I recently got a trumpet that I am trying to learn to play. I just bought a trumpet maintenance kit and in that kit is a container of spit balls. It says to take a pencil and shove a wet spit ball down six inches into the leadpipe and then blow hard enough to send the spitball all the way through the leadpipe and that this will get the inside of the trumpet nie and clean. I have not done this - am a little afraid to. What do you think about using these spit balls? Should I try it? I will appreciate any replies to this question. Also I notice at times that I am getting a kind of popping like sound - something like putputput when I blow into my trumpet. What do you think I might be doing? I keep thinking maybe I doing something wrong or could it be that the trumpet needs a good cleaning? I will appreciate any replies anyone wants to send about my questions. Thank you.

Carol K.

Carol i think your trumpet needs cleaning. i myself though, wouldn`t use the spit balls, you should talk to the person you bought the kit from and ask how to use it before you make a big mistake. Trust me I know.

The putt-putt sound you described could very well be spit building up inside your trumpet, its a common thing with brass instruments, or any instrument that has a bend where spit could collect. Just go to a trash can and open the little valve on the end of your tuning slide and blow through the trumpet gently. Move your valves while you do it. Do it with both spit valves. I get a lot of spit with my trombone and bari sax, its kinda disgusting.

To: Duke

Thank you for your reply to my post about spitballs. I have decided not to use them at all.

Carol K.

To: MusicJerk

Thank you for your reply about the putput sound from my trumpet. When I release the spit valves and blow into my trumpet to get rid of the spit, should I press each valve and blow into the trumpet?

Carol K.

Dont use spit balls, if you want to clean your trumpet simply give it a bath with some regular dish soap such as dawn. Dont give it a bath though if it has a satin finish, no finish, or is brush painted.

The liquid that gathers in a brass or reed instrument should be condensed water vapor from your respiratory system and not "spit" unless you drool a lot! "Spit Valve" is slang term which is also a misnomer!