[because]

We all know every night is not going to be magic & some nights you have to just grind it out. Yesterday I woke with horrible sore & swollen throat, however we had a nice gig for a Casino Night at a major university that draws close to 3000 people, pays well & I wanted to be there. It's our third year playing it.

We start the night with the in-house lighting tech bumping my alto off the stand... Not serious but it's out for the evening, so tenor & flute have to step up, even if unfamiliar keys.

So, I warn everyone to stay away from the sax guy with Leprosy. Gig starts & my throat is SO dry & sore! Drinking water didn't help, so I slip in a cough drop... while playing.... helped a little but now I'm playing & trying to tongue wrestle the cough drop. I then multiplied my misery by skipping the water & drank a coke.... now the sax guy is trying to get full breaths with a swollen throat while not inhaling the cough drop, or sending it down the mouthpiece... with the newly added joy of burping the carbonated Coke...

Grinding it out.

 

[HonkBopSax]

Re: Plaling with cough drop/ hard nights

Oh man, I hear you. I have had strep for a week, and had a handful of gigs. EVERYTHING felt off, pitch, airstream...I couldn't sustain notes, couldn't hear the pitch center, tone sounded stuffy and dead. But what's funny is I recorded about a minute's worth into my phone, and my tone was the same as always, so I guess it's all in my head.

 

[1saxman]

Re: Plaling with cough drop/ hard nights

Yes, that's the way it is sometimes. I remember driving 75 miles and playing a gig and driving home in about 1978 while having bronchitis with a mild temperature. Wearing a pea-green cardigan sweater on stage and coughing up green lungers at break - and it wasn't even St. Pat's day! Usually under crummy conditions I'll brace myself with some 'cough medicine' which really helps.

 

[ProfLeighton]

Re: Plaling with cough drop/ hard nights

It such a drag to have a sore throat- you must try No Do , Japanese throat spray- the second you feel a burning sensation in your throat.
It's very small, powerful, one shot to each side of the throat and your done. You will be amazed- results -fast.
Fits in your gig bag, comes w a sealing pouch. On ebay $16 or any Japanese pharmacy, Kobayashi $9,


This, and all the Japanese variations of it [there are many ] work like magic. None of the American throat sprays I have tried over the years do anything for me . Recently Chloraseptic has copied the packaging for their product but I have not reason to try it.

 

[musekatcher]

Re: Plaling with cough drop/ hard nights

Plaling - playing while ailing?