From the box to your first note
Take your time with each step.
Before you start
What you need on the table
- The body and the neck (the short curved tube)
- The mouthpiece, the ligature and a reed
- The neck strap
- Cork grease, if your kit has it
Step 1
Take out the transit wedges
Look under the keys for small pieces of cork, foam or rubber. They protect the pads on the journey and must come out, or some notes won't sound.
Step 2
Fit the mouthpiece and the reed
Grease the neck cork if it feels tight and twist the mouthpiece on to cover about half of it. Wet the reed, lay its flat side on the mouthpiece with the tips level, and tighten the ligature: firm, not forced.
What matters most on day one
Use a soft reed, strength 1.5 or 2. Hard reeds are the reason so many beginners think they can't play.
Step 3
Put it together
Slide the neck into the body and tighten the small screw. Clip on the strap and adjust it so the mouthpiece comes to your mouth, without bending down or stretching up.
Step 4
Play your first note
Top teeth on the mouthpiece, lower lip over your bottom teeth, corners of the mouth closed. Blow a warm, steady stream of air, like fogging a window. Then press the first key under your left index finger: that's B.
Step 5
After you play
Take off the reed and let it dry flat. Pull a swab through the body and the neck, wipe the keys and put everything back in the case.
Talk about your brand
Once B is steady, try A and G. Those three notes are enough for your first tunes. Stuck? Email us, a real person replies within 24 hours.