White Tie Rock Ensemble with Echo Rockestra will be offering up an evening of Pink Floyd music featuring Dark Side of the Moon. For more details and to purchase tickets, please visit this event’s page on Pensacola Little Theatre’s web site.

This special evening of Pink Floyd music will be this Saturday, May 12th at 7:30pm! Rock on!!

Happy Birthday, Jim!!! Nan made a very tasty carrot birthday cake, plus friends and family stopped by to celebrate. Feel free to stop on by, grab a cup of coffee on us at the front of the store, and deliver your own birthday greeting for Jim in person.

Can’t make it over today? That’s ok–just leave a birthday greeting below!

EVERY DAY:

• Glance at the instrument to check for loose or missing parts.
• Check the tightness of finger buttons, valve caps, water corks, etc.
• MOVE THE TUNING SLIDES EVERY DAY – EVEN A HALF-INCH BACK AND FORTH. A major repair problem with tuning slides is that they are “frozen” from corrosion. Keeping them properly lubricated with slide grease and moving them every day will help eliminate costly repairs.
• Carefully place the instrument in the case, checking for weak or broken case latches.
• Avoid placing excessive amounts of “stuff” in the case that might  damage the instrument. TRUMPETS ARE ESPECIALLY VULNERABLE TO CRUSHING OF THE 2ND VALVE TUNING SIDE BECAUSE OF METHOD BOOKS IN THE CASE. The slide pushed in to the 2nd valve casing causes the valve to stick.

DO NOTs:

• Do not place the mouthpiece in the lead pipe and “pop” it with the palm of the hand to drive it in. Carefully “twist” or screw the mouthpiece in place. Remove the mouthpiece by “unscrewing” it with a twisting motion. Mouthpieces “driven” in the receiver get wedged in by dust particles and require a mouthpiece puller to get them out without damage.
• Do not attempt to remove a stuck mouthpiece by twisting with pliers, door jamb, vise, or any other device other than a mouthpiece puller made for the job.
• Do not place the instrument on a music stand, chair, bed, or other surface from  where it can fall or where it can be sat upon. Most instruments are  damaged from falling or being dropped or being crushed. Always hold the instrument, have it held by another player, or put it in the case.
• Do not use abrasive polish on lacquered brass, silver or nickel finishes.  Abrasive polish remove the protective lacquer finish and promotes dulling of the finish. Overuse of polish causes unattractive accumulation between the valves and is difficult to properly remove.
• Do not allow bumper felts under the valves to become water-soaked.
• Do not wash the mouthpiece or instrument in water that is so hot you cannot place your hand in it. Use liquid soap and avoid getting the felts and corks soaked.

DOs:

• Protect the valves and slides from being dropped during oiling or cleaning.  Trumpet valves are very delicate and can easily be bent and ruined.
• Do keep a small soft cotton cloth in the instrument case or available to wipe fingerprints off the instrument. A few drops of plain water on the cloth will help clean fingerprints off the instrument.
• Do learn to properly lubricate the valves and tuning slides. Grease the tuning slides monthly and be sure to move them back and forth every time the instrument is played. Slide grease not only lubricates the moving parts but also coats the inner slide – reducing oxidation – and helps avoid  “rusting” or corrosion caused by bi-metal contact.

RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES:

• Handkerchief-size soft cleaning cloth (periodically cleaned in the clothes washer)
• Valve oil (use sparingly)
• Tuning slide grease (use sparingly)
• Lacquer polish (made for lacquered brass instruments – non-abrasive – NOT BRASS POLISH)
• Silver polish (use sparingly – made for silver plated instruments – non-abrasive)
• Mouthpiece brush
• Brass instrument “snake” brush for cleaning bore of instrument
• Mouthpiece pouch (protects mouthpiece from scratches, dings)

MOST COMMON REPAIR PROBLEMS:

• Stuck 2nd valve from slide being crushed in.
• Stuck slides
• Braces broken loose from attempting to remove stuck mouthpiece

–Floyd Replogle

Looking for a Trumpet or Trombone?

The most important instrument in an engineer’s arsenal is his/her ears.  It is very important to take care of your hearing.  Here are a couple tips to make your
recording session a successful one and to make sure your mixes come out sounding major label.

