Playing without using much air (?)

[Tabor]

Hello all,

I have a dress rehearsal and gig coming up soon, but am a bit worried because I've come down with pneumonia (and bronchitis). Although I think I'm slowly recovering it is still quite difficult to breathe (especially deeply) and I was wondering if anyone whose gone through this had any tips for me. Thank you in advance.

Tabor

[Art Hovey]

It's no fun, but you'll muddle through, breathing where you have to. Most of the listeners won't notice the difference, and the ones who do will understand when they hear you cough. (Try to hold that until the applause.) The only alternative is to send a competent sub.
My worst experience playing with bronchitis was with a dixieland band; I almost drowned. Then they called "South Rampart Street Parade". I said I wouldn't be able to do it on the tuba, and the guys said "so do it on the string bass". Not my idea of a string bass tune, but then again it was written by a bass player.

[ahowle]

Attempting to play the tuba with little air would be very similar to attempting to drive a car long distances with little gas: you won't get very far.

[Mitch]

Talk to your doctor about albuterol. It's the type of inhaler used by asmathics as a "rescue" inhaler; it's a rapid bronchodilator. It's not to be used loosely or recklessly, as a little too much can produce tachycardia (rapid and/or irregular heatbeat) and way too much can produce death. Again, discuss with your doctor. (I am speaking as an asmathic with a 20-year usage of albuterol.) I am also presently recovering from pneumonia, and when it's difficult to breathe because of the pneumonia, the albuterol really helps.

On a side note, it's a wonderful opportunity to examine the efficiency of your regular playing. Beside the afflictions of asthma and pneumonia, four years ago I suffered a severe allergic reaction that nearly put me in a box. In the course of it, my left lung popped due to overinflation (tension pneumothorax). I'd had a capacity of 5.3 liters. While still in the hospital, it was measured at 1.6. In a way, it was the best thing that ever happened to my tuba playing, as I had no choice but to re-evaluate my air usage and effeciency thereof. While I'm back to about 4.0 on a good day, along the way everything I ever heard Mr. Jacobs say immediately made much more sense.

Short story long, while being shorted on breath due to an illness can be immensely frustrating, it can also be immensely beneficial.

Check with your doc about the albuterol. He/she will likely discourage the idea due to the fact that your illness is a temporary condition. But if you reiterate that your livelihood depends on your breathing function, he/she may acquiesce.

Good luck!

[brianf]

First off, consult your physician and find out if you should play. If he says yes, go for it but . . .

A few years ago a comrade of mine played after pnemonia and suffered a bigtime drop in his playing. He was asking everyone for suggestions. I had recognized that his concept of what a full breath was much less than what he was breathing before the pnemonia. During his illness he was inhaling less and this habit stuck with him. I did a quick vital capacity test and he was taking in under three liters. I worked him over for 20 minutes and managed to get him back to his normal five plus liters - he was playing normally again. He worked with a few toys for a few weeks to redevolop the habit of inhaling five liters insted of three.