I don't know if this only happens to me.
When I'm a while playing a tune on the whistle I need to swallow the saliva that has accumulated in my mouth, but if there are no pauses in the tune then I can't do it.
If I keep playing without swallowing I end up not being able to take a good breath or losing my breath.
And if there are pauses in the tune but they're not long enough I have to make a decision: Should I take a breath or swallow the saliva?
I obviously take a breath because I don't want to die.
So when my mouth is full of saliva and I need to swallow or to die; I stop playing for about 2 seconds while I swallow, which ruins the tune a little bit and makes me mad.
I'd like to know if this happens to more people or only to me, and if there are any tricks to solve this hateful problem.
Thanks.
WTF? lol yes that's exactly what I've thought when I've read that comment.
So it's a weird topic? is it funny and stupid?
am I insane? Well nobody is perfect.
I shall never look at tin whistle players in the same way again Wouldn't worry about pausing for a few seconds - lots of players do it. And you could do worse - I was at a session in Leitrim recently where the box player, realising that his fly was open, went into a back room in the middle of a tune - playing all the while! He came back a few seconds later with his modesty renewed! Who pulled the zip up - that's the question eh?
Well, I'm not really a whistle player (could be more a hobby at the side), but I got the same thing. When I started out on the whistle it didn't happen. But when I picked up a Sweattone it started (and never ended). I don't know what causes it, nor what the cure could be. Just letting you know your not the only one.
I think its called circular breathing.
Ask your local aberiginal didgeredoo busker.
And if you can figure out how to apply this to a whistle Im sure we would all like to know..
You must have to pause to breath, leaving out a note ?
Actually, there's nothing to be ashamed of, I'll bet without looking up your ID you're a fairly new, and thus nervous, player. This happens to singers too, especially when they're feeling self-conscious and embarrassed. I remember it, but not so well any more.
Take heart, practise, and relax and enjoy the music. It'll pass.
PS; Sarah, you ARE playing a wind instrument, it's just not mouth-blown.
Just remeber: breath... then swallow. or the other way around. Doing both at once can cause problems, especially if you're playing the whistle or drinking pints.
I'm with you, Pere. What I hate is when you're blasting through a tune, take a quick, but short breath and the saliva goes down the wrong pipe (your wind pipe) -- now you can't play your whistle for the next 24-48 hours because you keep coughing & choking!!!! :( WTF is right. But seriously, to answer you question, I just make sure my mouth is very dry before starting the tune & then there shouldn't be any problem with too much saliva by the time you end it.
Years ago I played period music on a recorder with the SCA. Recorder are notorious for clogging up. So before beginning to play I made sure the windway was clean. I remember having read somewhere that placing a finger over the windway and "sucking in" the unwanted obstructing moisture. I beleive the "sucking in" as apposed to "blowing out" had more to do with the instrument being made of wood.
Another note is that most wind players are taught to swab the instrument out when finished.
I once witnessed at a Tull concert, Mr. Anderson shake his mighty instrument out over a crowd of annoying punters.
One more note, don't think of 'Lemons" whilst engaged in a tune.
Hey thanks for your answers.
I'm not going to spit though because I don't like it.
Is the cloth silicone bag thing a joke?
By the way I'm not an Australian aborigene, Iamh trom, I don't know if you tried to be funny or something.
Siansa, interesting story.
Sorry for making some one feel uncomfortable, I don't like this gross topic either.
I guess the only solution is to pause a few seconds.
Anyway I'll bear in mind this comment: "Just remeber: breath... then swallow. or the other way around. Doing both at once can cause problems, especially if you're playing the whistle or drinking pints." lol good one.
Sorry Pere, the bag should not be put in the mouth, as the chemicals are not good for you.
Maybe if you have an attractive assistant with a white coat, she could slide one of those hook-shaped sucky things that dentists use in the side of your mouth. They do make a bit of a noise though.
Pipers don't have bellows mafunction...well... there is that gurgly sound that comes from under inflation which sounds like your stomach growling or other bodily noises.
Just let the spit run down the whistle and when you're done, give it a good fling. It makes a beautiful arc. Just kidding! I actually saw this done by a well known flute player at a feis.
I REALLY didn't think a ****. My English is just bad, ok?
This looks like a humor contest, let's see who says the dumbest joke!
