How to Oil the Valves on a French Horn Instrument

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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The French horn is a brass instrument that adds a deep, rich sound to the orchestra or band. It requires a lot of attention to care for and maintain. It is very important to oil the valves on a French horn instrument in order to keep it in tiptop playing condition.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Rotor oil
French horn
Towel

Step 1

Purchase the rotor oil for the French horn. You can purchase rotor oil at your local music store.
Step 2

Place a few drops of the rotor oil directly below the rotors. The rotors are located where the keys meet the bar on the French horn. Turn the French horn over and place a few drops to the back of each key. Press the keys a few times to work the oil into the rotors.
Step 3

Unscrew the rotor caps and put a drop or two of rotor oil inside of the rotors. Make sure you do this for all 4 caps.
Step 4

Drip some oil into the tubing for each rotor. You only need to use 2 drops. Wiggle the keys so the oil spreads out through the tubes.

Tips & Warnings

Don't force play a sticky key. If your keys are sticking, you are not oiling the French horn enough.

Comments

musikman1 said

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on 7/22/2009 Nice video! The only comment, I've always been taught never to oil the valves in the "dive-bomber" method (by taking out the slide and dripping down the tube to the rotor), because the thin valve oil will dissolve some of the slide grease, which will accompany the rotor oil, causing sticky problems over time.

The correct method way is to put the drops of oil in the tubing that you removed. Then put the tubing back on the slide completely (with the end of the slide in your lap) and then turn it around and the oil goes directly to the rotor, bypassing the slide grease on the slide itself and preventing the thick slide grease from being combined with the rotor oil.

And if you want to go oil CRAZY, the oil used on the top of the rotor (under the caps), the springs, bottom and water keys (especially the Holton's that use non-stainless steel springs, unlike all the other folks).

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