Tough gig last night - recovery/technique tips needed

[Shipham_Player]

Had a really tough big band gig last night. Was depping for someone for 2nd chair but found out when I got there they needed me to do lead. Complete sight read too - all the arrangements were unfamiliar.

3 hours of hard blowing - nothing mega with range (up to Eb) and I managed fairly well but this morning I have a really stiff jaw. i.e. if I stretch my mouth open it hurts!

I've had sore lips/swelling before but never jaw ache like this.

Any ideas from fellow TH'ers on why/help would be greatly appreciated. I recently changed to a more forward tongue position when playing and do wonder if that's the cause as I'm probably using my face muscles differently.

Thanks
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Eclipse Enigma
Benson Brevette 1950 Flugel
Curry 3C Custom, Bach 3C, HT Jazz

[RandyTX]

I had a pretty rough workout yesterday myself. About 2.5 hours of practice early in the day, some of it a fairly demandinh, but with a lot of rest in between, then an unexpectedly "aggressive" 2hr rehearsal last night. Felt pretty much wiped out on the way home, but feel decent this morning, but definitely more tired than normal.

I will drink lots of water, do some soft playing to get the system working this morning, then take it easy for the rest of today. Should be fine by this evening or tomorrow, at worst.

If what you have experienced is a lot worse than you are used to, you might want to do either extremely light soft playing only today, or take it off completely if you can afford it.

I really doubt you "broke" anything. Sounds like you just had a lot heavier load than you're used to yesterday.

[gstump]

Take time off and for goodness sake do not look for trouble by trying out stuff with a sore face. Maybe you did something different due to the location of the music stand, etc.

After a workout like that, you should come back strong after the blood does its thing.

Nice job doing the heavy lifting!
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Schilke B5
Couesnon Flug (1967)
Funk Brothers Horn Section/Caruso Student

[Brad361]

Some wil disagree, but after a tough gig, especially for me when we do a Friday-Saturday, I do three things on Sunday: take some inuprofen, ice my chops gently and leave the horn in the case. NO playing at all. I've tried easy, soft, low recovery playing, for me though NO playing for a day or even two speeds recovery.

Brad361
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When asked if he always sounds great:
"I always try, but not always, because the horn is merciless, unpredictable and traitorous." - Arturo Sandoval

[gstump]

[Shipham_Player]

[brasslete_jon]

I know how you're feeling. I recently did a five-hour Latin gig where I shared the mic with the lead and had to position myself at a weird angle to play into the mic. For two weeks, the left side of my jaw was inflamed. I treated it like it's TMJ, but I'm not a doctor.

Take Advil, avoid tough-to-chew foods, use a hot washcloth to relax and warmup the jaw muscles (especially if you need to practice), carefully stretch the jaw muscles when warm, use ice to numb (when you're done playing/stretching), and always keep space between your teeth so the jaw is in a relaxed position.

It'll take time for it to feel normal (two weeks for me), but you'll be good to go soon enough!

-Jon
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Jon Manness
http://www.jonathanmanness.com

[gstump]

Deleted
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Schilke B5
Couesnon Flug (1967)
Funk Brothers Horn Section/Caruso Student

[trptcoach]

Anything that painful should be avoided. You'll pay for it as you get older. Learn to play jazz and think about thoughtful, intelligent improvisational lines instead of constant pounding. Or.....take up the flute!

[PW-Factor]

I also agree that sometimes a day off is more productive than any form of practice.

Throughout college I tried to take one day off a week if I could. That didn't happen every week, probably one or two weekends a month I could take Saturday off. Often I would play at church on Sunday and then take the rest of the day off. But I was averaging 3-4 hours of rehearsal a day, plus 1-2 hours of practice. So an hour of playing Sunday morning was practically a day off. But when I had the chance to, I took a whole day.

There was another girl I went to school with who was in about 2 hours of rehearsal a day, and spent 4-6 hours in the practice rooms. She NEVER took a day off. She killed her chops, ruined her love for music, and generally got no benefit from all that practice time. Her range (her weakest facet of playing coming in) never increased, and eventually her tone and articulation started to suffer. Then she decided it was a good idea to audition for Northwestern and Roosevelt grad schools in the same day, while her chops were in this deteriorated condition. Needless to say it didn't go well.

I have always been a huge believer in the benefit of time off. I have had a bit too much time off since school ended and I got a real job to pay the bills. But I pick up my horn every so often and am still in a gigging band that doesn't require a huge amount of chop upkeep. but I do miss the constant playing sometimes.
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New Orleans Funk - The Big Lagniappe

Raw Brass HB2 - Hammond PW
Gen II ACB Doubler Flugel - Curry 5FL

[cheiden]

Sounds like your change of tongue position is causing you to alter your jaw (been there, done that). Perhaps all you need to do is deemphasize that change for a while until you recover. Then work on that technique and see if it's something you need to either grow into or to tweak to avoid the injury.
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"I'm an engineer, which means I think I know a whole bunch of stuff I really don't."
Charles J Heiden/So Cal
Bach Strad 180ML43*/43 Bb/Yamaha 731 Flugel/Benge 1X C/Kanstul 920 Picc/Conn 80A Cornet
Bach 3C rim on 1.5C underpart

[John Mohan]

Take two aspirin (or two Ibuprofen) every 6 hours and maybe a day off the horn. I'd probably still practice, but I'd make it an easy routine for a few days.

Best wishes,

John Mohan
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Trumpet Player, Clinician & Teacher
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Grease, The Producers, Addams Family, In the Heights, etc.
Ex LA Studio Musician
16 Year Claude Gordon Student

[Brad361]

[zaferis]

Off topic a little: I'm glad somone mentioned the plexiglass sound reflector - one of my most favorite tools when mic'ed on stage; I prefer this over a monitor. Just helps keep me from over blowing…

Let me note first that I think endourance includes the ability to produce the same product day after day, not just how long you last at the gig.
After an acceptionally tough gig, I agree some time off can help but, I'd also like to throw out here that maybe you should also concider working on endurance in your normal routine.
Like running, you never up your distance if you never push yourself. If all you ever do is run 3K's, then the day you run a 5K it puts you on the couch for a while.

And I'll open the "can of worms" that equipment can make a difference too.
I'll say it this way: even though I love the sound, clarity of articulation, and blow of my Bach 1 1/2 C, I have much more endourance on my current setup.
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Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman

[Shipham_Player]

Thanks for all the advice - it's been really helpful.

I gigged Saturday and Sunday night - completely different gigs.

One was a 9 piece function band where we had to play really contained up to MF as we were in a really high ceilinged room. A real exercise in controlled playing and was really good for the aching jaw as had to play relaxed.

Sundy night depped on 2nd for another big band and it was a real blaster - no mikes on the section. Fortunately for me the lead was really strong so didn't have to kill my lip.

Got through both with no problems - jaw still aches a lot but it's not affecting my playing (actually the forward tongue position is really helping above the stave) so I think everything is alright.

Will take on board resting and gentle practice for a couple of weeks and hopefully all will be well.
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Eclipse Enigma
Benson Brevette 1950 Flugel
Curry 3C Custom, Bach 3C, HT Jazz