Klarinet Archive - Posting 000468.txt from 1995/03

From: "I'm only staying for basketball..." <malaga@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: eating before playing
Date: Thu, 16 Mar 1995 18:15:55 -0500

On Thu, 16 Mar 1995, Christopher Rohrs Deerfield Academy 95 wrote:

> I have heard that eating before playing is bad for one's reed
> and instrument. I know flutists who ALWAYS brush their teeth
> before touching their instruments, but I wonder if this is just
> another silly clarinet myth. Does anyone have an opinion about
> this?

In Jr. High, I was playing clarinet in a concert, and immediately before
it we were fed, as part of the gig. The band sounded even more awful
than we usually did. Whether or not that had anything to do with the
food, I don't know.

A friend of mine once took a can of Coke to the practice room, and his
sax pads wore out a lot quicker than usual after that, and I've
experienced the same thing, and the pads get sticky, too.

But be careful of brushing too often or not rinsing your mouth out, too.
I once heard a story from Alex Klein about a student of his who brushed
right before each time he played his oboe, and it was ruined because of
it. The minerals or whatever natural ingredient was in the toothpaste he
was using had been blown through the reed and got stuck to the inside of
the bore (I think it was a Loree oboe, too - oops).

Adam Smith
malaga@-----.edu