Thank you all who have taken this topic seriously.
going back to the silica gel, you could keep some with your whistle when not playing, when it gets damp, pop it in the oven to dry. As someone who doesnt play awhistle or a recorder, I dont know, but I guess each to their one. I would work out the phrasing and swallow on a pause.
Why don't you just gob it into the shakey eggist's pint? Kill two birds with the one dose of flu.
Phosphorous pentoxide is a better dessicant than silica gel. But it gives off some highly poisonous gas, phosgene I think. Again you could try breathing that into the eggist's face.
But seriously, I quite often get that with whistle but the opposite with flute, ie my throat dries. As for profuse salivation, I think I must have developed a technique of circular swallowing (whilst also circular breathing.)
Silica gel IS dangerous, read the bag. It's too much anyway, a paper towel should do it. Just wad one up in yr mouth before playing and "Bob's Yr Uncle".
Also if yr drinking you'll find that the paper towel retains the flavo(u)r much longer than the silica bag does.
You should lighten up Pere! who gives a sh*t if someone make a couple of jokes. whatever you do, don't blow spit into the whistle, it'll clog. to get spit out, cover the fipple and give it a hard blow. also, don't eat before you play, you'll have less saliva
Time for a straight answer:
A trick you can do when you feel excess salivation and you don't have time to swallow or spit. Try pressing the tip of your
tongue against the back of your two front teeth. This might help
you to keep the saliva from going down into your instrument, and you might find that you won't need to swallow so often.
Okay Pere, let me know if this works for your -- boron
Once I learned to breathe more often (not less often, and not deeply) and finding the right places to take a very, very short breath, my whistle playing improved considerably. Interestingly enough, the same type of "breathing before you feel like you need to, and make it short" policy has helped my singing too, on the fast songs with lots of words/syllables. Now I only accumulate too much saliva while singing, and that can be corrected with pacing....whistling usually makes me thirsty!
I thought that was Aesop's Fables, actually.
I have a similar problem playing the mandolin and guitar - I get so into it that I dribble over the strings.
Also another thing - what do you do when you're playing the fiddle and you suddenly get a really itchy nose? This always happens to me, and I either have to stop and scratch it, or my face goes into hideous contortions as I try in vain to get rid of it.
Swallowing saliva
Swallowing saliva
I don't know if this only happens to me.
When I'm a while playing a tune on the whistle I need to swallow the saliva that has accumulated in my mouth, but if there are no pauses in the tune then I can't do it.
If I keep playing without swallowing I end up not being able to take a good breath or losing my breath.
And if there are pauses in the tune but they're not long enough I have to make a decision: Should I take a breath or swallow the saliva?
I obviously take a breath because I don't want to die.
So when my mouth is full of saliva and I need to swallow or to die; I stop playing for about 2 seconds while I swallow, which ruins the tune a little bit and makes me mad.
I'd like to know if this happens to more people or only to me, and if there are any tricks to solve this hateful problem.
Thanks.
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by Pere
Re: Swallowing saliva
wtf?
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by insert username here
Re: Swallowing saliva
WTF? lol yes that's exactly what I've thought when I've read that comment.
So it's a weird topic? is it funny and stupid?
am I insane? Well nobody is perfect.
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by Pere
Re: Swallowing saliva
I shall never look at tin whistle players in the same way again
Wouldn't worry about pausing for a few seconds - lots of players do it. And you could do worse - I was at a session in Leitrim recently where the box player, realising that his fly was open, went into a back room in the middle of a tune - playing all the while! He came back a few seconds later with his modesty renewed! Who pulled the zip up - that's the question eh?
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by Siansa
Re: Swallowing saliva
Well, I'm not really a whistle player (could be more a hobby at the side), but I got the same thing. When I started out on the whistle it didn't happen. But when I picked up a Sweattone it started (and never ended). I don't know what causes it, nor what the cure could be. Just letting you know your not the only one.
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by Dark Raven
Re: Swallowing saliva
You could try to let the spit flow through your whistle while playing, seen that happen as well
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by Dark Raven
Re: Swallowing saliva
I think its called circular breathing.
Ask your local aberiginal didgeredoo busker.
And if you can figure out how to apply this to a whistle Im sure we would all like to know..
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by lamh trom
Re: Swallowing saliva
i'm so happy i don't play a wind instrument!!!
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by sarah concertina
Re: Swallowing saliva
uh...