1. Do not do your mixes with headphones on, direct sound pressure levels can cause your ears to fatigue quickly and give you inaccurate voicing of sound and tones.
2. If you’re ever recording a project that’s continuously loud, then take several short breaks in quiet areas.
3. Never try mixing after a long recording session.  After about 3 to 4 hours, your ears will start to fatigue and the eardrum will get inflamed.  Trying to mix in this condition will not benefit you or the client you are working for and will result in less than desirable mixes and tones.
4. Always do your mixing and mastering earlier in the day after you’ve had a full night’s rest.  This gives your ears time to recover and will give you a more clear sound when mixing.
5. If you start to experience ringing or buzzing in your ears, cease and refrain from all sound related activities.  This is a sign of tinnitus and overtime can become permanent and also cause hearing loss.
6. For musicians and DJs, special musicians’ earplugs play an important role in preventing tinnitus; they can lower the volume of the music without distorting the sound and can prevent tinnitus from developing in later years.

Sound and Hearing is the first and most important subject in your journey to becoming a successful recording engineer.  When you take the time to learn and understand the fundamentals of sound, how it happens, and how your ears respond, you’ll be able to appreciate and understand what needs to be done to achieve the best possible mix.

-Eric King

Looking for recording gear? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!

EVERY DAY:

• Glance at the instrument to check for loose or missing screws. Check especially the 1st. finger “C” key hinge rod, the top key stack pivot screw, and the bottom key stack pivot screw.
• After playing, clean excess moisture from the instrument bore with the tuning rod and a small soft cloth and wipe fingerprints from the exterior surface.
• Carefully place the instrument in the case, checking for weak or broken case latches.
• Avoid placing excessive amounts of “stuff” in the case that might damage the instrument.

DO NOTs:

• Do not place the instrument on a music stand, chair, bed, or other surface from where it can fall or where it can be sat upon. Most instruments are damaged from falling or being dropped or being crushed. Always hold the instrument, have it held by another player, or put it in the case.
• Do not twist or play with the head joint “crown”. Constant tightening and loosening will wear the soft threads and cause the crown to unscrew and be more easily lost.
• Do not attempt to adjust the instrument. Most adjustment problems brought to the repair shop are from over-adjusting and regulating of the instrument’s keys. Adjustment screws become worn with constant tightening and loosening, lessening their ability to stay in the correct position.
• Do not brush against the exposed pad surface while cleaning or polishing the instrument. The pad skin is easily worn and contact will cause premature failure of the pad.
• Do not over-use liquid polish on silver or nickel finishes. Residue from the polish coats the pads and promotes “rusting” of the hinge rods and pivot screws. Overuse of polish causes unattractive accumulation under the keys and is difficult to properly remove.
• Do not allow the instrument to become water-soaked. Rain water and excessively damp weather will cause pad failure and “rusting” of pivot screws and hinge rods.
• Do not over-oil the keys. Excess oil can penetrate the pads and corks. Excess oil will dissolve glue and cause key corks to fall off the instrument. A small drop of oil at each pivot point is all that is needed.
• Do not oil the keys more often than once a month. If your band director prefers that you do not oil the instrument, refer to a qualified repairman.

DOs:

• Do keep a small soft cotton cloth in the instrument case or available to wipe fingerprints off the instrument and use it to clean the bore. A few drops of plain water on the cloth will help clean fingerprints off the instrument.
• Avoid contacting the pad surface or key corks with the cloth.
• Do learn to properly remove the head cork, clean the head joint, and reinstall the head cork. Most flutes have never had the cork removed and properly installed. Without proper care, the head cork becomes dried out and poorly fitting, causing the instrument to play out of tune and “un-centered”
• Do avoid contact with the pad surfaces and key corks when cleaning or polishing the instrument. Key corks are necessary because they regulate the proper height of the keys and silence the metal-to-metal contact when the instrument is played.
• Do learn to properly oil the pivot points and hinge rods. Oil not only lubricates moving parts but also coats the hinge rod and pivot point metal – reducing oxidation – and helps avoid “rusting” or corrosion caused by moisture and bi-metal contact.
• Do use a small, soft paint brush to carefully remove dust from under the keys. Be very careful to avoid breaking off the small key corks.

 RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES:

• Handkerchief-size soft cleaning cloth (periodically cleaned in the clothes washer)
• Tuning Rod (for cleaning bore of instrument)
• Key oil (use sparingly)

MOST COMMON REPAIR PROBLEMS:

• Loose foot joint (Tenon joint rounded off)
• Bb thumb or R.H. first finger Bb out of adjustment
• Loose hinge rod on top “C” key

–Floyd Replogle

Shopping for a flute or other woodwind instrument? Find affordable used instruments here.

