Filthiest band in the land? ..water from instruments

[Bob Thompson]

A strange topic perhaps, however, I was wondering, which I do quite often, but not about water from instruments, does anyone have a simple solution to the solution emptied from instruments during band practise?
It seems to me that the band room floor is nothing more than an extra large spittoon.
Apart from the occasional floor clean, and I mean occasional, its pretty much left to evaporate or what ever it does.

Hopefully at some point this year, the band room is to be developed, and floor coverings will be a consideration...whats the best covering? Are we the filthiest Band in the land?..............what do your band do?

 

[super_sop]

this is going to be soooo embaresing, but i dont know whats on our floor

you could always try sawdust, its easy to sweep up.
or
what about a little cup by each chair that could be emptied at the end of the night?
or
A cheap carpet that you can bin at the end of the year?

 

[tewkeshorn]

Hmm, never really seen it as an issue. In our bandroom we have carpet tiles which soak it all up but as it's just water it evaporates harmlessly anyway.
Its only really noticeable on stage when you clear it afterwards and have to watch out for the small puddles of spit that have accumulated over the night!
You could always get cat litter trays by each music stand for players to 'empty' into... :?

 

[Big Twigge]

this is going to be soooo embaresing, but i dont know whats on our floor

Its a lovely school style carpet grey/sludge colour with ridges in it.
I'd say just fill it with spit and don't clean it (but remember if you ever drop food on the floor, don't eat it, that would be unwise)

 

[Keppler]

throw down rubber mats next to each chair to help protect hard floors. with carpet tiles, it's not so much an issue. if one tile gets grotty, replace it

 

[Bob Thompson]

Re, 'dont eat food if you drop it on the floor'
our floor would probably eat it first!

 

[HBB]

As we don't have our own bandroom we use a tarpauline (sp.) lining sheet, which the spit gets emptied onto, and then gets bunged in a cupboard :shock: .

 

[sunny_jimbob]

On a vaguely related topic, does anyone else worry that emptying ones spit valve when playing in a church is vaguely blasphemous? :? :lol:

 

[Di]

We did rehearse in one place where they gave us all a sheet of newspaper to put by our chairs to mop up the output. Is this too easy a solution for your bandroom?

 

[Naomi McFadyen]

you shouldn't spit down ya instruments should you! :roll:

:lol: :wink:

 

[Keppler]

well, certainly not your percussion ones Naomi - you might be doing something wrong..

 

[jambo]

I'd never really given the issue a thought till just now. Some of the kids I teach when they set away learning brass are horrified at having to empty spit onto the floor. All I can offer is that its ok and they'll used to it. Wrong or not? but as its fact that we all do it, mob rule says its ok.

 

[cornetgirl]

I once did a gig in a church where they'd just put new carpet down and we were told we'd go to hell if we emptied our instruments out on it - cue some interesting target practice onto shoes, people's knees... :roll:

Rach x

 

[PeterBale]

When we were out of our hall while the rebuilding was taking place, we joined with the local Methodists for the Sunday night meetings. As they had a polished wooden floor, the queston of water staining as one of their concerns as well.

We were asked to supply a duster each and this seemed to do the trick, so long as it was one that actually absorbs the water! We debated te idea of using strips of carpet (which we did use under the percussion kit) but decided that it would involve too much hassle shifting them every week.

 

[MoominDave]

I'd never really given the issue a thought till just now. Some of the kids I teach when they set away learning brass are horrified at having to empty spit onto the floor. All I can offer is that its ok and they'll used to it. Wrong or not? but as its fact that we all do it, mob rule says its ok.

Fortunately, the vast majority of it isn't spit - it's condensation.

Dave

 

[Aidan]

I thought this was going to be an interesting thread until i read the 2nd part of the topic

 

[iggmeister]

I'd never really given the issue a thought till just now. Some of the kids I teach when they set away learning brass are horrified at having to empty spit onto the floor. All I can offer is that its ok and they'll used to it. Wrong or not? but as its fact that we all do it, mob rule says its ok.

Fortunately, the vast majority of it isn't spit - it's condensation.

Dave

I agree Dave but there is always that one time when you are playing and you know a big crackler has squeezed through the mouthpiece and down the leadpipe. You go to blow it out of the water key hoping nobody will notice and it is a big twanger whiich strectches to the floor like an abseiling rope!

Or is that just me?

Igg

 

[Despot]

Carpet!

What comes out of your instrumnent is largely just water, not spit, condensation from the breath of the player. It'll just evaporate.

Also having a carpet as opposed to a hard floor may help the acoustic, is warmer and if a mouthpiece or instrument is dropped, there's a better survival rate. Also pools of water on a hard floor is accident waiting to happen, and stains!

We've had a heavy duty carpet now for a number of years and never had a problem. Doesn't get grotty, and still looks good!

 

[Despot]

Or is that just me?

Igg

...it's just you! :shock:

 

[Euph-Bari]

I agree Dave but there is always that one time when you are playing and you know a big crackler has squeezed through the mouthpiece and down the leadpipe. You go to blow it out of the water key hoping nobody will notice and it is a big twanger whiich strectches to the floor like an abseiling rope!

Or is that just me?

Igg

Can't Say I've encountered that problem before :? :lol: