Caring for your Bassoon

Assembling Your Bassoon

Soak your reed in a small container of water - like a 35mm film container. Be sure all the corks are moist with cork grease, add some if needed. Place the seat strap across your chair and sit on it Hold the long joint in your left hand and grasp the boot joint with your right hand. Carefully push the long joint into the larger opening on the boot joint. Hold the tenor joint in your right hand and push it into the the boot joint. Lay the bassoon on your lap. With your left hand, grasp the bell and press the bell key. When the connection lever is lifted, carefully twist the bell onto the long joint. Align the bridge keys and insert the hand rest with your left hand, push the bocal into the small opening of the tenor joint. Align the vent and the whisper key pad. Set the boot joint in the seat strap cup (or attach the clip to the ring).

Caring For Your Bassoon

Before you put the bassoon back in its case:

• Remove the reed, blow air through it and place it in a reed case
• Remove bocal, blow air and run the snake through it
• Take the instrument apart in the reverse order of assembly
• Run the swab through each section and wipe off any fingerprints as you return each part to the case