Without further adieu, here are Floyd’s recommendations for Clarinets and Saxophones:

EVERY DAY:

• Glance at the instrument to check for loose or missing screws. Check especially the top key stack pivot screw, and the bottom key stack pivot screw(s).
• Wipe excess moisture from the instrument bore and wipe fingerprints from the exterior surface.
• Remove the reed from the mouthpiece and wipe excess moisture from it.
• Carefully place the reed in “reed keeper”. Mold will quickly grow on the underside of the reed if it is not removed from the mouthpiece and dried.
• Carefully place the instrument in the case, checking for weak or broken case latches.
• Avoid placing excessive amounts of “stuff” in the case that might damage the instrument.

DO NOTs:

• Do not place the instrument on a music stand, chair, bed, or other surface from where it can fall or where it can be sat upon. Most instruments are damaged from falling or being dropped or being crushed.
• Always hold the instrument, have it held by another player, or put it in the case.
• Do not overly twist or play with the Saxophone neck screw. Constant tightening and loosening will wear the soft threads and cause it to unscrew and be more easily lost.
• Do not attempt to adjust the instrument. Adjustment screws become worn with constant tightening and loosening.
• Do not brush against the exposed pad surface while cleaning or polishing the instrument. The pad skin is easily worn and contact will cause premature failure of the pad.
• Do not use abrasive polish on lacquered brass, silver or nickel finishes. Abrasive polishes remove the protective lacquer finish and promotes dulling of the finish. Residue from the polish coats the pads, encourages “rusting” of the hinge rods and pivot screws. Overuse of polish causes unattractive accumulation under the keys and is difficult to properly remove.
• Do not allow the instrument to become water-soaked. Rain water and excessively damp weather will cause pad failure and “rusting” of pivot screws and hinge rods.
• Do not over-oil the keys. Excess oil can penetrate the pads and corks. Excess oil will dissolve glue and cause key corks to fall off the instrument. A small drop of oil at each pivot point is all that is needed. Do not oil the keys more often than once a month. If your band director prefers that you do not oil the instrument, refer to a qualified repairman.
• Do not wash the mouthpiece in water that is so hot you cannot place your hand in  it. Use liquid soap and avoid getting the cork on clarinet mouthpieces soaked. WARNING: extremely hot water will warp mouthpiece tips and ruin the mouthpiece.

DOs:

• Do keep a small soft cotton cloth in the instrument case or available to wipe fingerprints off the instrument and use to clean the bore. A few drops of plain water on the cloth will help clean fingerprints off the instrument.  Avoid contacting the pad surface or key corks with the cloth.
• Do use a small, soft paint brush to carefully remove dust from under the keys. Be very careful to avoid breaking off the small key corks.
• Do avoid contact with the pad surfaces and key corks when cleaning or polishing the instrument. Key corks regulate the proper height of the keys and silence the metal-to-metal contact when the instrument is played.
• Do learn to properly oil the pivot points and hinge rods. Oil not only lubricates moving parts but also coats the hinge rod and pivot point metal – reducing oxidation – and helps avoid “rusting” or corrosion caused by moisture and bi-metal contact.
• Do keep a mouthpiece cap on the mouthpiece when the instrument is not being played. Damage to the reed and mouthpiece will be avoided.

RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES:

• Handkerchief-size soft cleaning cloth (periodically cleaned in the clothes washer)
• Swab cloth for cleaning bore.
• Key oil (use sparingly)
• Reed Keeper (metal or plastic reed holder which allows reeds to dry)
• Cork Grease (use sparingly – overuse will effect cork glue and cause tenon corks to come off.
• Mouthpiece brush

MOST COMMON REPAIR PROBLEMS: 

• (Clarinet)–loose middle tenon cork
• Bent keys (bridge, C#, Ab)
• Missing pads

–Floyd Replogle

Looking for a clarinet, saxophone, or other woodwind instrument? Feel free to check out our quality used instruments.

Questions? Please stop by our store at 657 North Pace Blvd. in Pensacola, Florida or just give us a call–850-457-7557 or 1-800-823-6302. If you’d rather contact us by email, click here to go to our contact page–fill out the short form and we will be in touch. Take care!

We had a birthday party for Mandeville today! If you were in the store this morning, you might have heard us all singing to him!

Thousands of dollars were raised through the raffle to support the American Red Cross and the USO.

A very informative presentation was given by our special guests, Fred Gretsch and Joe Carducci, on the history of Gretsch Guitars with special emphasis on George Harrison.

Thanks again for coming out–we enjoyed your company! See you again soon!