Best gloves for performing outside in the winter

[SGBone801]

I'll be performing outside weekly until Christmas. What are the best gloves folks have used that are both warm and grippy, but also still allow me to feel the slide?

[ghmerrill]

I have not done this on trombone, but when I used to play tuba in winter concerts my wife got me a pair of Thermoskin "arthritis" gloves that worked GREAT. Those were full-fingered, and I cut the finger tips off them. But Thermoskin makes gloves both with and without fingertips, though in general I think I'd go for the open-ended ones. You may need to experiment a bit with glove size since (being basically "compression" gloves for arthritis applications) these are designed to be quite tight in order to provide "compression". But they are stretchy, and especially for trombone (where you're not doing a lot of "fingering"), your regular size may work well.

I just tried them on my bass, and they seem to work fine.

An alternative would be some sort of common "work" glove like these GRX Palmwick gloves availabable at Lowes: https://www.lowes.com/pd/GRX-GRX-Men-s- ... MlEALw_wcB

They're VERY "grippy", but I'd worry about that fabric abrading the finish on your horn. However, there is quite a range of such gloves to be found in home supply stores -- and you can try them on there to see what might work for you.

[JLivi]

These keep my hands pretty warm when I shovel or play outside with my kids. I would think you would want something slim, but also warm. They're not great for really cold temps, but work well most of the time.

You may also want to look into a glove with leather on the palm side. That could work better if your horn gets really cold and it's too cold to touch. But the gloves above (link below) should work in most situations.

https://www.costco.com/p/-/head-mens-ul ... V7DDp45d8t

[ghmerrill]

You may also want to look into a glove with leather on the palm side. That could work better if your horn gets really cold and it's too cold to touch. But the gloves above (link below) should work in most situations.

Leather driving gloves are a possibility along that line.

[Posaunus]

Hope you have a plastic-rimmed mouthpiece!

[robcat2075]

I grew up in Minnesota. No glove will ever be as warm as a mitten.

But you need a glove, I guess. I think you first want something that is windproof since the wind is chilling your fingers even in otherwise tolerable temperatures. And then some insulation thin enough to not impair your mobility.

When I search on "wind resistant gloves", the gloves intended for hunters who have to fiddle with small bullets and triggers sound interesting. "Pre-curved fingers" also sound useful.

But I've not tried any. I hope to never need such a thing.

[ghmerrill]

But you need a glove, I guess.

Well, we don't really know the relevant parameters. Today, where I currently live, it's 52 degrees (F) outside. Most people around here regard this as quite "cold" -- generally not something you even want to be outside in. But a few years after we moved here, I got rid of my down expedition parka because I obviously wasn't going to be using it any longer.

Where I grew up (and played in high school and college bands) this temperature here would be regarded as "mild". For half-time football games it was not unusual for the band to be marching in some degree of snow and wind.

Last time I went to the Army Tuba/Euph conference in sunny Virginia, one of the ceremonial band clarinet players came back inside from a graveside ceremony and her clarinet had cracked from the cold. She was wearing gloves, but of course with exposed finger tips. She said that luckily it was the Army's clarinet and not her personal one.

There's gloves and there's GLOVES. If we're talking "cold weather in the south", that's one thing. If we're talking lubricant-freezing weather in the north, other choices would be appropriate.

[AtomicClock]

There's gloves and there's GLOVES. If we're talking "cold weather in the south", that's one thing. If we're talking lubricant-freezing weather in the north, other choices would be appropriate.

Not only that, but before the North gets that cold, it will see some of those "cold weather in the south" temperatures. If the weather calls for gloves, and all you have are GLOVES, you won't be happy.

I keep one set of gloves for 35-45 degrees; another set for 20-35, and another set for below 20. Not for tromboning, but for other things.

The thicker gloves tend to push your fingers into certain positions (probably shaped to grasp a ski pole). It wouldn't surprise me if what works for trombone ends up being different on each hand.

I also wonder if a set of trombone pogies could be fashioned. Similar to what you might find on bike or snowmobile handlebars.

[ghmerrill]

I also wonder if a set of trombone pogies could be fashioned. Similar to what you might find on bike or snowmobile handlebars.

I don't think our society is ready for that.

[robcat2075]

One of those old G bass trombones with a handle would be apropos ... you could play that with mittens with very little impairment.

Last time I went to the Army Tuba/Euph conference in sunny Virginia, one of the ceremonial band clarinet players came back inside from a graveside ceremony and her clarinet had cracked from the cold.

For all the all-weather playing the military does I'm surprised they do not have a set of cold-weather instruments devised for such events.

[baBposaune]

I've used "ViGrace" touchscreen gloves for outdoor Winter gigs. Warm, flexible knit with a nice grippy gel. Sensitive enough to be able to use a smartphone or tablet without removing the gloves. I got mine from Amzn.

Matt Varho

[ghmerrill]

For all the all-weather playing the military does I'm surprised they do not have a set of cold-weather instruments devised for such events.

Well, many decades ago, a serious attempt was made to market metal clarinets (my sister had one -- got it used -- for a while). However, they were always about on the performance level of a bamboo trombone. It would be simpler, I think, just to form such cold weather ensembles on the basis of instruments that won't fall apart in the cold. On the other hand, Dave Werden has stories of his euphonium valves actually freezing up in winter conditions.

[Wilktone]

Back when I was a grad student in Indiana the trombone quartet would perform at nursing homes every Christmas season. After our nursing home performances we would go out to our professor's homes and do surprise caroling for our teachers. This was usually quite fun, as long as our professor was actually home! (My mother once arranged for us to play a Christmas service at her church near Chicago, so we went out to Michael Mulcahy's home nearby to carol and his wasn't home. His neighbor came outside though and enjoyed it).

