Trumpet after Covid

[Eli’s Coming]

It took 3 years but Covid finally found me. Not a severe case but certainly not pleasant. I haven’t touched my trumpet in a week and a half. I play lead in a big band and have a 3 hour gig in a couple weeks followed by a 4 hour gig the next week. Any recommendations on how to get back to work and what I should expect. Best case / worse case scenario ? I’m sure plenty of you guys have gone through it. Any advice would be great. Today I will try playing long tones.

[ldwoods]

Covid seems to affect different people in VERY different ways.
Example from personal experience. Me and my wife had it at the same time.
Affects on me: felt super lazy for 2 or 3 days, but I got over it and was back to my normal things, including exercise, right away with no apparent affects.
Affect on my wife: barely get out of bed for almost 2 weeks. Could not resume her exercise for several weeks after that. Even today, over 1.5 years later, her breathing is not the same. She walks about 4 miles a day at a rapid pace and says her breathing is much more difficult now after covid.
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Larry Woods
LDWoods

[shofarguy]

[Brassnose]

Health is more important than a gig (at least for me) so I’d go slow. Took seven or eight weeks until I picked up the horn after my Covid infection in 2022.
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2019 Martin Schmidt eXcellence
1992 Bach 43GH/43
1989 Kühnl & Hoyer Model 15 flugel
1980/2023 Custom Blessing Scholastic C 😎
1977 Conn 6B
1951 Buescher 400 Lightweight
AR Resonance, Frate, Klier

[Dale Proctor]

I had a mild case of it last summer. I took Paxlovid and it was gone in about a week, with no long-lasting effects. I laid off practicing for a little over a week, and it didn’t take long to get back up to speed.

For me, the lasting effect of covid was the year or two of playing no gigs during all the lockdowns. I lost my motivation to practice along the way, and at my age, it’s taking quite a while to get back to where I was with range and endurance. I’m getting there, though!
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"Brass bands are all very well in their place - outdoors and several miles away ." - Sir Thomas Beecham

[stuartissimo]

[Eli’s Coming]

A follow up:
Strictly playing soft long tones. My lung capacity is definitely diminished. I’d say about 15% based on how long I can hold a note. Whisper C has been a great drill. This week I will continue long tones and introduce range at a soft level, which is always a good thing.
LDwoods very true it affects everyone differently. It ran through my household and we all experienced something different.

Shofarguy what a great breathing exercise. Not just for Covid but in general. Hopefully I’m doing it right. Thanks for the tip.

Brassnose I’m sorry to hear you were down and out for 8 weeks. That’s rough. It would take me quite a while to make up for 8 weeks of no practicing

Dale Proctor you’re right not having gigs for a year and a half was rough. I did pick up students for lessons during that time period however.

Stuartissimo pray for the best is what it comes down to. I did have a voice in music selection for our sets so at least the songs are stacked decent.

Thank you everyone. I wish you all well.

[Tivolian]

Just wanna say, what a great community. Inspirational.
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Tivolian

[raynjtrumpet]

I'm currently dealing with COVID. This is my fourth day since my first symptoms, but I only tested positive yesterday. For the first two days, I had no desire to play, and on the third day (yesterday) I played for just a few minutes and found it was making me feel slightly dizzy. But today, after having been highly congested last night, I played for maybe 45 minutes or an hour, and I actually felt the playing was making me feel better and helping to clear my lungs. So I'm hopeful I may soon get back into my regular practice routine, even though I probably won't test negative for several more days.

No particular conclusion, except that everyone's experience will likely be different. Feel your way carefully, and make the decision that works for you.

All I was playing today were long tones and flow study sorts of things - just trying to maintain a consistent air stream and get the lips to respond with the least possible effort.

