Physical changes to performing during a performance

[AndrewMeronek]

This is (maybe) an interesting bit of self-reflection to share: observing how my body changes over the course of a long performance, in particular, multi-hour gigs. Context:

- I had a 3-set bar gig a couple of days ago, playing fairly aggressive big band music on lead trombone.
- I don't typically do much warm-up, by choice. Sometimes on gigs there simply isn't opportunity, and when that happens I still gotta play. I warmed up for maybe 1 minute, about 10 minutes before the downbeat.
- This gig was after a fairly typical day: day gig/work for 9 hours, normal meals, and waking up around 6:30am; plus ending the gig around 10pm.
- I was able to get a quick 30 minute nap before heading to the gig.

Anyway, the first tune was fairly loud and fast, so not always the best "first". But it was fine. My warm-up regimen definitely works well enough for me.

Around the halfway mark of the 1st set (about 20 minutes in) came the first physical feelings of fatigue, which really only means that I felt the muscles working as they should. However, I'm in good enough playing shape and have good enough technique that I never got tired in the sense of not being able to play. It's a point of pride for me right now - this has not been the case for much of my tromboning career. I credit a combination of factors: a couple of great lessons from Doug, some really good work by my orthodontist, spending the time to really practice efficiency in playing/breath control/etc., having equipment that works well for me (including a very nice Wedge mouthpiece) and I'm sure other factors that I'm not thinking of now.

Even so, I do definitely notice as the gig progresses into 2nd and 3rd hours, that my body changes, and actually, it seems like my tone changes. It's kind of impossible to describe exactly how it is changing, except that maybe there is a general sense that everything keeps getting more efficient. Obviously, I will be burning calories and getting tired. But the buzz, the general swelling of the lips that always happens to everyone, kind of dials in its conformity to the mouthpiece, if that makes sense; the buzz gets "cleaner" and it even can take a bit less air to get the same result as back in the start of set 1.

All that said, I know that historically this was definitely not the case for me. The general pattern would be: start strong, start to get tired, then things just stop working as well. Range and endurance decrease. Tone suffers.

Perhaps another way to look at it occurs to me, however: bodily response to playing quality as something like a "normal" distribution curve. Playing starts bad, gets better as one warms up, reaches a peak, then playing gets worse again as fatigue sets in. The goal here being to get past that initial "low" start of the curve as fast as possible (i.e., smart warmups) and to get that dropoff to be as late as possible and to be less severe.

Anyway, this change on tone that I feel I experience over the course of a long gig may not even be anything that an audience would be able to hear; it may just be my own little brain interpreting things in me-brain-ways. I was wondering if other people experience something like this.

[whitbey]

Well Andrew. I can relate.
I was electrocuted several decades ago. Was not fun. Messed up my nero with migraines and my whole endocrine system has failed. Fatigue and pain are my constant companions.
Air and staying calm are my friends. The hardest thing is counting rests while being too calm. I use my fingers a lot.
I had a point when the adrenal insufficiency got away from me and middle C was my high note. Fortunately that happened during the pandemic. Since then my meds have gotten better and my range is back to the top of the treble clef again. I also ended up with caps on my 6 front teeth.
As I said, Air and staying calm are my friends. I found practicing for my sound and slow practice to center notes did me well. Getting a good sound on bass bone and then moving the sound up the register is a good, although long term plan.
Sometimes a slow drinking of a caffeine beverage is good, but not too fast to lose the calm. It has taken me more then a dozen years to find my place with the horn so that my playing is back. I am still tired. But as I love playing, I am happy. I am very careful on the drive home. Get tire, pull over and set an alarm for 10 minutes. I am now playing principal with tenor and alto in an orchestra and I have traditional dixie band that is ramping up.
Work this out while you are still young to learn to play your best while you are tired and you will have fun when you get old.

[Macbone1]

I am a "retirement age" trombone player and have noticed mental fatigue is now as much a factor as physical fatigue. I built up my physical toughness (without tension or bad habits) during a long military band career. Only the old circus bands were tougher!

Mentally staying "in the game" as the concert or rehearsal rounds 9:40pm or so has been a surprisingly big factor. Jumping clefs in orchestra, blowing by rests, etc....sometimes I surprise myself. Having dealt with 2 kinds of sleep disorders since age 60 or so doesn't help either.

[Doug Elliott]

CPAP and a redeye

[Macbone1]

CPAP and a redeye