I've been informed that its common practice in some regions to eat chocolate prior to going on stage to ensure that your mouth doesn't go dry and help give you extra energy/concentration levels. Is this true? Any particular brands recommended?
That's really weird because our principal cornet player cam to me after warm up last Saturday and asked if I had any chocolate. I assumed he was hypoglycemic but perhaps I was wrong. Unfortunately I was unable to help him as the chances of any of our bass section having chocolate to spare would be akin to a snowball in hell.
Maybe he just thought you were Willy Wonka. I'm sure I've heard him call you that before................
I suppose it can give you a sugar burst , some people eat bananas which 1. give slow release of sugar in bloodstream 2. release potassium which has a calming effect Don't know if these are true or have any medical effect or have been proven , still if it helps do it.. Dr Nick* * not an md or proper dr
There are a few advantages....the first is the fast release of glucose which is fairly obviously related to energy levels. The second is related to seratonin levels - a neurotransmitter - an increase of which causes a feeling of well being and decreases anxiety (amongst other things). In terms of mouth dryness, this will happen with anything other than water - the body's natural response to the expectation of food is to salivate....it's a Pavlovian thing
A good friend, and well repected professional trombone player once told me never to drink water to moisten the mouth. He suggested scraping the teeth along the tongue to stimulate salivation - a far superior lubrication to water. Water simply washes this away!!!
That's really interesting. I always drink water to moisten my mouth but must say i don't think it works too well for me. Do you ??
I must admit, I have only done it once prior to playing a solo, and in the absence of chewing gum, it was my ownly option. It is not something I spend a lot of time doing I must admit, dry-mouthedness is not a complaint I usually suffer from! Chewing gum would be my mouth-moistener of choice.
Hmm, that really would scare me. Playing a large bore euph, i'd be scared it'd go down the instrument plus i might swallow it... I don't trust myself with chewing gum! Might try the chocolate one though... Good excuse to eat chocolate too... Not sure though, getting sticky finding and lips doesn't help my playing...
If you had a dry mouth and then ate chocolate wouldn't it just go all sticky in your mouth and ewwww? It would for me.... but I'm odd and don't eat chocolate.... I haven't since new years' eve.... and I don't miss it I'd just drink a bit of water if I had a dry mouth... water's wet! :tongue:
Ahhh. Reading through some discussions on here, it seems lots play with chewing gum in their mouth! I think they put it behind their teeth or side of their mouth when they place. But even still... :s
Don't know if this has been said but presumably dry mouth is down to nerves? I know that's what happens to me on contest stage. I took a bottle of water on stage at Areas and can't remember drinking any water at all. Must be some sort of psychology thing as my mouth was not dry at all. As for chocolate theory, I would need extra time to eat a Kilogram slab of whole nut before going on stage!
Lemon juice: as in directly from a lemon or lemon squash? I think that would make my lips sticky and therefore stick to my mouthpiece...
