nacoran
4787 posts
Oct 22, 2011
8:58 PM
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Okay, I've got a little problem. In case it isn't obvious I'm a little crazy. :)
I'm playing open mics fairly regularly now but I'm running into a problem. I've got pretty bad OCD but I've managed to keep it away from my harmonica activities, but, well, singers keep slobbering on the microphone everyone has to use.
For some reason it doesn't bother me when it's the cute girls, but when some drunk emo kid gets up and you can see the spit string hanging from his mouth to the mic I reach my OCD breaking point. I know the long term solution is to bring my own microphone, but until I can get the cash together for something reasonable I've got to figure something out. It's making me stay off the microphone too far even for 'acoustic' style. I don't even want to bump it with my hand.
So, are there reasonable ways to sanitize (possibly discretely, although I'm pretty open about my craziness) a microphone between uses? I thought about one of those little foam caps, but it's a ball mic.
I thought about Clorox Wipes, but I've used them on some metal surfaces and had some rust issues (I don't know if it was the wipes or not). I'd think any spray would be hazardous to the electronics! I've tried just to not think about it. I've tried being in the moment. It's some emo kids spit!
Maybe just ranting about it will help; I've been particularly crazy the last couple weeks. I know ultimately giving in the OCD can make it worse sometimes, but I also know I'm into avoidance behavior which is also bad. Anyway, that's my weird question quota. Any ideas?
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Nate
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eharp
1526 posts
Oct 22, 2011
9:21 PM
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3 solutions:
1) get a mic
2) sanitizing wipes (or some rubbing alcohol and a small rag)
3) be first up
a mic can be bought cheaply at radio shack. or make your own. i think somebody here had a thread about just that.
or see how long a bottle of rubbing alcohol lasts you.
good luck.
(i gotta believe that as soon as you start down this road your problem is going to escalate.)
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Greg Heumann
1309 posts
Oct 23, 2011
12:04 AM
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There are products specifically for sanitizing mics. A spray will be more effective than wipes by far. Wipes won't get to the sides of the screen or the now-moist windscreeen foam inside.
Did a google on microphone sanitizer spray and came up with plenty:
http://www.amazon.com/Hosa-GLS-104-Goby-Microphone-Sanitizer/dp/B0042Y57U8
http://singclean.com/singclean.htm
http://www.sanihome.com/catalog.php
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/Greg
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Stevelegh
319 posts
Oct 23, 2011
12:55 AM
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I have to say, I think it's something the P.A. guy should be thinking about. Perhaps you might want to quietly ask when it's your turn if he has something to wipe the drool up with, or ask if he minds you wiping it with your own wipes. Maybe he'll leave a towel on the stage and ask people to wipe the mic after they've finished.
I've never thought about it before, but you'd think there would be a 'gym' style etiquette where you wipe up after yourself. I completely agree with you. It's not OCD, it's manners and common hygiene.
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eharp
1528 posts
Oct 23, 2011
5:15 AM
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guys, let's remember he is OCD. he is likely to blow things out of proportion. the problem is most likely no worse than any other open mic situation. nate would be thinking the same thing about the mic after any of us played on it.
not that it couldnt be worse but i think he is over-exagerationg.
(i am not trying to downplay or minimize the condition.)
i believe the cleaning is more for ritual than anything else.
have you tried behavioral therapy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPFQMRx2l3Y
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clyde
147 posts
Oct 23, 2011
6:27 AM
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or..........don't cup the mic
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jbone
665 posts
Oct 23, 2011
6:36 AM
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personally, i don't go looking for germs but i know they do find me- and all of us- much more than we know. i mean look, we're living on a huge ball of dirt. billions upon billions of germs ride around on billions of insects, animals, and humans. maybe that's why we have immune systems, otherwise we'd all be sickly and dying.
i don't care for other peoples' spit either but i do trust my immune system. see, i spent the extra few bucks and armed all my white blood cells with light and heavy machine guns and got them all armored vehicles to ride around my circulatory system. i also had them establish checkpoints at all borders. my antibodies are some badass m/f's. so a little spit from some kid is not going to be my undoing. kind of gross but not life threatening.
i do practice good hygiene since i don't like paying my antibodies too much overtime, but in the final analysis they have a job to do and i give them a good place to live.
seriously. if we knew half of what we're exposed to through no choice of our own, and what the FDA actually allows, we'd all stay home and grow our own food in the basement. for myself, i've made it 50+ years to date and i'm not backing down ny time soon!
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jbone
666 posts
Oct 23, 2011
6:36 AM
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personally, i don't go looking for germs but i know they do find me- and all of us- much more than we know. i mean look, we're living on a huge ball of dirt. billions upon billions of germs ride around on billions of insects, animals, and humans. maybe that's why we have immune systems, otherwise we'd all be sickly and dying.
i don't care for other peoples' spit either but i do trust my immune system. see, i spent the extra few bucks and armed all my white blood cells with light and heavy machine guns and got them all armored vehicles to ride around my circulatory system. i also had them establish checkpoints at all borders. my antibodies are some badass m/f's. so a little spit from some kid is not going to be my undoing. kind of gross but not life threatening.
i do practice good hygiene since i don't like paying my antibodies too much overtime, but in the final analysis they have a job to do and i give them a good place to live.
seriously. if we knew half of what we're exposed to through no choice of our own, and what the FDA actually allows, we'd all stay home and grow our own food in the basement. for myself, i've made it 50+ years to date and i'm not backing down any time soon!
