pad saver is not a swab again you are the only presenter who l have seen demonstrate proper swabbing and storage properly. Thank you Sir.
"Casper the ghost goin' up into my saxophone"
0:22 these fuzzy things *pulls magical thing* HARRY YOUR A WIZARD
I would do this if I had more than 30 seconds after class.
Emma Slattery my mans just bring the instrument home
That’s the dam truth
Same
@@tryingtobebetter1923 so true
So true
I didn't realize I was going to spit town when I picked up the sax for the first time, so thank you for that!(:
Part of playing any wind instrument is saliva management. Be smart and stay on top of it. Swab out sax after every session. Don't be the lazy person whose horn is nasty!
Thanks but why can't they put a spit valve in the bottoms of saxophones the way they do with trumpets and trombones?
Jim Ervin ikr
Jim Ervin because only brass instruments can have the spit valve
Well, baritone saxophones have one :P
IzzY exactly
Because the sax has a big bell, you turn it upside down and drain the moisture.
I use a clarinet swap for the neck. Works well and also pulls through the mpc.
I'm glad that I watched this video after two days of having my sax! A great tutorial that cleared up all my questions.
If you are not sure what you are doing, make sure to ask your instrument repair technician. I can't stress that point enough. Your band teacher does not necessarily know everything there is to know. Properly cleaning your saxophone requires a trip to your instrument repair store - it is not possible for you to wash your saxophone properly because you need to take off all the keys - a job that only an instrument repair technician should be doing. So if you are worried about germs, get your technician to clean it properly once a year. The best you can do is to follow the advice above with two modifications: don't use the pad saver, and don't put the swab through the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece should be cleaned with water and soap and air-dried so that nothing damages the angles that are a requirement for a good sound. The pad saver makes people feel like they are doing more to clean the instrument, but I would say that it actually keeps the dirt in the instrument unless you are cleaning the pad saver itself.
What about the metal top part
Thank you so much for this video! It's been about five or six years since I last played my sax and I had quite forgotten how to properly clean it. It's a very useful video you have here, sir.
I got rid of my pad savers. They leave fibers on the tone hole rims of the E flat key and clog the lower octave key. Now I pull a swab through after playing, until it's pretty much dry.
I was going to get rid of mine and I spoke with my repair guy who is Rod Baltimore from the famous NYC store that has worked on Trane as well as Sanborn"s horns.He said when you use a pad saver you first should use a mild shampoo on them and then a conditioner so tis way the fibers do not come off. It works great!
My fear with the pad savers is they don't let the interior of the horn air out. When playing at home, I frequently leave the case open so the horn can air. And it never gets funky.
I just started playing the saxophone at the beginning of my six grade year and my van and teacher told me the wrong way to clean it so thank you for telling me the right way to clean my saxophone
Ariana Judd
Your English is actually really good! I was looking for a way to clean it and the way I do it is to swab it with rubbing alcohol. I would NOT put it in a washing machine. Though it's brass it cannot be washed like a brass instrument in a bath. The pads will be ruined! :)
Thanks so much, all new to me but learned lots.
I've been playing for 20+ years and never knew that the padguard wasn't a cleaner... great video... thanks!
Thanks for sharing this, very helpful!
This is an excellent video. Thanks for taking your time with this demonstration - I really appreciate it.
It's so very important to clean your saxophone properly after every session. And not just because the sax will smell bad if not regularly cleaned. There is a very real condition called "saxophone lung". It's a reaction to the fungus that builds up in wind instruments. If your saxophone is never cleaned properly you will inhale this fungus. I swab out my saxophone body, neck and mouthpiece after every session as noted in this video. I then place the pad saver in the saxophone. I try to leave the pad saver in for about a half hour if possible. And then remove it. I like the instrument to air out. Cleaning reeds and the plastic reed case is also important. Mold can build up there, too.
Thanks. I watched your demo and I then made a tenor neck swab and ordered a bore swab.
Very informative. Thanks for posting.
Grant Koeller you are wrong this was a very good presentation. It is a pad saver not a shove it as you called it . This was an excellent video. The pad saver is intended to absorb any residue it may still have after swabbing.
Thank you! And I'm pretty sure they also make end plugs for the mouth piece.
I play saxophone and its my. Life
great video! also, do you have a recommended brand for the pad saver or are all of them the same?
