Re: [Harp-L] Re: Strep throat and harps



On May 31, 2011, at 10:05 AM, Deb Wind wrote:

> This is a very relevant article that appeared in The New York Times last
> week:
> The Claim: Playing a Wind Instrument Causes Respiratory Infection By ANAHAD
> O’CONNOR<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/o/anahad_oconnor/index.html?inline=nyt-per>
> Published:
> May 23, 2011


Trumpet players take their instruments apart, and since they RUN on saliva, this is important. (see movie 'Mo Better Blues'). A trumpet can be dipped.
Saxophones are a little trickier. They 'can' be soaked but shouldn't. Clarinets can be soaked. For those 2 items, I always took a loose wad of cotton, soaked it in Lysol or Witch Hazel, stuck it in the neck, and blew a few tunes through it.  I would use a tongue depressor and cotton to clean the valve membranes. I always soaked my reeds in alcohol..or when I was flush, with vodka. lol My mouthpieces were all metal. so that was no problem area. 
 
Harmonica content. I have often been seen at a gig, spritzing full bore alcohol into a chromatic, working the slide a few times, and I'm ready to go. Diatonics can be soaked, but some of mine have valves. The alcohol doesn't soften the spray I use on the valves because I dip them and shake them out very quickly. (I do that at home). I have never had a throat problem. 
smo-joe. 



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