Wind instruments and residue onstage

[Albatross]

Hi All,

I was wondering if anyone has a policy in place regarding bands/orchestras with brass/ wind instruments onstage and the residue they drop.

I’ve been told it’s condensation and not saliva, though I’m not convinced, but I’m more concerned about the mess that it creates on the stage, and the potential of trip hazards.

I’m considering suggesting either small buckets or mats/carpet or even their own personal towels for these musicians.

Any thoughts on this?

[GridGirl]

It is just condensation (former clarinet player and now full time orchestral operations manager!) rather than spit. They really don't leave that much residue; bassoons and horns (and sometimes trombones) are the worst, but still nothing which would need a small bucket - plus when a trumpeter or trombonist opens the water key and blows air through, the water doesn't come out in a nice neat stream! I've never seen anyone slip on it, and believe me my players would have told me that it was a hazard approximately 0.00000001 of a second after someone had slipped on it (very OH&S conscious, my lot!). If you're really worried about it, carpet will solve the problem and is probably the neatest solution. My trumpet and trombone players sit on carpet anyway, but the winds and horns don't and it really doesn't cause us a problem.

[paulears]

In terms of safety - insignificant compared with other sources of 'slippage'. We're about to host our annual body building championship - where competitors 'squirt' on stage - water actually pops out of their bodies. Couple this with body oil and fake tan spray and the stage is a bit of a mess. However, when they've done, a bit of disinfectant in the mob bucket soon sorts it out. When we've had a big band, or big brass section, I must admit I've never seen the small damp spots as a hazard of any kind. Spillage from bottle water is more common - and even that just needs a bit of paper towell. Jim Davidson blows out a mouthful of water/vodka/orange regularly as a gag, and that needs a bucket. The occasional dog might have an accident - but so do the babes in the dance shows - so a bit of wee isn't a problem either.

 

To be honest, even considering the need for a formal policy for dealing with brass players clearing their instruments, seems very low down on my priority list.

[Brian]

If Stage Management took buckets anywhere near the Brass or Wind sections of any of the major UK orchestras I work with there wouldn't be a performance that night.

 

Unless Australian orchestras are known for having more drool than their Northern Hemisphere counterparts I can think of a million and one other trip hazards on an orchestra stage that warrant attention before the odd drop of water.

[GridGirl]

Unless Australian orchestras are known for having more drool than their Northern Hemisphere counterparts I can think of a million and one other trip hazards on an orchestra stage that warrant attention before the odd drop of water.

 

Well, if any section is going to drool, the trombone section would be the one (my flatmate is a trombonist so I can say that...). But seriously though, Brian is right - there are so many more hazards to worry about. Come into my orchestra pit and you'll see what I mean! And my flatmate just confirmed that it is in fact pure water - essentially it's no different to the condensation you get on your windows on a cold morning.

[paulears]

I just thought I'd check. It occurred to me that I've not played my alto sax for a fair while - could be even 6 months - and it's sitting on it's stand in the studio. So in it would be some 6 month old condensation - and if it contained anything other than water condensate, then it would probably be pretty unpleasant. Result was a tiny dribble - I guess the rest evaporated, but using a clean white tissue, I wiped out the bottom of the bell and not a mark on the paper - no black mould, or other stuff, which does seem to support the idea that it's pretty harmless - and not spit!

[agermich]

We had a show here with the orchestra sat on two levels, the top level was made of expamesh topped steel deck. The string section on the bottom level were not to impressed when the brass section up top released their residue and it when straight through the deck onto thee string section's heads!

[Shez]

the water key

I'd always heard them referred to as "spit valves" - perhaps hence the reason for peoples' assumption about what comes out of them.

[kerry davies]

Eeh bah gum, the good old brass band language there Shez.

Yes they were known as "spit-valves" and yes it is just condensation from the breath in the main. The only H&S element comes when the bonist drips on the cornettists bald patch and a fight ensues, as agermich hints.

 

Just wash the stage down after the show just like you always do.

[cedd]

I've grown up moving from Brass Band to Brass Band. My parents met in one and both now make their living teaching brass and conducting bands. I think it's even from their playing that I gained my love for theatre - spent many a happy night sat next to mum in orchestra pits watching all sorts of shows. It's also where I gained my hatred of overly loud pyro's. They always seemed to put them next to me!

 

My little brother's a trombonist and I can vouch for the amount of liquid they create!

 

I was always quite surprised at how little water was left on the floor after rehearsals. It seems to evaporate very quickly. I wonder if it's because it's already slightly warm because of the player's breath? Might just be because band rooms are often quite warm environments.

 

And yes, they're still called spit valves by brass band folk! There's probably a touch of valve oil mixed in with the condensate too, but it'll be a very small amount. One trick when bringing an instrument out of storage was to tip some valve oil down the mouthpiece and blow it through.

 

I'm not entirely sure of the cleanliness of the inside of a brass instrument though..... I've seen a fair few of them in our bath over the years getting a wash. It wasn't a pleasant sight!

My dad once came across a self made teacher telling kids to wash their instruments out with milk. Can you imagine the smell when they didn't rinse them out properly!

[J Pearce]

We're having this argument at the brass band I play in, having just recarpeted the bandroom.

With any non-beginner player it is only water, but after 10 years of 4 times a week banding our bandroom carpet did have a band shaped array of water stains...

We're using bar towels atm, which seems to be keeping the carpet that bit fresher.

 

So, for the twice a year orchestra gig don't worry, but if you're taking an orchestra into a national trust house with original 1800s carpet for a weekly gig then perhaps consider laying a protective surface...

[Just Some Bloke]

A friend of mine was a French Horn player and moved to a new private teacher. Part way through the lesson he really needed to clear the condensation from his instrument, but was a bit worried about openly empying it all over the nice clean carpet. Then the teacher excused himself and left for a moment so my friend took the oportunity to blow out the water while no-one was looking. A minute later the teacher came back with a little pot for him to use to clear his horn. Oops!

[Stutwo]

where competitors 'squirt' on stage - water actually pops out of their bodies.

 

Hang on, eh?

[Simon Lewis]

I've heard (anecdotally) that some Salvation Army citadels have a touch of rot in a semicircle around the wooden platform from years of brass players emptying their spit valves...

[trussmonkey]

is this April 1st ??