Help - need to fix DS's trumpet

[mammmamia]

DS7 has not practised his trumpet all summer. The valves have got stuck so we bought some valve oil to loosen them. However it doesn't seem to have worked as only one is producing a sound when he blows. The other two seem to be blocked.

I've looked online but still not sure how to fix this, can anyone help? I am musical but know nothing about brass...

Can you pop into a local music shop and ask them to have a look? My DS is also doing last minute trumpet practices before term starts!

Did you manage to take the valves out to grease them ? If so it sounds like you put the valves back in the wrong way. I can't tell you the right way and ds isn't here to ask but take them out and turn them round then put them back in - hopefully that will do the trick !!

Thank you yes I tried taking them out and putting them back in another way but I will give it another go!

Trumpetboysmum - sounds like you are the right person to ask!

No we need trumpet boy !!( but he's away on a music course) if it doesn't work a music shop will be able to fix it quickly I'm sure . Ds's mouthpiece has got stuck many times another common trumpet problem

If you look at the barrel of the valve when it is out you will see some holes. Now look down inside the valve 'socket'. The right way in means the holes in barrel and 'socket' will line up. PS You have put the valves back into the correct 'socket'...?

Ok. Top trumpet tip time

Take each valve out (one at a time).
Rinse with warm water and then dry.
Then douse with valve oil.
The valve should slide easily.

Now
You want to check that the holes within the valve correspond to the holes of the instrument.

Be careful of the threads when replacing the valve as well.

Thank you for the tips about lining the holes up ( I usually leave ds to sort it out himself)

Yes - if you can't blow air through the trumpet you've got the valve in backwards (hopefully you did them one at a time so you haven't got them mixed up)

If they're numbered then No.1 is nearest the mouthpiece end. Some valves have two notches in them on opposite side, some only have one. If you've got them in the right way you should be able to blow air down the trumpet both with the valves up and the valves down.

Probably best not to "douse" the valves with oil. A few drops should do it or you risk making them stickier.

A lot of valves have little notches so you can feel them click in as you turn them round. Ds has done this many times! He's also done the jamming the mouthpiece on too hard, and had to ask another band member extract it!