[TPIN] Playing in the Cold

[William Ash]

At 05:29 PM 12/1/2007 -0500, James Calore wrote:
>What's the trick to playing in the cold?

Not that I'm an outdoor gig expert, but when I have had to play outside in 
the cold, I've found the following useful:

-- Plastic mouthpiece, or at least a plastic screw-rim. (If you must use a 
metal mouthpiece, keep it in a pocket next to your body when you're not 
playing, so at least it stays warm.)

-- Dress warmly.

-- Bring along whatever lip balm you like (if any) to keep your chops moist.

-- After every pause, blow warm air through the horn for a while before 
playing a note. Accept that intonation is still going to be much more 
difficult than usual.

-- Don't let the great outdoors suck all the sound out of you -- don't 
bother trying to sound as loud and resonant as you do in your favorite 
concert hall, or even your practice room, or you'll just blow yourself out.


Bill Ash