 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2011-11-02 20:20
After seeing Wild Man Blues, the Woody Allen documentary of him and others going on tour in Europe, to play his clarinet with his jazz band...and toward the end Woody Allen got a severe head cold but nonetheless performed very well in London before it was all over.
Thereby, I would like to know, when playing a woodwind instrument, how does one get through this, keep playing, practicing, proceeding on ahead, when one can hardly breathe, coughing, etc., and sometimes sick like that for weeks at a time...does anyone know how it is done? Obviously, there are ways to get through it, like Woody Allen did on this documentary.
Are there secrets?
Does a person get to a place in playing where they can still play and be half dead like that with a cold?
And how does a performer keeping going in these situations?
I would like to know because I want to be prepared this winter, and not get set back with practicing/playing. I think being sick is one of the major set backs.
Seriously, how does a professional player get through this?
And are there extra measures one can take to really clean their clarinet in line with having a cold?
Thanks so kindly.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2011-11-02 21:13
A cold interferes with breathing and also closes up your sinuses and fills them with mucus. As you will know if anyone has ever covered your ears while you're playing, a lot of what you think comes in your ears actually comes through your bones and vibration in your sinuses. That's why your voice (and clarinet tone) sound so different when you hear them on a recording.
A cold closes normally open resonance chambers and changes not so much your sound as they way you hear it. There's no harm in playing with a cold as long as you don't get exhausted.
By the way, when you get a cold, your immune system makes antibodies to the virus. However, the cold virus mutates constantly. That's why we continue to get colds even though we have immunity to each virus that we've previously been infected by. However, there's no possibility of re-infecting yourself with the same virus, and thus you can play as much as you like on reeds you've played on during a cold and never get re-infected with the same cold.
You continue to play with a cold in the same way, and for the same reasons, as you go to work or fix breakfast for your kids. It's not comfortable, or as good as you would do it in perfect health, but it's gotta be done.
Ken Shaw
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Author: FDF
Date: 2011-11-02 23:19
As a person now recovering from a cold, I second Ken Shaw's advice.
Personally, I clean my reeds with soap detergent. Just makes me feel better. My clarinet is an extension of myself, so when I'm well my clarinet is well. Please, understand, my remarks are not meant to be factual. My methods work for me. Hope you get well soon.
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Author: William
Date: 2011-11-03 19:06
An antihistamine--my fav, Sudafed (non-drowsy)--helps making breathing easier.
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Author: Elkwoman46
Date: 2011-11-03 21:32
Thank you all so much for your wonderful advice and information.
I forgot to say, around here, so many of us get annual coughs that can last for over a month...and a couple of times it was like I had lost all my invested practice time...it was terrible and frustrating.
So, I really admire/marvel at people who can do great performances while completely under the weather...that just floors me...and I want to know how they do it! LOL
Furthermore, I really want to be prepared in the times ahead not to have setbacks, that really set me back to where I feel like I would be starting all over again.
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