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Tro.sy Regular Member
Joined: 30 Apr 2019 Posts: 52
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Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:23 pm Post subject: food to eat/avoid as a trumpet player? |
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hey guys,
can you give some advice on what i should eat as a trumpet player? what should i avoid? |
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multiphonic Veteran Member
Joined: 14 Oct 2019 Posts: 139
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Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2020 2:22 pm Post subject: Re: food to eat/avoid as a trumpet player? |
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Tro.sy wrote: | hey guys,
can you give some advice on what i should eat as a trumpet player? what should i avoid? |
For your health or that of the trumpet? |
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Turkle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 2450 Location: New York City
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Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2020 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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For me, salty and spicy foods are killers. Nothing like having a completely dry mouth for a 3-hour gig on a hot stage. Horrible.
Hydration is just so critically important to your success and endurance! Going out all night drinking dehydrates you so much that it can ruin you at the gig the next day.
Before demanding performances, I always take care to avoid hangovers, moderate my salt intake, and properly hydrate. I love eating lean protein like fish or eggs before the gig.
I always drink flavored seltzer on stage because it has flavor to promote salivation but doesn't have any nasty sugar or acid to mess up your horn.
And always pack a toothbrush in your case! _________________ Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3. |
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OndraJ Veteran Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2012 Posts: 104 Location: hometown
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1413
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 6:16 am Post subject: |
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Turkle wrote: | I always drink flavored seltzer on stage because it has flavor to promote salivation but doesn't have any nasty sugar or acid ,,, |
Seltzer is acidic, like all carbonated beverages. _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
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Turkle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 2450 Location: New York City
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 7:58 am Post subject: |
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mm55 wrote: | Turkle wrote: | I always drink flavored seltzer on stage because it has flavor to promote salivation but doesn't have any nasty sugar or acid ,,, |
Seltzer is acidic, like all carbonated beverages. |
Well, yes, your point stands - seltzer is mildly acidic. However, it's nowhere near as acidic or corrosive as Coca-Cola or beer, is my point. The Ph level of seltzer is so mildly acidic that it's generally neutralized by contact with saliva. Coca-cola or beer, not so much! I mean, Coke has phosphoric acid in it. Yikes! _________________ Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3. |
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abontrumpet Heavyweight Member
Joined: 08 May 2009 Posts: 1803
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 8:14 am Post subject: |
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-On the day of a big gig, I basically eat like an athlete would: whole foods, emphasis on easily digestible, not high in sodium. I don't like meat, for me it dries me out and it's too heavy. I like to be full about 3 or 4 hours before the concert/audition and then a light snack about 45 minutes before to not be hungry during the concert.
-If a morning audition, bananas and granola bars so I can top up as rounds can end up being around 8 hours.
-In general, Michael Pollan's advice: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants. (No processed foods). When coming up to the big thing, I stick to this advice very closely. I drink nothing but water in general.
Side note:
I had a bit of OCD (the real kind) in my undergrad where I let what I ate be connected to how well I did on trumpet that day. I ended up losing a lot of weight, accidentally, in order to "control" my good days and my bad days via diet. I had a lot of rules for myself. Don't let diet become intertwined with trumpet. |
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mm55 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 01 Jul 2013 Posts: 1413
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:43 am Post subject: |
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Turkle wrote: | mm55 wrote: | Turkle wrote: | I always drink flavored seltzer on stage because it has flavor to promote salivation but doesn't have any nasty sugar or acid ,,, |
Seltzer is acidic, like all carbonated beverages. |
Well, yes, your point stands - seltzer is mildly acidic. However, it's nowhere near as acidic or corrosive as Coca-Cola or beer, is my point. The Ph level of seltzer is so mildly acidic that it's generally neutralized by contact with saliva. Coca-cola or beer, not so much! I mean, Coke has phosphoric acid in it. Yikes! |
The pH of beer varies, but it's about the same as seltzer, which also varies. Seltzer has a pH of about 3 or 4 (depending mostly on the carbonation level); comparable to orange juice or apple juice or beer. Saliva is very weakly alkaline; not alkaline enough to neutralize the acidity in seltzer or beer. Coke is definitely a stronger acid than seltzer or beer, but seltzer and beer are still significantly acidic. Plain water is not acidic.
Beer or Coke can suppress saliva; they contain alcohol or caffeine.
But I have a different reason to avoid beer and Coke (and seltzer) while playing: burping is not desirable while playing a wind instrument. _________________ '75 Bach Strad 180ML/37
'79 King Silver Flair
'07 Flip Oakes Wild Thing
'42 Selmer US
'90 Yamaha YTR6450S(C)
'12 Eastman ETR-540S (D/Eb)
'10 Carol CPT-300LR pkt
'89 Yamaha YCR2330S crnt
'13 CarolBrass CFL-6200-GSS-BG flg
Last edited by mm55 on Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:59 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Turkle Heavyweight Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 2450 Location: New York City
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:52 am Post subject: |
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mm55 wrote: | Turkle wrote: | mm55 wrote: | Turkle wrote: | I always drink flavored seltzer on stage because it has flavor to promote salivation but doesn't have any nasty sugar or acid ,,, |
Seltzer is acidic, like all carbonated beverages. |
Well, yes, your point stands - seltzer is mildly acidic. However, it's nowhere near as acidic or corrosive as Coca-Cola or beer, is my point. The Ph level of seltzer is so mildly acidic that it's generally neutralized by contact with saliva. Coca-cola or beer, not so much! I mean, Coke has phosphoric acid in it. Yikes! |
The pH of beer varies, but it's about the same as seltzer, which also varies. Seltzer has a pH of about 3 or 4 (depending mostly on the carbonation level); comparable to orange juice or apple juice or beer. Saliva is very weakly alkaline; not alkaline enough to neutralize the acidity in seltzer or beer. Coke is definitely a stronger acid than seltzer or beer, but seltzer and beer are still significantly acidic. Plain water is not acidic.