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by Phantom Button
Re: Swallowing saliva
You must have to pause to breath, leaving out a note ?
Actually, there's nothing to be ashamed of, I'll bet without looking up your ID you're a fairly new, and thus nervous, player. This happens to singers too, especially when they're feeling self-conscious and embarrassed. I remember it, but not so well any more.
Take heart, practise, and relax and enjoy the music. It'll pass.
PS; Sarah, you ARE playing a wind instrument, it's just not mouth-blown.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Swallowing saliva
I've often noticed that when playing the box, my left armpit becomes OH NEVERMIND!! LOL
so much for drooling banjos players
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Frunobulax
Re: Swallowing saliva
Does a piper get bellows build-up from time to time?
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Frunobulax
Re: Swallowing saliva
Just remeber: breath... then swallow. or the other way around. Doing both at once can cause problems, especially if you're playing the whistle or drinking pints.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Phantom Button
Re: Swallowing saliva
I'm with you, Pere. What I hate is when you're blasting through a tune, take a quick, but short breath and the saliva goes down the wrong pipe (your wind pipe) -- now you can't play your whistle for the next 24-48 hours because you keep coughing & choking!!!! :( WTF is right. But seriously, to answer you question, I just make sure my mouth is very dry before starting the tune & then there shouldn't be any problem with too much saliva by the time you end it.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by justwhistle
Re: Swallowing saliva
Years ago I played period music on a recorder with the SCA. Recorder are notorious for clogging up. So before beginning to play I made sure the windway was clean. I remember having read somewhere that placing a finger over the windway and "sucking in" the unwanted obstructing moisture. I beleive the "sucking in" as apposed to "blowing out" had more to do with the instrument being made of wood.
Another note is that most wind players are taught to swab the instrument out when finished.
I once witnessed at a Tull concert, Mr. Anderson shake his mighty instrument out over a crowd of annoying punters.
One more note, don't think of 'Lemons" whilst engaged in a tune.
Dr. Pavlov
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Frunobulax
Re: Swallowing saliva
All this talk of blowing/sucking and swallowing afterwards is making me very uncomfortable.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by oldstrings
Re: Swallowing saliva
On the other hand......
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by oldstrings
Re: Swallowing saliva
Swollowing is just one option. You could always spit.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Shrog
Re: Swallowing saliva
Put one of those little cloth bags with dessicant silicone that come with electrical equipment under your tongue.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Ottery
Re: Swallowing saliva
do you spit or swallow ?
that is the question
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: Swallowing saliva
Hey thanks for your answers.
I'm not going to spit though because I don't like it.
Is the cloth silicone bag thing a joke?
By the way I'm not an Australian aborigene, Iamh trom, I don't know if you tried to be funny or something.
Siansa, interesting story.
Sorry for making some one feel uncomfortable, I don't like this gross topic either.
I guess the only solution is to pause a few seconds.
Anyway I'll bear in mind this comment: "Just remeber: breath... then swallow. or the other way around. Doing both at once can cause problems, especially if you're playing the whistle or drinking pints." lol good one.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Pere
Re: Swallowing saliva
Sorry Pere, the bag should not be put in the mouth, as the chemicals are not good for you.
Maybe if you have an attractive assistant with a white coat, she could slide one of those hook-shaped sucky things that dentists use in the side of your mouth. They do make a bit of a noise though.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Ottery
Re: Swallowing saliva
Just checking - this is your own saliva your talking about - isn't it.
On a serious note: NO - DON'T PUT SILICA GEL IN YOUR MOUTH.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by showaddydadito
Re: Swallowing saliva
Pipers don't have bellows mafunction...well... there is that gurgly sound that comes from under inflation which sounds like your stomach growling or other bodily noises.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by I_Fel
Re: Swallowing saliva
Just let the spit run down the whistle and when you're done, give it a good fling. It makes a beautiful arc. Just kidding! I actually saw this done by a well known flute player at a feis.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by O'Lehane
Re: Swallowing saliva
This is why ITM is a team sport. Just take care of business, let someone else handle the tune for a few bars and then jump back in.
What is worse is when you are playing harmonica, and occasionally you inhale a piece of particulate matter or gunk on a draw note. Gack!
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Swallowing saliva
you REALLY thought you should put silica gel in your mouth?
