I have just started playing the clarinet and i need help:

Please could you tell me when and how i clean my clarinet mouthpiece!!

Please help me

I run my pullthrough through the whole instrument, then take the instrument to bits, and dry the contact points with the cloth part of the pullthrough, including the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece gets a few seconds more of my time to ensure it's dry.

Don't forget to remove your reed first!

You can clean your mouthpiece by running your pull through through it after you play. Every month or so you should also clean it in warm soapy water.

You know I mentioned the soapy water? Well someone I know put their mouthpiece with reed on in the soapy water and then wondered why her reed tasted starnge! She also washed her whole clarinet in soapy water, didn't dry it properly and then wondered why it made a horrible gurgling sound!

i hardly ever clean my clarinet oh well! I have polished the keys though, i like the shine!

QUOTE (nessanoodles @ Feb 17 2005, 11:36 PM)

i hardly ever clean my clarinet oh well! I have polished the keys though, i like the shine!

Same here, but then you play again and it all goes away

If there is white goo on the inside of your mouthpiece scrub it *gently* with your toothbrush - that gets it off quite easily, doesn't damage it and the taste of toothpaste is better than the taste of soap!

I have to clean my clarinet every time that I play it because I risk it cracking if I don't. Having said that, i think i got the bore treated so that it wouldn't absorb much moisture.

i need help tooo

what do you need help with?

i can not stop puffing one of my cheek

have you tried playing in front of a mirror, and trying different ways of lbowing etc and trying really hard to keep ur cheeks in. if u play in front of a mirror then u can see what u are doing lol

You might be using too hard a reed or you may also not be taking enough breaths. Which reed are you using?