I have a really nice alto saxophone. It is the third I have used in my entire career, and the longest serving one so far. The previous two were, respectively, a beginner one and an intermediate one. The current one is, naturally, a fully professional saxophone. I love it dearly. It’s silver! It feels like a part of me when I play it, and that’s why I take care of it with the same carefulness I dedicate to my own hands.

Over the last few months, I noticed that my lower notes were a little bit more tricky to get out. Although I have learned how to do basic maintenance, as I have told you in previous blog posts, I thought that it was time for a more detailed service. There was a repair shop near a gig I had, so I took the chance to visit. I thought that it would be something simple and quick. Wrong! Five pads, which are a leather-type material piece sitting under the cup of each key, were too worn and needed replacing. Their role is to create a seal on the tone hole whenever I press their key. That way, the air circulating inside the saxophone ends up producing the correct note. As they were not sealing properly, the response times of the notes coming out was compromised.

I got a quote for that, which left me a little stunned, but I had to get it done. I matched the actual repair with another gig, and they did it in a couple of hours. It made a huge difference in how I play and how the instrument feels! It’s more enjoyable and allows me more flexibility and creativity.

Going back to the idea of taking care of your instrument with the same dedication you take care of yourself, this was like a visit to the doctor’s. What we do on a daily basis, like protecting our sleep, eating properly, getting some movement, sharing quality time with other people, etc. keeps us healthy and going. However, inevitably, some issues will arise with time that need more specialized care. It’s on us to keep an eye out to catch the signs on time. Nobody likes to get blindsided!

Whatever you use in your life and work, be it a device, a machine, an instrument, or something else, will serve you well if you take care of it. There is joy to be found in sharpening a tool, funnily enough!