The Best Practices for Storing and Transporting Brass Instruments

Brass instruments are essential elements of orchestras, marching bands, jazz ensembles, and even bands working in contemporary music genres.  Although trumpets, trombones, flugelhorns, cornets, and French horns are known for their durable and sturdy construction, they do require attention and care, particularly in terms of storage and transport. Being made of metal parts, they are very sensitive to damage caused by environmental factors, careless handling, and poor maintenance.

In this article, we will share the best practices for storing and transporting brass instruments to provide you with insights on how to increase their life span and maintain their optimal performance.

1. Regularly Clean Your Brass Instrument

To keep your instrument in excellent condition, you should never overlook cleaning routine. Thorough cleaning is essential as it helps to keep trumpets, flugelhorns and other instruments free from dirt, oils, and moisture (particularly in the area of mouthpieces), which can result in corrosion, bacterial growth, and even blockages in the tubing when accumulated. Dirty instruments have a shorter lifespan, as their mechanisms don’t function properly. Also, the accumulated dirt leads to expensive repairs and spoils your reputation as a professional musician.

Cleaning Tips

• Carefully disassemble the instrument, separating each component, such as the mouthpiece, valves, and slides.
• Use a special cleaning brush, known as a snake, to clean the tubing. Use a smaller brush to clean the mouthpiece.
• Prepare the water basin with mild soap (the water should be 30-40 ⁰C not to damage lacquered finishes of the instruments) and soak parts in it for 10 minutes, then rinse and dry them.
• After cleaning, apply valve oil and slide grease to provide these parts with smooth operation.
• For a deep cleaning inside the tubing, use our cleaning accessory, Aqua Nozzle, which will help you clean it from dirt and small particles with minimal effort.

Deep cleaning should be done once a month. In other time, it’s recommended to wipe the surface of your instruments with a soft cloth or care towel, to remove fingerprints and dust, and maintain an attractive glossy appearance. After each practice, it’s useful to rinse the mouthpiece to reduce the risk of bacterial growth.

2. Select the Right Case for Storage and Transport

A reliable case is what protects your brass instrument from shocks, dents, dust, and other environmental impacts during storage or transport. Especially, it’s important to consider whether the carrying case can provide enough protection from temperature changes and humidity, as musicians’ lives involve travelling from one place to another.

To carry and store brass instruments, you can buy hard or soft cases:

Hard Cases

Thanks to rigid outer shells, made of plastic, wood, or composite materials, they are considered the most protective for instruments. In addition to reliable construction, they also feature mild padding inside. Hard cases are perfect for musicians who are seeking long-term storage or planning to transport instruments over long distances, in cargo holds.

Soft Cases

   

These can be made of nylon, canvas, polyester, or genuine leather. Compared to hard cases, soft cases are lightweight and more portable. Thanks to reinforced sides and bottoms, genuine leather gig bags provide reliable protection from shocks, keeping the bell and all the important parts of the instruments safe. Special treatment during the production process makes these bags water-resistant, while the soft lining protects the instruments from temperature changes and scratches. As soft cases are perfect for short trips, they are the best choice if you look for a comfortable carrying case to transport your trumpet or flugelhorn to a local practice spot or concert venue. Moreover, you can always invest in double or triple gig bags to have more options for carrying two or three instruments in one case.

Tips on how to Choose a Bag for Brass Instruments

When selecting your carrying case, ensure that it has enhanced interior protection:

• Check whether the bag has padding and partitions if this is the case for two or three instruments.
• Ensure it has enough compartments and pockets for all your essentials including mouthpieces, cleaning kits, boosters and other parts that you don’t want to lose during travel.
• Check if the bag is equipped with reliable closure. Double zippers, belt straps with buckles, and leather wraps for handles can provide double protection against the risk of sudden opening.
• Check if the bag has reinforced sides protecting the bell and other significant mechanisms that can affect sound.
• Ensure that the bag’s dimension corresponds to a specific model of the instrument. You can find this information in the product description.

For better comfort during travel, select the bag with multiple carrying options to switch between carrying in hand and on shoulder if necessary. If you typically use several instruments on tour, you should consider buying double or triple cases, allowing to mix instruments as you wish.

3. Maintain Proper Environmental Conditions

Made of metal, all brass instruments are vulnerable to changes in temperature and humidity. These environmental factors can negatively affect their finish and sound quality.

Tips on Maintaining Proper Temperature and Humidity

• Select a cool and dry place, ideally at a temperature between 18 °C or 24°, with humidity levels between 40% and 55% for storing your brass instruments. Remember that extreme cold leads to metal contraction that results in problems with tuning. On the other hand, extreme heat causes warping and damage to the lacquer. High humidity also impacts the inside of the instrument’s tubing, leading to corrosion.
• Never place and store your brass instruments near heaters, windows, and air conditioners to protect them from fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

4. Be Careful During Transportation

Whether you are travelling with your brass instrument to a local venue or going on tour abroad, always take care of your instrument to protect it, even from minor dents.

Tips on how to Transport Brass Instruments

• Carry your brass instrument in specially designed cases or bags. Use the handle or shoulder straps provided by the case.
• When placing the instrument into a vehicle, ensure that you put it in a reliable spot, where it won’t shift during transport. Never place heavy objects on top of the case.
• If you’re going to travel by air, carry the case on board if possible. Airlines may have specific policies for musicians. Check beforehand if you can bring trumpets or trombones with you on board.
• To double protect your instrument case from careless handling or dropping, label it with a sign “Fragile”.
• If you’re transporting brass instruments by bus or train, keep them close to you, for instance in an overhead bin or beside you.

5. Inspect Your Instruments Regularly

Maintenance of brass instruments isn’t limited to thorough cleaning. You should also regularly inspect them to find potential issues before they lead to serious problems and expensive repairs.

Tips on how to Inspect Brass Instruments

• Valves and slides. Ensure these parts move smoothly and don’t stick. Apply valve oil and slide grease after every cleaning. In case they are too stiff or too loose, ask for professional help.
• Tuning. Temperature changes can cause brass instruments to go out of tune. High temperature causes metal to expand, while low temperature causes it to contract, which in both cases affect the length of the tubing. Check if the instrument is properly tuned after long periods of storage.
• Dents and scratches. These defects influence airflow and sound quality. Ask for professional help if even minor dents occur.
• Lacquer. The protective lacquer layer wears off over time, especially in areas where musicians’ hands regularly contact it. If you see noticeable wear, the instrument should be re-lacquered to protect it from corrosion. Also, to preserve the grip areas, you should consider using valve guards.
  

Conclusion

We hope these tips and guidelines will help you maintain your brass instruments in top-condition during storage and transport. By selecting a proper place for storage, using reliable bags for transportation, regular cleaning, and inspecting your brass instruments, you extend their life span and maintain their playability.

Would you like to read more useful tips? Then check out our article about how to care for music leather accessories.