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Cleaning the keys


davorp

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This is something that's in the manual for every keyboard I've ever owned.

 

No solvents, no harsh cleaners. A damp cloth is all that you need. If you've got something on your keyboard that a damp cloth can't remove, you need to take better care of your gear. ;)

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I sprayed Windex on the keys of a seven foot Steinway for twenty years without any adverse effects. If that makes you uncomfortable, just lightly spray a piece of cloth or a paper towel and use that to clean the keys instead of directly spraying them. Of course, if your hands are clean there's no need to clean the keyboard, right?

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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Originally posted by Sven Golly:

If you've got something on your keyboard that a damp cloth can't remove, you need to take better care of your gear. ;)

Or at the very least you should have chosen to premiere 4'33" Part II somewhere OTHER than Zanzibar.
A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable.
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I use a dust-free cloth like the ones hospital people use. Or just paper towels work. If I am going for a sparkly clean thing, I might dampen the cloth and use just a hint of mild dishwashing detergent, then follow with a plain damp cloth. I actually don't scrub down my keyboards that often. I think the build-up of dust and gig schmeg is actually kind of cool and so I might do a serious cleaning maybe 1-2x per year. These things were made to stand up to the rigors of the road and a little muck ain't gonna hurt too much as long as you are not spilling stuff down into the keyboard action.

 

Regards,

Eric

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Originally posted by eric:

I use a dust-free cloth like the ones hospital people use. Or just paper towels work. If I am going for a sparkly clean thing, I might dampen the cloth and use just a hint of mild dishwashing detergent, then follow with a plain damp cloth. I actually don't scrub down my keyboards that often. I think the build-up of dust and gig schmeg is actually kind of cool and so I might do a serious cleaning maybe 1-2x per year. These things were made to stand up to the rigors of the road and a little muck ain't gonna hurt too much as long as you are not spilling stuff down into the keyboard action.

 

Regards,

Eric

+1, this is almost identical to what I do.

Begin the day with a friendly voice A companion, unobtrusive

- Rush

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We had 24 pages for just one chord, I wonder how many replies we can read for cleaning keys?

 

Are we running out of topics?

No guitarists were harmed during the making of this message.

 

In general, harmonic complexity is inversely proportional to the ratio between chording and non-chording instruments.

 

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Clean the keys?? :confused:

 

I don't like to play perfectly clean keys, nor can I wash my hands to soon before playing. Otherwise my fingers will stick to the keys. As many grace notes as I play it can be very rough on my fingers.

I'll occasionally wipe off the worst of the dirt with a dry cloth or paper towel, but that's about it. Most of the time there's not much dirt because I'll keep it off through playing.

"In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome.

So God helped him and created woman.

 

Now everybody's got the blues."

 

Willie Dixon

 

 

 

 

 

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:D

 

Mr. Nightime, :thu:

 

But just in case a couple of blonde co-eds spill beer on your equipment - yes, I'm still talking about keyboards and stuff :rolleyes:

 

... a little warm water usually works best. If you can get away with it, less is better.

 

Personally, I wouldn't put Windex, lens cleaner, monitor cleaner, milk (2% OR 1%), Pledge, WD40, or anything else on the keys. Never.

 

 

But that's just me.

"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo
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Originally posted by Dave Horne:

We had 24 pages for just one chord, I wonder how many replies we can read for cleaning keys?

My thought exactly... :rolleyes:

 

Are we running out of topics?

Well, either that, or just ignoring common sense. I think it's time for the return of RTFM as a terse reply... ;)
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+1 :thu: Wipe it down with some Windex and keep playing.

 

As Moe mentioned, the keys don't feel right until they have built up finger juice.

 

No one mentioned the conventional wisdom?

 

If a keyboard or any ax for that matter is too clean, it is not being played worth a sh*t. ;)

 

I'm not advocating that everyone should have a beat up keyboard with dirty, broken keys :eek:

 

But, I'm sure you all know folks who cover their boards too. :rolleyes::cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

Personally, I wouldn't put Windex, lens cleaner, monitor cleaner, milk (2% OR 1%), Pledge, WD40, or anything else on the keys.

How about a little Armor-All for easier glissandos (glissandi)? :idea:;)
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Originally posted by Cydonia:

Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

Personally, I wouldn't put Windex, lens cleaner, monitor cleaner, milk (2% OR 1%), Pledge, WD40, or anything else on the keys.

How about a little Armor-All for easier glissandos (glissandi)? :idea:;)
Just use Hammond Oil.
A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable.
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Originally posted by kanker, apparently:

Originally posted by Cydonia:

Originally posted by Is There Gas in the Car?:

Personally, I wouldn't put Windex, lens cleaner, monitor cleaner, milk (2% OR 1%), Pledge, WD40, or anything else on the keys.

How about a little Armor-All for easier glissandos (glissandi)? :idea:;)
Just use Hammond Oil.
:eek::eek::eek:

"In the beginning, Adam had the blues, 'cause he was lonesome.

So God helped him and created woman.

 

Now everybody's got the blues."

 

Willie Dixon

 

 

 

 

 

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