FWIW, I was vaccinated and double-boosted, but probably let my guard down a little too much recently in terms of exposure to crowds.
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Ray Ritchie
Freehold, NJ USA

[jvf1095]

Hello All. I contracted a mild case of COVID (two shots, three boosters). Worst of it was two to three days in with sinus congestion & a cough. I was given Lagevrio (Moinupiravir) for five days & it did a good job of knocking it out after the third day. I'm in my 10th day now & symptoms seem to be gone. Based on anyone who has experienced COVID in this manner, when did you feel it was safe to pick up the trumpet again; not just being physically able to play; but more so, not worrying about infecting your horn, especially inside where the virus can live. Thanks!!!

[shofarguy]

[patdublc]

I had COVID in mid-2022. I was down sick ~4 days. However, at the advice of a doctor, I continued to practice everyday. Yes, it is unique to each of us. My daily test was to see if I could play Clarke Etude #1 in a single breath. Made it every day. So, in my case, I don't feel it impacted my breathing at all. And there was no impact to my chops because I didn't take any time off the horn. I was blessed with good fortune during my illness.
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Pat Shaner
Play Wedge Mouthpieces by Dr. Dave exclusively.
Experiment with LOTS of horn makes and models.

[jvf1095]

Good advice. I started to play again yesterday; covid be damned. Took all my meds, feel ok. Thanks!

[jvf1095]

Hello All. It was suggested that I post my experience with covid, or at least, post covid, after my symptoms were gone. I had as it turned out, a milder case of covid having had two shots & three boosters. However, I was put on Lagevrio for five days. I was concerned about playing & was advised to wait for five days until my symptoms were gone via the meds; which they were. (The meds really knocked it down). BUT, I did take some precautions when I started playing again just after, cleaning the mouthpiece when done, & squirting alcohol into the lead pipe & actually taking off the slide & swabbing that out too. Also, I was being sure not to suck in air from the horn! (Better music when it's the other way around! lol). Of course, if you are dealing with covid as of this writing, follow your doctor's advice. Be well!!!!

[superviking805]

I could play the trumpet no major problems after covid.
However, for a full 2 years after I couldn't access the upper register. Every time I would attempt full compression, I would be racked by coughing.
Recently I found I can compress again. Don't know what changed but finally healed.

[jvf1095]

I get it. Cough is the last thing to go. Glad you're well now.

[jvf1095]

Adding one more thing (& I know this subject can be controversial), but during my covid experience & slightly after, I did buzz my mouthpiece not to contaminate my trumpet. (Better than nothing). Also did some embouchure isometrics. The mouthpiece is obviously easy to clean & disinfect much more so that taking your horn apart. Once I was clear after 5 days or so, I went back to the horn, but as I said in previous posts, cleaned & swabbed the lead pipe & removed the first slide to clean as well. I'll continue to do that for the next week or so since my symptoms are gone.

[Bill Ortiz]

I just got Covid for the first time this week. I was going to post asking questions for their experiences with it all but found this thread which is very helpful. Mild case, got some Paxlovid so other than a few days in bed with a fever symptoms are getting better after a few days. Did anyone have any negative experiences with resuming practicing too early?
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'56 Martin Committee Deluxe #2 trumpet
14B Schilke mouthpiece
Couesnon Paris flugelhorn
Bob Reeves Sleeves and PVA

[nieuwguyski]

I got Covid last spring, right when I had a lot of playing commitments coming up. I started Paxlovid less than two days after I first had symptoms and felt much better before the end of the five-day course of pills, continued to isolate for the recommended number of days, went to a rehearsal... and then got "rebound Covid." The rebound wasn't very bad at all, but I was still testing positive. I then isolated until I had two negative tests.

I ended up missing multiple rehearsals and one dance gig, but throughout I listened to my body and practiced when I felt good and gave my trumpet a soapy bath and swabbing out the two times I re-entered society. I only missed practicing the first three days of the initial infection. The first two days were a no-brainer, as my lungs just hurt taking a breath. The third day I felt somewhat better, but attempting to compress a breath as if to start a tone resulted in uncontrollable coughing. Day four I started with low long tones.

I wasn't happy with my playing in the pit and I had to hand off some lead charts in the dance band for one gig, but my wind recovered before my sense of smell and at this point I'd like to think I've made a full recovery.
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J. Notso Nieuwguyski

[jvf1095]

Hope you do!