How to Loosen a Tight Tuning Slide on a Brass Instrument

French horns especially have lots of little oddly-shaped tuning slides.

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Sometimes the most frustrating thing about playing a brass instrument is the intonation. Your mouth and airflow have a lot to do with it, but if you've got a stuck tuning slide there is only so much compensation that can happen in your face. There are many ways to try and fix this problem.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Valve oil, OR
Brasso polishing product, OR
Carmex lip balm
A band teacher

Step1

You've got to determine the slide that is stuck. Try and figure out why it is stuck- did you drop the instrument on that part? Have you forgotten to properly lubricate the slide? The source of the problem will reveal how to best unlodge it.

Step2

If your instrument has been dropped, you can tell. Brass instruments are lacquered metal that scratches and dents very easily. If you have dropped your instrument on its slide, go contact a band teacher or go to a music store. They have slide pulling tools that are stronger than you. If the dent is bad enough, you may need to get it repaired.

Step3

Is it cold out? Your instrument may just be tight from the weather. Go inside and try again.

Step4

If you haven't been taking proper care of your instrument, this is your punishment. If your slides are stuck against their own dry gunk, try using an oily (clear) lip gloss that can seep into them or lip balm. Be careful when using these and keep them off the the lacquered brass.

Step5

Once your slide is dislodged, make sure it hasn't been damaged in the process and remember to keep all parts of your brass instrument properly lubricated at all times with the appropriate product.

Tips & Warnings

Music stores may have products to aid you in removing your slide
Brasso is a polish for metal that may also help. Do not however, get this on any lacquered part of your intstrument- it will strip it.
Don't yank and pull on the slide- it may get scratched, bent, or it may fly out unexpectedly.
Always be careful when using chemicals of any sort on your lacquered brass instrument.

Resources

Woodwind Brasswind Musical Outlet

Comments

revisitingnixon said

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on 8/29/2007 Congrats on having this article be picked as the winner for the "Top Written Requested How to Article!" Check out the forums and see which other winners we have this week. Check it out at:

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-Rich

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