This is a question that has interested me for some time, both with respect to the horn and other interests. I used to go to a climbing wall and it fascinated me that some days I could climb fairly hard overhangs, whereas other days even easy routes got the better of me. What really surprised me was that I generally couldn't predict in advance what sort of day it was going to be.
Being able to climb a particular route - or else falling to the ground - is a slightly more objective measure than thinking 'I'm playing really well today' or 'I'm not at my best'. But I've always thought the same applied to the horn, and I did wonder whether diet or some similar factor was what made the difference. I never really got to the bottom of it, except that being dehydrated definitely doesn't seem to help. I have half-heartedly looked into sports nutrition, but a certain amount of it seems mumbo-jumbo and much of the rest probably isn't relevant to horn playing. Pasta, anyone? Kit -- Sometimes my Email program gives the wrong return address. If you have any trouble replying to me, use 'c.j.l.w...@newcastle.ac.uk' and not 'n802...' Sorry for any confusion _______________________________________________ post: horn@music.memphis.edu unsubscribe or set options at http://music2.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