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by rob_handel
Re: Swallowing saliva
dont put any kind of sack or bag in yer gob as the constant chaffing can leave you with a salty taste not nice
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: Swallowing saliva
I REALLY didn't think a ****. My English is just bad, ok?
This looks like a humor contest, let's see who says the dumbest joke!
Thank you all who have taken this topic seriously.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Pere
Re: Swallowing saliva
One the one hand, ingesting silica gel only causes irritation of the digestive tract.
On the other hand, you can die playing the whistle!
Was that dumb enough, Pere?
If you haven't tried this already, try playing without tilting your head downward too much, and try keeping your whistle more horizontal.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by joesmith
Re: Swallowing saliva
going back to the silica gel, you could keep some with your whistle when not playing, when it gets damp, pop it in the oven to dry. As someone who doesnt play awhistle or a recorder, I dont know, but I guess each to their one. I would work out the phrasing and swallow on a pause.
# Posted on May 24th 2006 by Joze
Re: Swallowing saliva
Why don't you just gob it into the shakey eggist's pint? Kill two birds with the one dose of flu.
Phosphorous pentoxide is a better dessicant than silica gel. But it gives off some highly poisonous gas, phosgene I think. Again you could try breathing that into the eggist's face.
But seriously, I quite often get that with whistle but the opposite with flute, ie my throat dries. As for profuse salivation, I think I must have developed a technique of circular swallowing (whilst also circular breathing.)
# Posted on May 25th 2006 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Swallowing saliva
Silica gel IS dangerous, read the bag. It's too much anyway, a paper towel should do it. Just wad one up in yr mouth before playing and "Bob's Yr Uncle".
Also if yr drinking you'll find that the paper towel retains the flavo(u)r much longer than the silica bag does.
(Is that dumb enough for you?)
# Posted on May 25th 2006 by Owell Mabee
Re: Swallowing saliva
Just stop staring at the gorgeous female fiddler sitting opposite and the dribble may stop running down the chin
# Posted on May 25th 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: Swallowing saliva
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/gifs-animated/dribble.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.lifeprint.com/asl101/pages-signs/d/dribble.htm&h=195&w=215&sz=747&tbnid=p2LkexrrUNwKLM:&tbnh=91&tbnw=101&hl=en&start=3&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddribble%2Bmouth%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DG
# Posted on May 25th 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: Swallowing saliva
"i'm so happy i don't play a wind instrument!!!"
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by sarah concertina
Sarah - What kind of concertina do you play?
# Posted on May 25th 2006 by ragaman
Re: Swallowing saliva
You should lighten up Pere! who gives a sh*t if someone make a couple of jokes. whatever you do, don't blow spit into the whistle, it'll clog. to get spit out, cover the fipple and give it a hard blow. also, don't eat before you play, you'll have less saliva
# Posted on May 25th 2006 by rob_handel
Re: Swallowing saliva - here's a trick.
Time for a straight answer:
A trick you can do when you feel excess salivation and you don't have time to swallow or spit. Try pressing the tip of your
tongue against the back of your two front teeth. This might help
you to keep the saliva from going down into your instrument, and you might find that you won't need to swallow so often.
Okay Pere, let me know if this works for your -- boron
# Posted on May 29th 2006 by b0dhran
Re: Swallowing saliva
Once I learned to breathe more often (not less often, and not deeply) and finding the right places to take a very, very short breath, my whistle playing improved considerably. Interestingly enough, the same type of "breathing before you feel like you need to, and make it short" policy has helped my singing too, on the fast songs with lots of words/syllables. Now I only accumulate too much saliva while singing, and that can be corrected with pacing....whistling usually makes me thirsty!
# Posted on May 29th 2006 by ketida
Re: Swallowing saliva
What about eating a Jacob's Cream Cracker before each set?
# Posted on May 29th 2006 by Nick Spencer
Re: Swallowing saliva
One swallow does not make a summer.
Aristotle (384 BC - 322 BC), Nichomachean Ethics
# Posted on May 29th 2006 by ginley
Re: Swallowing saliva
I thought that was Aesop's Fables, actually.
I have a similar problem playing the mandolin and guitar - I get so into it that I dribble over the strings.
Also another thing - what do you do when you're playing the fiddle and you suddenly get a really itchy nose? This always happens to me, and I either have to stop and scratch it, or my face goes into hideous contortions as I try in vain to get rid of it.
# Posted on May 30th 2006 by Joe CSS