Great video.... Really inspired
How about the keys with the mold. I use alcohol and q tips after every gig. I perform at a lot of outside venues by the water
This was really helpful thanks!
What additional cleaning steps do you recommend for a "silver-plated" sax? Thanks!
This helped a lot thank you
Great tutorial, thank you Sir !!
This helped me a lot thanks
A very good video. Thanks!
Does the copper in the brass work like an anti-bacterial to keep germ growth in check?
my tenor didnt come with a neck cleaner how can i make one? or do i need to go out and buy one???
Thanks for the Demo and sound device. Wouldn't it make sense for Saxophone Manufacturers to put Spit Valves on the bottom curl of ALL Saxophones, and not just the Baritone? Also, what addresses the moisture between the pads and the rims of the holes they cover? How are THEY kept clean and dry?
I got one from paris that is a 1903. Got it in a garage sale. Nickle plated all the pads are bad. Well worn finger buttons. I'd like ti clean it up.
great thanks for your help
hey a piece of cloth is stuck in my soprano while I was cleaning it ..what to do??
thank you very helpful
hello my son have the saxophone some time the sax has an strong sound i not no what happen you explain to my why please thanks
Thanks for the tip gotta appreciate it thanks again
Great video thanks!!!
Could you link the swabs you used?
Sorry in advance for my English (I'm French), but how do you wash you swab when it's dirty, since it's tied to a weight (so a risk to damage the washing machine) ? Thank you
for you answers.
Hey Bill, Im worried about catching or spreading Covid with my saxophone because i recently had it repaired. What should i do to prevent the spread of Covid with my horn?
How does he get the string in so smoothly? I can't make it go threw.
Hey Bill, Good video lesson.
Now what about the outside? Distilled water? Microfiber pad? My jupiter horn corrodes if you look at it harshly. And what about the inside of that looped bari neck?
Thanks in advance!
Where do you get the two swab that are in the video? I am looking on Amazon.CA ( Canada).
My Alto has a little pipe at the (body) octave hole that protudes internally about 1/3 of the diameter, where the swab will snag. I pull the swab just up to that point, take it out and dry the rest from above. Anyone with the same problem has found a better solution? And again, thanks for the video.
So, I haven't been cleaning my saxophone in years and there is dried spit in the bottom, will doing the whole swab thing clean all that dried stuff, if not, what do I do to clean that out Also ,I believe spit has dried on the outside of my saxophone and I have tried to clean it with soap, water, and a hand towel, and it didn't come off, what do i do?
this may sound like a beginner but i raelly am one, can you please tell me how the body swab weight is going into the bell and to the neck almost like against gravity? its like youre pushing the string up ?
Very helpful... I'm about to clean mine
Hi, are there any brands of swabs you recommend? I've seen there are silk, or felt ones. Does it make a different? Thanks.
What's the best way to clean the pads??
hi martinmusic i would like to know where your store is at so we can bring my saxophone in.
Thanks for the great video. Any suggestions on sanitizing. I bought a used one for my daughter and just want to sanitize it. Any suggestions?
Take a swab and spray windex and pull though a couple times.
Good video, but I wonder if the left hand side keys don't get damaged by the position of the saxophone over the table ...
Every time you play! A good habit to start as I learn how to play.
Thank you!
Very helpful
I swear this if I still played the sax in 30 years
wait so how do we clean the e flat pad because mine looks horrible!
thank you I've been putting the cloth in wrong. I will start at the bell from now. Thank you!
O my god I've been putting string in the wrong end this whole time. Thank You
Boy I don't want Casper the ghost haunting my saxophone
I do exactly the same as you but for the mouthpiece & crook being connected .. and my swabs are damp with mild bleach water. .
MP & crook I soak in mild bleach water and run through with swab to dry.
With respect and this is my opinion. . Using a mild bleached swab will kill the germs ... using just the swab dry only will just drag through the crap will it not? ????
I would appreciate your feedback
do not put bleach on your mouthpiece! Use a mild dish washing liquid like Dawn, and only cold water.
i need help what happens if there is paper stuck i need help ? could sombody give me a tip or a guidline please messege me
great video thx. now i know how to use my pad saver
Cheers mate 👍
can that also clean mold
Thanks! Just decided to get my own tenor tonight and just remembered that I had always shared one with another person and always let them clean it out. (I was too scared because I played clarinet before tenor instead of alto)
Just got an alto sax, thanks ! :)
Thank you
Thanks!
how do you clean the bell end ??? ;-)
“IT WILL SMELL BAD ( says in super deep voice)
Thank you :)
thanks
Where do work?