Beer or Coke can suppress saliva; they contain alcohol or caffeine. |
‾\_(ツ)_/‾ _________________ Yamaha 8310Z trumpet
Yamaha 8310Z flugel
Curry 3. |
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Matthew Anklan Heavyweight Member
Joined: 12 Jun 2007 Posts: 1085 Location: Cincinnati
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 11:12 am Post subject: |
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Everyone is different - listen to your body! _________________ Matthew Anklan
www.matthewanklan.com
Patrick Mouthpieces Artist |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9052 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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Not to disagree with anyone, but I have been a professional wind instrument player for half a century and I never paid attention to this.
It makes sense not to blow potato chips into your horn, but I never had a problem with anything I ate as long as I could rinse my mouth before playing if I felt I needed it (potato chips, LOL).
Regarding health, though, I usually stayed away from acid producing foods just before playing.
That's it. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
"I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis." Attributed to Chet
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet |
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Jaw04 Heavyweight Member
Joined: 31 Dec 2015 Posts: 900 Location: Bay Area, California
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 9:33 pm Post subject: |
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Just normal nutrition considerations like any other activity, if you eat a poor diet you will feel bad. But there's nothing trumpet specific. I eat very spicy food every day, I drink coffee often also, no problems with any food or drink. Just stay hydrated. |
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OndraJ Veteran Member
Joined: 28 Sep 2012 Posts: 104 Location: hometown
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Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2020 10:28 pm Post subject: |
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kehaulani wrote: | Not to disagree with anyone, but I have been a professional wind instrument player for half a century and I never paid attention to this.
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you lucky guy...others have to think about shaving before a gig. |
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zaferis Heavyweight Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2011 Posts: 2345 Location: Beavercreek, OH
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 5:18 am Post subject: |
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I come down on the side of don't worry about it too much. Beyond avoiding things that you're allergic to or have some other aversion. i.e. "Cashews make my mouth itchy"
I've traveled and toured outside of the country, what is often available for food is definitely sketchy at times. As often as the food didn't agree with me, or wasn't what I am used to. It had no direct impact upon playing.
Cold weather, lack of sleep, elevation (above sea level), alcohol, dehydration (on and off airplanes is a killer) have MUCH more impact upon the chops. I lived in Hawaii for 4 years - had ZERO chop issues - perfect weather, constant humidity, Followed that with 3 years in Belgium, occassional chop issues returned.
Eat well, work on being generally fit, avoid salty, spicey, greasey overly processed things - common sense.. right?
HYDRATE. I'm fond of light teas (low sugar, green or white cold tea) or water with a little flavor on stage. Lemon/lime wedge in water or like a Propel type water. I find water alone rinses out the mouth and can compound any "on-stage" dryness. _________________ Freelance Performer/Educator
Adjunct Professor
Bach Trumpet Endorsing Artist
Retired Air Force Bandsman |
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kehaulani Heavyweight Member
Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 9052 Location: Hawai`i - Texas
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 8:33 am Post subject: |
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OndraJ wrote: | . . . .others have to think about shaving before a gig. |
I stopped doing that in 1992. _________________ "If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." Bird
"I wouldn't play like Wynton Marsalis even if I could play like Wynton Marsalis." Attributed to Chet
Yamaha 8310Z Bobby Shew trumpet
Benge 3X Trumpet
Benge 3X Cornet |
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Bill_Bumps Veteran Member
Joined: 07 May 2019 Posts: 157
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2020 10:02 am Post subject: |
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Turkle wrote: |
I always drink flavored seltzer on stage because it has flavor to promote salivation but doesn't have any nasty sugar or acid to mess up your horn.
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I am not a pro, but I do the same thing before practice.
I also brush my teeth thoroughly and chew gum for at least fifteen minutes before picking up the horn. |
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deleted_user_687c31b New Member
Joined: 03 Apr 1996 Posts: 0
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Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 12:32 am Post subject: |
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Still trying to figure this out. Recently brought a spinach burger to eat before a rehersal...not a good idea. I found that dry, hard breads, optionally with a dry veggie burger, are easy to rinse from one's mouth even without brushing your teeth.
For drinks, I stick to (sparkly) water (also to rinse my mouth before playing). I'm a huge coffee fan but I've read that it's not too good on your horn. When at home, I try to brush my teeth before playing, as I play a vintage horn that I'd like to stick around a little longer so I'm a little more careful with it. On gigs, I try to stick to water.
After returning home from a rehersal/gig, now that's another story. I can usually eat a whole meal and then have room for one more. Playing the trumpet makes me hungry. |
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SMrtn Veteran Member
Joined: 29 Oct 2014 Posts: 367 Location: Spain
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Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 2:35 am Post subject: |
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Avoid anything that gives you gas. |
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Andy Del Heavyweight Member
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Posts: 2665 Location: sunny Sydney, Australia
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Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 4:35 am Post subject: |
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Personally, I avoid the foods I don’t want to eat, and eat the ones I feel like eating. But that’s just me. _________________ so many horns, so few good notes... |
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Al Innella Heavyweight Member
Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 756 Location: Levittown NY
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Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2020 4:45 am Post subject: |
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kehaulani wrote: | Not to disagree with anyone, but I have been a professional wind instrument player for half a century and I never paid attention to this.
It makes sense not to blow potato chips into your horn, but I never had a problem with anything I ate as long as I could rinse my mouth before playing if I felt I needed it (potato chips, LOL).
Regarding health, though, I usually stayed away from acid producing foods just before playing.
That's it. |
+1 |
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