Personal Preparation

[Fishsta]

This may sound strange to you, but some people are very superstitious. Sportsmen especially, it seems. They have a strict pre-match preparation which dictates to them which boot they put on first, some say a little prayer, some actually tie a piece of string to one of their toes...

Do YOU have a superstition or some other preparation that you go through every time you do a concert or contest?

Myself... I like to just stand quietly for a minute and gather my thoughts whilst blowing through the instrument to keep it warm.

I was much worse when I was on Trombone... especially with spraying water on the slide. Used to have a BIG dribble out of my water key once on stage...

 

[geordiecolin]

I used to have 2 lucky badges, a cornet one and a Newcastle Utd one, but i lost them both!! unlucky eh!

Before i play i tend to find a corner and try to get a bit of sleep! it stops me worrying.

After Newcastle's 1-0 derby victory over sunderland, when i went to work wearing Newcastle football socks (black so you can't tell), i might have to wear them for contesting now!!

 

[You wanna blow my what?]

hehe I thought it said Badgers....

I used to have a necklace thing which I'd worn a few times and we'd won and then I didn't wear it and we lost.....and then when I moved bands I used to wear it all the time but we never won.

I don't believe in superstitions.

 

[geordiecolin]

Well i used to have a couple of lucky badgers as well but the RSPCA came knocking!

My superstitions stem from football. I had to go and watch Scunthorpe v Lincoln play-off semi the other night and had to stand it a specific place, wear specific clothes and even have the programme in the pouch pocket in my jacket!

My housemate was convinced i was lucky (8 games seen, 8 games won)

But my luck wore off. (Scunny lost)

It was back at Bramall Lane last night though! (Fantastic match!!)

 

[jonford]

A few bands ive played with used to play certains hymns on the day of a contest! I dunno wether it was meant to bring luck, but they didnt always work if they were!

 

[sparkling_quavers]

I don't normally get that nervous before I go on the stage. I normally find that I am the one giving the pep talk to the rest of my section trying to calm then down. But, when I get on the stage I am the one that is cacking myself!

Thinking about the rewards (i.e. the bar) normally puts my mind back on the job though!!! 8)

 

[rutty]

Nothing to do with banding, but I've got a lucky packet of crisps in my car glove compartment. I bought them the day I passed my test in 1990, Roast Chicken flavour Walkers crisps, and they've been my lucky charm ever since. No accidents in my car.

I did have a little bump in a hire car once though - no crisps see!

I wouldn't fancy eating them now thoughbut... :roll:

 

[Nik_The_Insane]

don't know wether its superstition, luck or (most likely) coincedence, but the times I've been with the winning band at a contest I've always been last at registration!

 

[You wanna blow my what?]

Well i used to have a couple of lucky badgers as well but the RSPCA came knocking!

I have a badger glove puppet I guess he could be lucky....

Wow! I just noticed your avatar is a 2 tone skanker! WOO!

(sorry for the change of subject!)

 

[cornetgirl]

I tend to cross myself before we go on stage at a contest - good church upbringing y'see....not sure how much it helps the rest of the band tho!

Other than that I'm actually not overly superstitious on brass - on strings it's a different matter! Nobody touches my viola other than myself in the run-up to a concert, probably cos I'm terrified of someone dropping it!

One of our band is similar in that respect - the cornet even has its own seat on the bus (bless), so it ain't just me!

Rach x

 

[Pythagoras]

Well i used to have a couple of lucky badgers as well but the RSPCA came knocking!

My superstitions stem from football. I had to go and watch Scunthorpe v Lincoln play-off semi the other night and had to stand it a specific place, wear specific clothes and even have the programme in the pouch pocket in my jacket!

My housemate was convinced i was lucky (8 games seen, 8 games won)

But my luck wore off. (Scunny lost)

It was back at Bramall Lane last night though! (Fantastic match!!)

Don't try and claim the credit for Bramall Lane! That was all down to me! (and Peschisolido and Kabba) They haven't lost at home since I started going. Hope it continues in Cardiff (I know all tmp readers are far to sensible to be Wolves fans.)

Anybody wno wants to hire me as a contest watcher, let me know.

 

[You wanna blow my what?]

Maybe it's just me, but I find that if I warm up before I play, it makes me play a lot better.

 

[super_sop]

i always try to stand some were quiet so i can concentrate before i go on stage. i also never clean my inst after the last practice before a concert or contest

Don't try and claim the credit for Bramall Lane! That was all down to me! (and Peschisolido and Kabba) They haven't lost at home since I started going. Hope it continues in Cardiff (I know all tmp readers are far to sensible to be Wolves fans.)

mmm not my first choice of team (Im an EVERTONIAN)but as the wolves are a local team i do take an intrest in there results

 

[You wanna blow my what?]

I like to brush my teeth, but it's not a ritual or anything. I just like my mouth to feel minty fresh!

 

[picju96]

I like to brush my teeth, but it's not a ritual or anything. I just like my mouth to feel minty fresh!

I like to do that too, but its not really possible before a contest, only in the morning just before we leave, and thats sometimes 5/6 hours before we play. I don't clean my instrument for a week before a contest either.

 

[BoozyBTrom]

I clean my Teeth too. Just Before we leave to go to registration. It started off as a way to stop me drying up. Now its become a little ritual for me. What a geek eh!!!!

Also I have noticed if im the last person to walk on stage the band seems to get a good result. Probably just a coincidence but then again it could be the band thinking thank god he's not playing today.

 

[ukdrummerboy]

Dunno if other percussionists do, but i always use the same stick in my right hand and same for my left! (ones slightly more battered than the other!)

 

[geordiecolin]

I don't clean my instrument for a week before a contest either.

I did that once before the night before the area and my 2nd valve stuck solid. Even after taking it to the groovy "knock all the dents out for a tenner while u wait" man at the contest, it was still stuck! had to borrow from a mate!!

from then on, my instrument isn't ever cleaned before i play it. ever.

 

[Big Fella]

I am always the player who goes through registration last, not sure if it habbit, or if it's because somebody wakes me up to go on stage.

Recently i have bought a Plexiglass mouthpiece, and now go and clean my teeth, nothing to do with freshness, just got sick of the cornets and trombones being able to tell what i had had to eat..

 

[Aidan]

steve sykes cleans his teeth too
I do bog all...but i dont get nervous anyway