My saxophone is an old one I borrowed from the school and it has a lot of scratches is there a way to get some of them gone?
Leave the scratches, you earned them. Every scratch is a story. Scratches are cool.
what if my swab has a styraphome thing on the other side of it?
AWSOME
"i always brush my teeth before i play"...hahaha:)
I used to store my reeds in a small jar of Listerine :)
thx
This is a really great video. I will have all my students view this. Only one comment, remove mouthpiece, when swabbing neck. There is no reason to pull all that neck moisture through the mouthpiece. I have my students purchase a standard white 100% cotton mens handkerchief just for the mouthpiece. When laying saxophone down on the bench, do not lay it on the high D key, instead lay it down on the key post side. Those Pad savers are really called "Shove It's" and they can be great for drying sax, however just don't leave the wet shove it in the sax. Put it in and pull it out, then dry it with another towell, but do not insert it again. The sax should be stored in the case without the shove it. Thanks, Grant Koeller, USAF Bands retired.
Thanks.
Do people buy these cleaners or would you just make something up with some string, cloth and weights?
Good morning l live in Guyana South America a small country.My two swabs were made with two new hand kerchiefs the larger one for the body. The smaller one for the neck .l attach them with polyurethane string and small mechanical nuts for the weight. They work fine been doing that for years.
@abwlegacy
It's not mold, it's copper oxide. It's the stuff that forms with saliva and brass.
What about sensitization? What is the proper way to clean and store reeds and mouth pieces? I would put one of the reeds away to use another one for awhile, and find that the old one grows mold. I would get an upper respiratory infection every time I would play
I have a wooden case that has a piece of glass the shape of the case inside and it lays on a piece of velvet type material. It's an expensive reed case, but it works great keeps my reeds like new . Before I put them away I give them a quick swipe on cloth .usually my shirt or pants LOL!
so your saying that the pad saver long fuzzy thing is good for a sax cause this is what i have been wondering
Can I ask you- Do you remove the reed from the mouthpiece when cleaning it?
LORNA MORROW yes, or else the sqab won't come out.
Boi👋
Thanks so much. If I would have known this many years ago I would have saved thousands of dollars. I am going to stick to your cleaning ritual. Thank you.
And what about a baritone? How can I clean it that good as this alto?
A bari sax can not use a body swab. They make a special curved bari neck pad saver that gets in there and drys it out.
thanks for the vid,but i have live cork grees and stuff for mine
Wow! The pad savers cost a lot! $17 on Amazon. I read some comments saying they are bad... so should I get them?
also, I know this is a lot to ask, but is it possible if someone could link me sax cleaning materials?
Get them! They are worth the money, here's the link www.amazon.com/Ravel-375-Alto-Sax-Care/dp/B008871Z4C/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1481591894&sr=8-4&keywords=saxophone+cleaning+kit
How do I remove scratches for my saxophone
Leave the scratches, you earned them. Every scratch is a story.
I received a sax from a friend and it stayed in the closet for almost a year. Now i looked into it and want to learn but first I want to clean it. My problem is I got this black thing inside the sax. I'm not sure what it is but it has three small holes on top of it. Is this a part added or something i should remove? Thanks ahead of time.
Is it inside the body, or where is it?
Joaquin Bustos Yes inside, between the section where hands normally go.
+Rey Delgado Jr is it blocking anything or are the holes on the side of the sax, or is there an object inside with holes?
+Rey Delgado Jr if the holes are on the side that's normal otherwise go to a place that sells instruments and see what they can do
Joaquin Bustos no, the object is inside the sax. seems like the top of a broom with flat top and three holes on top formed like a triangle.
Would it be of any use to soak the saxophone in water first? Thanks in advance.
***** Oh.
+_Panda_Playz_ [Jake] Just to be safe, I still think that putting your sax in water is a bad idea...
+Swift Lightning Still don't do it, the rest of the instrument will be ruined
+Swift Lightning It'll ruin the sax in general. I have to play in rain, and my sax looks terrible.
if you want to ruin your pads, go for it LOL!
My body swab gets stuck sometimes at the top of the neck -_-
cool