pharpo
741 posts
Jun 23, 2014
8:06 AM
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I know this is strange. .....last night, while playing I was hampered by dry lips........this has never happened before. I tried beer, water......all to no avail......in the middle of the song I was dry as a bone. Anyone ever have this problem......I imagine that chap stick is not the answer......
thanks.
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Procrastinator Emeritus
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dougharps
657 posts
Jun 23, 2014
10:55 AM
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I have used the Chapstick Moisturizer type for years without ill effect on my harps. When you remove the coverplates you may find a small line at the edge, but I have never had my harps gunk up or anything. Don't overdo it, just use enough to prevent "Harpburn" and keep the harp gliding on your lips.
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Doug S.
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barbequebob
2605 posts
Jun 23, 2014
11:00 AM
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This is actually very common and using something what dougharps mentioned or Blistek works well and many old school chromatic players often doused their lips with petroleum jelly on their lips or the mouthpieces of the chromatics to avoid this and make it more slippery.
Lips do get dried out from things like humidity changes and so obviously, it's a common occurrence.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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pharpo
742 posts
Jun 23, 2014
1:40 PM
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Doug and BBQ - Thanks....
I just thought that the foreign substance was not the way to go LOL....I use Blistek all the time !! I'll throw one in the case. I've been playing for years and had never had the trouble I had Sunday night.
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Procrastinator Emeritus
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barbequebob
2607 posts
Jun 23, 2014
1:52 PM
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Some years back while doing a gig with the Cambridge Harmonica Orchestra (picture as many as 86 crazy ass harp players on one bandstand doing things like a horn section), we did a taping for a spot on the Today show and during an interview part of the segment, one of the players being interviewed in the segment mentioned that he used Blistek, aparrantly someone from the Blistek company happened to catch it and so about a week later, we got 5 cases of it for free.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Rubes
861 posts
Jun 23, 2014
3:59 PM
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Any alcoholic drink will usually dehydrate you (also coffee and tea ) and of course I myself enjoy a 'few' whilst on the job. Now however, I play with a water jug by my side...and go for regular gulps. I never drink enough water as it is, so it is a good opportunity to dose up.....helps the next morning to!
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Old Man Rubes at Reverbnation
Dads in Space at Reverbnation
Benny and Rubes at Reverbnation
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nacoran
7827 posts
Jun 23, 2014
5:34 PM
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As a kid I was a lip licker. I always had chapped lips. I also had/have OCD so I was my hands a LOT. My hands would getted chapped too. Eventually, I found a hand lotion (Suave Advanced Therapy) that didn't feel greasy but worked well, and well, one day I still had some on my hands and I rubbed my lips. OMG it tastes terrible!!! It kind of works though. Probably slowly poisoning me, but I always use a little bit on my dry lips. Unlike chapstick, it never encourages you to lip your lips. :)
I've also, on occasion, taken medication that leaves me with dry mouth. I didn't know it at the time, but switching between lip pursing and lip blocking (see: the crazy thread) seems to help a lot. Allergy medicine, it seems, can overdry you. Other medications can too. I've also had to swear off wasabi peas and salted popcorn. I'm not as upset about the popcorn. I prefer kettle korn.
Another possible solution might be milk. If they warn you not to drink milk before singing because it produces phlegm, well, maybe it would gunk up your mouth a bit? Never tested that theory. I mean, I think saliva is part saliva, part phlegm, isn't it? Yuck. Now I'm not hungry.
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Nate
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First Post- May 8, 2009
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slackwater
60 posts
Jun 23, 2014
9:18 PM
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The waxy stick type ones make it worse I reckon. Petroleum jelly works. The best I've found though is what they call "personal lubricant"! It's designed especially to moisten and lubricate sensitive body parts, just what the doctor ordered. It doesn't taste real bad either.
Last Edited by slackwater on Jun 23, 2014 9:18 PM
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Brad Arvidson
8 posts
Jun 23, 2014
9:25 PM
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Be sure your properly hydrated before you play, if this hasn't happened before chances are you were dehydrated before you started playing.
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The Iceman
1767 posts
Jun 24, 2014
5:39 AM
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Nervousness may cause dehydration.
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The Iceman
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nacoran
7831 posts
Jun 24, 2014
6:54 PM
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Damn you Pharpo!!!
Apparently thinking about having dry lips can give you try lips. Oh well, it was open mic, so I only had to get through three songs. Actually had a great crowd response until the third one where I tried to sing. :p
Slackwater, depending just how it is you are tasting it, you may be using that product wrong. Or right.
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Nate
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jnorem
322 posts
Jun 24, 2014
7:37 PM
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Do you mean a dry mouth? No saliva flowing? I've found a way to produce saliva, it may sound jive but it's true. It involves my tongue and the back of my throat, sort of a closed-mouth swallowing kind of motion that brings up saliva.
I realize it's not much help; I wish I could describe it better than that.
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Call me J
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slackwater
61 posts
Jun 24, 2014
7:59 PM
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Hey nacoran, it's really versatile stuff...I don't think there are any instructions on the tube either.
It can actually make a nifty stage prop too, whip out a tube of KY or better still Four Seasons- "WOW! the TUBE that GLOWS in the Dark" between numbers and someone's bound to notice.
Last Edited by slackwater on Jun 24, 2014 8:00 PM
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nacoran
7834 posts
Jun 25, 2014
1:48 AM
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Lol.. that reminds me of one of Buzaderos stories...
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Nate
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barbequebob
2615 posts
Jun 25, 2014
10:21 AM
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Years ago, after the Blistek company had seen us on TV, when they sent the cases of Blistex, they were all in the ointment form rather than the stick. The stick is much more convenient but the ointment form does do a better job overall.
Be properly hydrated but before you begin playing, avoid foods or drinks that are very salty, like Chines food, fried chicken, and yes, beer because too much of the sodium tends to dry both your throat as well a your lips, and this was a tip from a vocal coach I had.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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