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https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
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Stevelegh
320 posts
Oct 23, 2011
9:11 AM
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Jbone,
You made a double post. Interesting that it was #666....
Edit: That was a joke based on pure coincidence. Just thought I'd mention that before I get flamed for calling someone an antichrist or anything.......
Last Edited by on Oct 23, 2011 9:14 AM
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dougharps
117 posts
Oct 23, 2011
9:33 AM
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If you plan to sing into the mic, then I would suggest using your own mic, or sanitizing as suggested above. Or you could keep your distance from the mic and really project, singing from your diaphragm. Don't get right on the mic to sing if it triggers anxiety.
If you are holding the mic or blowing harp right on the mic, but are not singing on the mic, a clean folded handkerchief can be used to help protect you while you blow.
I use this sometimes when sitting in, not for hygiene, but because the handkerchief will act as a high cut filter on the vocal mic, and reduce the volume of your playing while holding a mic that is set up for vocals on a mic stand.
I haven't seen singers drooling on mics, though occasionally someone belting out a song can spray a little. I don't usually fret about using a shared mic, but have to admit that when a singer has told me that they have been ill, I hesitate to immediately use the mic they have been using.
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Doug S.
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nacoran
4788 posts
Oct 23, 2011
10:27 AM
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Thanks everyone for the feedback. I think I'll look into the sanitizer as a short term fix while I save up for a mic. Eharp, you're right, it's probably no worse than any other open mic, but I did see the spit string. Maybe I should just sit farther back. Sometimes with OCD knowing is worse than not knowing.
I did stand off the mic the last time, but listening to the recording it seemed to effect my tone (I also changed how I cupped to keep my hands away from the mic). From the psychological end of it, it's a new enough thing that I haven't discussed it with my shrink. :) I guess discussing it with the sound guy would be next (he runs both open mics we regularly go to). OCD is a weird disorder. It's like watching the world through two separate filters- reality and OCD perceived reality. I can know in the logical part of my mind when my OCD is skewing how I look at things, but the part of the brain running the show doesn't care. Greg, thanks for those links. I think one of those will work.
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Nate
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MP
1863 posts
Oct 23, 2011
12:00 PM
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nac,
maybe take along a wind screen? just a thought.
jbone, THAT was funny!
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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FreeWilly
54 posts
Oct 23, 2011
1:05 PM
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How about that. A fellow sufferer. That gives us two major things in common!
It never hurts to hear the standard tips again. Perhaps it's the right time and the right place this time. Not pretending to say something new. Just repeating what you therapist already told you probably. Hear we go:
1)try to see the emo-kid as with good intentions. He is not trying to hurt you with his spit, he's just born in the dark days of receding capitalism and can't help his nihilism. Pity him, don't fear him.
2)everybody would take the mic and go for it, even after seeing that (or have a short wipe and a joke about spit). It's not your fault if you get ill because of it.
3)you won't get ill because of it. I loved jbones approach. Made me laugh, and I'll definedly think about it the next time I encounter this problem. (thank jbones)
4)about encountering it. I just went to 2 session as of now, and I have thought about this problem before, and it even prevented me from going more often probably. But I have found that the best moment to get rid of new compulsions is the first time they hit. If you give in to it once or twice, your stuck with it for a few years usually. Remember: the loops in your head are unnecessary. You don't have to do em. And the only way to prevent them from starting is: not starting them. It's way easier to say to yourself: 'I'm not going to think about this', than answering the wicked questions: 'how can I clean this/did I do that right/isn't that dangerous' etc. OCD patients have problems stopping loops. They are not completely unable to prevent them from happening. Everytime you stop a loop from happening, you prevent those brain-parts from training the looping mechanism yet another time.
If you can't stop a loop directly, I find a few things helpfull. Good sleep/lots of sports/lots of meeting people and doing things I find full of purpose/good food etc. The usual. Special tip: most OCD patients have extra-tense shoulders. If people in general are afraid, their shoulders go up and forwards. OCD is a fear-disorder. Try relaxing your shoulders when stopping a loop. Breathe fully (from head to tummy) without stopping energy in your shoulders.
(I know how f'ing hard it is. I'm not trying to make it look easy. Hell, I can't do it myself. Just thought it might help to hear it from a friendly stranger. Good luck to you!)
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nacoran
4790 posts
Oct 23, 2011
2:31 PM
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FreeWilly, thanks. I know the loops are easier to stop if you cut them off before they get ingrained. I've been kind of flared up the last couple weeks though, so it's been tougher than usual. I have a tendency to go into avoid situations that trigger rituals. When they are small and new the rituals are usually less stressful than avoiding fun activities, but they never stay small. You're right. I've got to keep an eye on the bigger picture. If I let the ritual start it will eventually get bigger and harder to deal with. Thanks. :)
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Nate
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jbone
671 posts
Oct 23, 2011
4:34 PM
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i'm one of those guys who eat the dang mic. to me the only way to ensure that my voice gets out esp on a way too loud stage. so i probably do get more than my share of gremlins, and leave some behind as well.
but wait!! the doc says those results are only accurate to within 95%!
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