I usually just wore whatever gloves I happened to have. It feels different, but I preferred to be warm. I didn't think it really got in the way of my playing, personally, but maybe I would feel differently if we were performing more challenging music. Sometimes I'll get a gig playing outside for a Christmas parade (not in the parade, just playing in a big band outside City Hall), which can be cold. Again, I just put on the gloves I happen to have.

On the other hand, Dave Werden has stories of his euphonium valves actually freezing up in winter conditions.

One year when the trombone quartet was caroling the temperature was so cold that our slides were freezing stuck and it was too difficult to play, so we called off the caroling after a couple of houses. The real surprise was when I got back home. The high Bb I tried to blast out earlier had gotten frozen and stuck and when the instrument finally warmed back out the note blasted out and scared everyone!

Now you tell one.

Dave

[Nomsis]

Christopher Bill uses oven mitts, I think it's a completely logical choice.

You can find it in the end of this video:

[robcat2075]

Well, many decades ago, a serious attempt was made to market metal clarinets (my sister had one -- got it used -- for a while).

I've heard metal clarinets. They sound like... clarinets!

Flutes are made of metal instead of wood now. They sound like flutes! No reason it can't work.

Everything is already out-of-whack in cold temps anyway. A working metal clarinet will sound infinitely better than a cracked wooden clarinet in such situations.

On the other hand, Dave Werden has stories of his euphonium valves actually freezing up in winter conditions.

In my junior year of high school our football team went all the way to the state championship so the season that usually ends in October went all through November. By then it is freezing every night after dark.

Of course we had to march our half-time show for all of that. Frozen valves, frozen slides. We had a bottle of alcohol to spray on them but i think keeping the instrument warm maybe did more to keep things working.

[ghmerrill]

I'm pretty sure you're not serious about this , but ...

I've heard metal clarinets. They sound like... clarinets!

Maybe to you. Not to a clarinet or (more generally) woodwind player. They might sound like poorly made soprano saxophones.

Flutes are made of metal instead of wood now. They sound like flutes!

I played flute for many years. A metal flute doesn't sound like a wooden (or plastic) flute. A plastic bassoon doesn't sound quite like a wooden bassoon. Different bell materials affect how a trombone sounds, etc.

[Posaunus]

A metal flute doesn't sound like a wooden (or plastic) flute. A plastic bassoon doesn't sound quite like a wooden bassoon. Different bell materials affect how a trombone sounds, etc.

True indeed. Both "metal" - but a gold flute sounds quite different from a silver flute.

But I'm not sure if the subtle differences in sound created by mouthpiece rims made of plastic (e.g., polycarbonate, Delrin) vs stainless steel vs gold- or silver-plated brass is audible to most.

[tbdana]

My own solution is just to perform indoors, like a sane person.

[robcat2075]

A metal flute doesn't sound like a wooden (or plastic) flute. A plastic bassoon doesn't sound quite like a wooden bassoon. Different bell materials affect how a trombone sounds, etc.

True indeed. Both "metal" - but a gold flute sounds quite different from a silver flute.

Oh geez. We've had that discussion before!

So have the flute players. A careful study has been done with a single model of flute in seven different materials, blind tested by accomplished players and listeners

Full Text

Quoting from the abstract:

The discussion on the influence of the material of wind instruments on the sound color is unending. While
acousticians speak mostly of a negligible influence, players are convinced that the material highly influ-
ences the color of the radiated sound. This paper reports on experiments done with 7 different flute
materials and 110 testpersons, where the price of the instruments is between US $1,000 and $70,000.
Double blind tests and statistical analysis showed players' and listeners' stereotyped ideas on that matter
and the non-recognizability of the used material. Sound analysis pointed out big differences in the sound
level and sound color of played tones caused by the player and just measurable but not perceivable
differences (< 0,5 dB) in sound color caused by the material. Sound examples are given and the audience
is invited to judge for themselves.

Quoting from the conclusion:

Tests with experienced professional flutists and listeners and one model of a flute made by Muramatsu
from 7 different materials showed no evidence that the wall material has any appreciable effect on the
sound color or dynamic range of the instrument. The common stereotypes used by flutists and flute
makers are exposed as "stereotypes".

It is very possible that one player's gold flute might sound very different from another player's silver flute but this study convincingly shows that it is not the material that causes that.

We have yet to see such a rigorous study done with trombones.

[ghmerrill]

Just as a matter of logic and basic reasoning, a study employing a comparison of flutes made from only three somewhat different metals can't support any general conclusion about how other materials may or may not affect the sound qualities of the instrument -- and in fact can't even support a conclusion about other metals. So at the very most, the jury's still out on that. You at least have to do a broader study that involves a much wider range of materials -- and then you should really get serious about it and produce test instruments that are identical in all dimensions, etc.

If you want a better argument that material doesn't matter, look at https://bretpimentel.com/does-material- ... -to-agree/. I remain inclined to think (on the basis of several different instruments of differing materials I've had) that the material can definitely make a difference. But I could be wrong.

[dwcarder]

Not sure where you're located, but I use merino wool fingerless gloves for both trombone and ice fishing.

ex: https://geteskimo.com/products/fingerless-wool-gloves

I would also recommend a Kelly lexan mouthpiece & leaving the bottle of yamaha snot at home. It will be fine on the slide, but the bottle of it may suffer from freeze/thaw cycles.