 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-08-02 07:52
As a keyboard player I never had to think about this. Back in college I played piano for vocal groups. I remember a Valentines Day sweetheart banquet for some teenagers- the church provided a wonderful Mexican buffet, and I chowed down before we performed, no problem. But the vocalists said no way they could eat... and I thought it was funny.
That was then, this is now. Now I understand. A full tummy does not go well with clarinet, not for me anyway. Oh, I can do it- but I'm surely not 100%, and there are often some unpleasantries. So I go out of my way to schedule practice and performance times at least 1-2 hours after meals.
Is this how it goes for all of you?
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2014-08-02 09:23
You really should not have a heavy meal before playing any wind instrument and from my experience, the Oboe is the worst to play straight after a hearty meal. A light snack is perfectly OK.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-08-02 14:36
You cannot plan meals if you play for a living. There are gigs at 'odd times,' gigs with meals provided (before the gig), or even strings of gigs that leave you eating way too early AND way too late.
I've never been one to find it an issue one way or the other. I would say (without any scientific polling) that most gigging musicians are also flexible on this one.
I did, however, hear the then first horn player of the Berlin Philharmonic, Gerd Seifert once say (at a dinner), "never eat a heavy meal before Mahler."
...........Paul Aviles
Post Edited (2014-08-02 17:25)
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2014-08-02 15:41
>> So I go out of my way to schedule practice and performance times at least 1-2 hours after meals. <<
Unless someone has a medical condition that requires eating something specific and/or at specific times (and that might include issues that are psychological, such as eating disorders, etc.) then I don't think anyone should ever "go out of their way" to do this.
Eat whatever you want, whenever you want. If eating a lot (or at all) will make playing difficult, eat less (or don't eat) before playing.
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2014-08-02 15:51
Paul,
You have it exactly right. However, if I might extend your answer to include rehearsals as well.
During the school year, I play with a very good adult concert band which is in a town 60 miles away (many others in the group travel as well). Rehearsals are 7 to 9 PM so I leave home about 5:15 (allowing plenty of extra time) and do not get home until 10:30. Fortunately, my wife moves our usual 7PM dinner to an earlier time and keeps it light. There is often a light snack when I get home (jello, cereal, energy bar, etc.).
It takes some planning.
HRL
PS I never drink any alcohol before a gig or rehearsal.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2014-08-02 19:00
Perhaps my meals are too heavy, LOL.
I find 2 specific issues when I don't wait long enough between a full meal and playing...
1) Diaphragm support fighting against stomach, for want of a better way to put it. I feel the meal and it's not pleasant to push as hard as I want. And I think I lean to a very low pressure clarinet setup anyway, I can't imagine what that would be like if I were going the "abs of steel" approach some others prefer.
2) I get burps in the middle of sustained notes or phrases. I've learned to just play through them, but man... This is precisely what the tenor singer told me the night of the Mexican buffet. He said that if he ate the chili con queso and then tried to sing, his solo would begin with a burp. As in "Bbbbuuu- WAKE up in the morning with the sunshine in your eyes..." (Love Can Make You Happy- yes we performed some fine material in 1972.)
Alcohol plus playing could cause all kinds of issues, but maybe you wouldn't care. Don't some places try to pay their musicians with free drinks?
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
Post Edited (2014-08-02 19:13)
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Author: TJTG
Date: 2014-08-02 19:58
I avoid carbonated drinks right before playing, but that's mostly a burping issue.... it makes your pitch and tone do crazy things. Otherwise I can eat a normal meal before playing.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2014-08-02 21:01
you should avoid having the runs when playing an instrument with a significant amount of backpressure.
Or the other way round.
--
Ben
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2014-08-02 21:09
Stan,
One minor correction. The diaphragm is the bell shaped muscle that draws down on the abdominal cavity making the thoracic cavity bigger, thus inflating the lungs. So contrary to the constant references through the years to the diaphragm as your primary here, it is not. It does factor into tapering off your notes as you stop a note, but your pushing comes mostly from the abdominal muscles (and some from the intercostals).
All the same to your discomfort after eating though!
............Paul Aviles
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Author: as9934
Date: 2014-08-02 23:23
I recommend against eating before you play. I have found that it tires me out and I can't fully focus on the music. And unless you brush your teeth after every meal you may blow food particles through your nice wooden clarinet. Unfortunately I had band class after lunch every day so these problems often happened.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Wind Ensemble
Buffet E11 clarinet , Vandoren Masters CL6 13 series mouthpiece w/ Pewter M/O Ligature, Vandoren V12 3.5
Yamaha 200ad clarinet, Vandoren B45 mouthpiece, Rovner ligature
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2014-08-03 09:08
>> I find 2 specific issues when I don't wait long enough between a full meal and playing... <<
So eat less or don't eat before playing. Or accept that you're less than 100% some of the time when you play. Health issues aside, maybe someone can explain why this is a significant issue...?
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