Band Directors’s Tricks and Tips
their instrument doesn’t play and
you can save the day!
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
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Tool Kit
glue stick
lighter
dental tool
feeler gauge
rawhide hammer
spring hook (modified crochet hook)
painters tape
zip tie
screw drivers
broken drum stick
contact cement
pipe-cleaners
paperclips
wire cutters
pliers
wide rubber band
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DON’T DO IT!
Marrell Music
Brass
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Brass
Water key corks
Broken braces
Finger rings
Painters tape
Zip ties
Zip ties
Trumpet
Stuck 2nd valve - Books in
case
2nd slide repositioning.
Brass
Stuck slides
Drumstick and tapping – conservatively
Brass
Stuck Valve caps
Rawhide hammer – tapping
Protected pliers
Brass
Valves – not moving
spring, guide
casing dents
Remove obstruction
Re-align guide and spring
send to repair tech
Trombone
slide, correcting alignment,
dents
Inner slide spread too wide or narrow – flexing
Take notice - send to repair tech
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Brass
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Brass
Water key corks
Broken braces
Finger rings
Painters tape
Zip ties
Zip ties
Trumpet
Stuck 2nd valve - Books in
case
2nd slide repositioning.
Brass
Stuck slides
Drumstick and tapping – conservatively
Brass
Stuck Valve caps
Rawhide hammer – tapping
Protected pliers
Brass
Valves – not moving
spring, guide
casing dents
Remove obstruction
Re-align guide and spring
send to repair tech
Trombone
slide, correcting alignment,
dents
Inner slide spread too wide or narrow – flexing
Take notice - send to repair tech
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Brass
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Brass
Water key corks
Broken braces
Finger rings
Painters tape
Zip ties
Zip ties
Trumpet
Stuck 2nd valve - Books in
case
2nd slide repositioning.
Brass
Brass
Stuck slides
Drumstick and tapping – conservatively
Brass
Stuck Valve caps
Rawhide hammer – tapping
Protected pliers
Brass
Valves – not moving
spring, guide
casing dents
Remove obstruction
Re-align guide and spring
send to repair tech
Trombone
slide, correcting alignment,
dents
Inner slide spread too wide or narrow – flexing
Take notice - send to repair tech
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Brass
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Brass
Water key corks
Broken braces
Finger rings
Painters tape
Zip ties
Zip ties
Trumpet
Stuck 2nd valve - Books in
case
2nd slide repositioning.
Brass
Brass
Stuck slides
Drumstick and tapping – conservatively
Brass
Stuck Valve caps
Rawhide hammer – tapping
Protected pliers
Brass
Valves – not moving
spring, guide
casing dents
Remove obstruction
Re-align guide and spring
send to repair tech
Trombone
slide, correcting alignment,
dents
Inner slide spread too wide or narrow – flexing
Take notice - send to repair tech
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Trumpet
no sound or thin
sound
Visual check
Valves:
* wrong order (no air passes
through)
* Valve damage
* UFO – Unidentified Foreign
Object.
Slides:
*Missing waterkey corks
*UFO
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Marrell Music
FEELER
GUAGE
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SPRING HOOK
Push (top cut)
Pull (inside cut)
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Sax Neck
No lower notes
Check octave neck key height
Finger G with the thumb octave
down. When the 3rd finger is lifted
the octave neck key should rest on
the pip. When it stays elevated:
Solution - hold neck key down at
the pad cup and with the other
hand push the bottom ring of the
key up as if it toward the pad cup.
Recheck and adjust accordingly.
Marrell Music
Woodwinds
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Flute
Head cork
Painters tape – push with dr. stick from
bottom up towards embouchure plate
Gluestick and/or lighter - float like clarinet
Scotch tape and tissue
Dollar bill/cigarette paper/goo-gone
Paper clips
Painters tape
Gluestick and/or lighter - float pads
Push out with drumstick
Woodwinds
Clarinet/Sax
Saxophone
Bassoon
Pads – trill and C
Missing pads
Sticky pads
Missing hinge screws
Tenon corks
Clarinet pads
Mouthpiece/cap jammed
in upper stack
Loose MP/Worn Tenon
cork
Keyguard screws missing
Bassoon bocal
Painters tape and advise to remove mp
Paperclip
No sound - clean it - pipe cleaners and
warm soapy water
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Woodwinds
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Flute
Head cork
Painters tape – push with dr. stick from
bottom up towards embouchure plate
Gluestick and/or lighter - float like clarinet
Scotch tape and tissue
Dollar bill/cigarette paper/goo-gone
Paper clips
Painters tape
Gluestick and/or lighter - float pads
Push out with drumstick
Woodwinds
Clarinet/Sax
Saxophone
Bassoon
Pads – trill and C
Missing pads
Sticky pads
Missing hinge screws
Tenon corks
Clarinet pads
Mouthpiece/cap jammed
in upper stack
Loose MP/Worn Tenon
cork
Keyguard screws missing
Bassoon bocal
Painters tape and advise to remove mp
Paperclip
No sound - clean it - pipe cleaners and
warm soapy water
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Woodwinds
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Flute
Head cork
Painters tape – push with dr. stick from
bottom up towards embouchure plate
Gluestick and/or lighter - float like clarinet
Scotch tape and tissue
Dollar bill/cigarette paper/goo-gone
Paper clips
Painters tape
Gluestick and/or lighter - float pads
Push out with drumstick
Woodwinds
Clarinet/Sax
Saxophone
Bassoon
Pads – trill and C
Missing pads
Sticky pads
Missing hinge screws
Tenon corks
Clarinet pads
Mouthpiece/cap jammed
in upper stack
Loose MP/Worn Tenon
cork
Keyguard screws missing
Bassoon bocal
Painters tape and advise to remove mp
Paperclip
No sound - clean it - pipe cleaners and
warm soapy water
Marrell Music
Marrell Music
Woodwinds
INSTRUMENT
PROBLEM
SOLUTION
Flute
Head cork
Painters tape – push with dr. stick from
bottom up towards embouchure plate
Gluestick and/or lighter - float like clarinet
Scotch tape and tissue
Dollar bill/cigarette paper/goo-gone
Paper clips
Painters tape
Gluestick and/or lighter - float pads
Push out with drumstick
Woodwinds
Clarinet/Sax
Saxophone
Bassoon
Pads – trill and C
Missing pads
Sticky pads
Missing hinge screws
Tenon corks
Clarinet pads
Mouthpiece/cap jammed
in upper stack
Loose MP/Worn Tenon
cork
Keyguard screws missing
Bassoon bocal
Painters tape and advise to remove mp
Paperclip
No sound - clean it - pipe cleaners and
warm soapy water
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Questions
What other problems do you run
across?
Hands-on
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BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH
MUSIC!
High School Repair
Apprenticeship
Program
 Repair Workshops for
Teachers
 One on One Training

music@marrellinstrumentrepair.net
www.marrellinstrumentrepair.net
216-228-4885
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Gettysburg 150th Anniversary
U.S. Army Band
Stars and Stripes Forever – piccolo excerpt
Marrell Music 2014