dixiedaveb

When I'm working a brutal schedule I make sure and warm down after each gig. Take your time. This really helps me.
If my chops are swollen I use Preparation H on them. (I'd recommend a fresh tube!) Ice can also work wonders after a hard job.

wiseone2

I personally don't use anything on my chops.

I have used Preparation H on burns. I was making a deep fried whole fish, and I did not get the fish dry enough I was lucky, I was only lightly burned. Preparation H saved me pain. I called out for Chinese food
That was in the days before I turned vegetarian.
Wilmer

Tom_MacNiven

Throughout the first 10 years of my career I did a lot of Funk, Rock and Salsa gigs, and as a direct result of the volume being so high and the sound engineers being so rubbish I forgot a lot of the fundamentals of brass playing and kind of ruined my chops a little. I am back on form now and have been for a while but the problem was overblowing to try and hear myself. I now use a perspex screen for these type of gigs and a pair of rubber earplugs designed for swimming which completely seal the ears off. Not only does this prevent me from overblowing because I can hear myself in my head it also protects my hearing which is after all, part of my instrument.
I recently did a session for a tv theme tune where one of the other trumpet players who plays very loudly and does a lot of salsa gigs had set the foldback volume for himself and it was so loud that when I put the cans on I actually felt physically ill! And the engineer wouldn't give me a separate mix!!!!

Tom_MacNiven

Sorry I forgot to make my point, being that I can play no problem the next day.

old geezer

I am just a rank amatuer but played wed.,thurs.,fri.,sat. and Sun. this past week and use the dreaded pressure method to play. I have found out by trial and error that plenty of cold water and an apirin before each job really helps. old geezer Dave
p.s. I also play on a medium size mouthpiece instead of a large one like some of my macho friends. [Monette B6 & Reeves 42M]

wiseone2

Remember to balance the horn in your hands. Don't strangle it. Use the lightest grip on the horn you can. Work on air and projection. A smart old guy can blow those kids away
Wilmer

tromj

I think that many players hjere have made great comments, and obviously, having Wilmer sum it all up as he does so well is fantastic.
Personally, I find the use of earplugs annoying, but not nearly as annoying as killing my chops because I can't hear myself.
If the guy running the sound system does not know his business, I am not goint to teach him in the two second sound check the horns get (as opposed to the twenty minutes the singers get). I do know, however, how to protect my business, and that's what I concentrate on.