Poll: "Go-to" pre concert meal or snack.

[baBposaune]

Does anyone have a game plan for what, when and how much to eat before a performance?

When I have a night concert I will try to eat a smaller than usual dinner about 2 1/2 hours prior. If I'm too full I feel a little sleepy and I need all the help I can get to chase away stray brain farts. I like easy stuff like a sandwich, or a lentil stew with veggies and a meat protein, ramen or a small omelette.
A tuba player I knew would keep packets of peanuts or granola bars in his bag but I'm curious about things other than "emergency rations."

Let's hear what everyone else does for "eats" before playing. Could get interesting.

[hyperbolica]

I prefer to avoid eating before playing as much as possible. I tend to drink water before I play because playing dehydrated causes some issues with my chops. I prefer to brush my teeth before I play too. Don't like blowing crumbs down the slide.

[Burgerbob]

I have a very fast metabolism, so keep that in mind, but:

for me it's more important to eat well throughout the day, no gut bombs or gaps in the meal plan on a big day.

I don't care at all about eating before I play, I clean my horns when they get dirty so no biggie. Better to be fed!

Something that can help a lot is electrolytes, especially if it's hot or dry. I keep some Propel sugar-free electrolyte drinks around for that.

[baBposaune]

So far nobody has given me any ideas about WHAT I'm going to have for dinner tonight! See, there WAS an ulterior motive.

[BrassSection]

Coffee only for me, one before practice, one during and one or two after practice. Actual playing time maybe an hour practice, then 40 to 50 minutes actual playing time. After service top off with whatever juice is in church’s cafe, and any good donuts left.

For Christmas community band, left church and hour and a half later and had 2 hour practices. Ate a sandwich before one. Prefer empty stomach for playing.

[HawaiiTromboneGuy]

2 spam musubis and water.

[LeTromboniste]

No specific meal routine for me. There's things I'll avoid but otherwise that's it. Generally I'll have something not too heavy, probably rice or pasta based with some protein.

Although recently all my solo recitals have been mid-afternoon concerts, and I've tended to have a heavier brunch instead of breakfast and then lunch. Eggs with meat and potatoes around 11:30 before heading to the venue for pre-concert rehearsal, for a 3:00 concert, has proven to be a very good routine. Heavier than I would normally eat before an evening concert, but with the longer time between meal and concert time it doesn't feel like too much, and the food being rich in both carbs and protein seems to work well for me and help my mental energy level.

[ghmerrill]

Something that can help a lot is electrolytes, especially if it's hot or dry. I keep some Propel sugar-free electrolyte drinks around for that.

This can be a good idea -- unless you suffer from high blood pressure (to pretty much any degree). In that case, the sodium level of a drink like Propel makes it an unwise choice. One 20 oz. bottle contains 20% of the recommended daily intake, and some medications such as ACE inhibitors and potassium-sparing diuretics (extremely common for treating hypertension in "combination" therapy) can have interactive/additive effects with that. In addition, there are other components such as artificial sweeteners and preservatives in such drinks that add to the overall sodium load beyond what may be listed as the direct sodium content.

So people with hypertension (or other sodium-related) issues need to be particularly careful of "electrolyte drinks".

[GabrielRice]

I hate playing on an empty stomach, and I always plan to eat regular meals - with protein - so that I'm not hungry during rehearsals or concerts.

Fortunately I have no dietary restrictions (though maybe my doctor would recommend some...). I do need to make sure I have a breakfast that balances protein and carbs or my blood sugar does weird things over the course of the morning.

[mikerspencer]

I always thought a curry and a pint were traditional, but no one has mentioned that

[harrisonreed]

I always thought a curry and a pint were traditional, but no one has mentioned that

Not a Wigan Kebab and two pints?

[mikerspencer]

I did not know about Wigan kebabs, but do now!

[thatme]

I prefer to avoid eating before playing as much as possible. I tend to drink water before I play because playing dehydrated causes some issues with my chops. I prefer to brush my teeth before I play too. Don't like blowing crumbs down the slide.

I agree! I keep a toothbrush and toothpaste in all of my cases and if I'm not coming from home (e.g., from work), I brush my teeth before any rehearsals or concerts. Just a weird quirk but I've been doing it for years.

[StephenK]

I did not know about Wigan kebabs, but do now!

I've consulted my wife, who is from Wigan, but has never indulged in this delicacy. Mushy peas sounds good she says, but not keen on the meat and potato pie in a barm ( large bread roll)

[ghmerrill]

I agree! I keep a toothbrush and toothpaste in all of my cases and if I'm not coming from home (e.g., from work), I brush my teeth before any rehearsals or concerts. Just a weird quirk but I've been doing it for years.

I don't get too excited about trombone-related hygiene. After all, a trombone is basically a fairly straight tube with a couple of curves in it, maybe one or two valves (but they're rotary and just straight through). It takes almost no effort to clean, and so regular cleaning of it is simple and not unpleasant. I clean mine fairly frequently, and clean the hand slide and some other parts on a weekly basis in any event.

But from my years of tuba playing ...

[A tuba is definitely NOT just a straight tube: it's got all sorts of traps and reservoirs in it, and so I have fairly meticulous hygiene habits with brass instruments. Consider that on traditional German/Czech style rotary tubas you often have to do the equivalent of the French Horn twirl just to get the condensation down to your water key (or pull slides, up-end the horn and dump on the floor).]

... I'm not so much into brushing of teeth (except when reasonably warranted), but definitely aggressive with mouthwash and toothpick-things after any food consumption prior to practice or performance. Don't put stuff into the horn, and then you won't have to get it out.