rowuk

Trumpet players and food are 2 things that fit perfectly together (many of the finest players are not underweight......)!

In my 42 years of playing, I have found things that help and hurt me when I am on stage.

What generally helps is a plate of pasta before playing. The starch gets turned into sugar easily and I don't get tired an hour after eating.

Black tea makes my lips "tough". I believe that is due to the tannic acid.

A small glass of wine has been known to work wonders before a Brandenburg Concerto (especially if I am filling in for someone that chickened out and only gave me 10 days notice).

Hard alcohol (even in small amounts) has always been very bad news for my endurance. I think it dialates the blood vessels and keeps from replenishing the cells with oxygen.

What experiences have YOU had?

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Graham

I find a beer, wine, or scotch before playing relaxes my chops a bit (for obvious reasons). I'm definitely with you on the pasta though, the carbohydrates help a lot with everything in general if you have a long gig that evening.

Being a big coffee drinker, I have to make sure that I haven't had a coffee just before a performance, as it exacerbates my already raging nerves lol.

RG111

I stay away from milk, cheese, and fried foods just before playing. A good pre-concert meal for me is tuna salad, crackers and tea. Then, after the concert, its no holds barred!
Roy

B15M

Lots of Vodka helps.

I try not to eat pasta before I play. I don't know why but anything with red sauce makes me thirsty. Even way after eating.

I can't really have any alcohol. It makes it hard for me to concentrate. Before I play I try to have a light dinner too.

I do like coffee before I play. Sometimes I will go and get a buttered roll and a cup of coffee and skip dinner.

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MaynardTrumpet

Haha, I remember I ate something that I liked, and then I started playing my horn, and felt like throwing up. Then there are times when I feel full after eating, pick up a horn and all of a sudden have so much air. I don't know, it's weeeeeeeeird.

Pedal C

I'm opposite most people. I can't eat anything before I play. Just about everything makes my chops feel puffy (especially anything even slightly salty) and all the breathing and such on a full stomach makes me...well...belch often enough that it's tough to play well. Soft drinks, beer or tea make my chops feel fat too. I've found that I can play significantly better if I'm really hungry than if I eat an hour or two before a rehearsal or concert and feel all lethargic or have puffy chops. It makes it tough to find time eat sometimes, but what can you do?

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mrmusicnotes

Aside from having a nice cup of coffee to stimulate the mind and body,I never really thought about it.But the next time I have one of thoses rare days when everything seems to work flawless,I will pay attention to what I ate that day.Just maybe the two are related.

tedh1951

I too avoid food before playing - especially alcohol - a "glass of sandwiches" does me in, however a small beer in a break seems to have no effect (I don't do that often though). A small glass of cool water is the go for me - or perhaps some flat lemonade for the sugar fix.

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Ted

Vulgano Brother

Flaedlesuppe. Warm, light, and fills the belly just right!

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godchaser

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Anyone ever work with Herbalists?


Pedal C: lots of everything green may work better? Reasonably good carb. energy without upsetting the system?


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