Sweaty palms

[RedBottom]

Did an outdoor gig on the back of a forty foot trailer this afternoon (very rock'n'roll). I got very sweaty palms to the point where I was having some difficulty actually hanging on to the sax.

Any ideas for something to help? I'm not keen on getting the thing covered in gymnast's chalk, so I'm now thinking of either rubbing dancers' toe rosin or bowlers' Grippo onto my hands. Good or not?

 

[stefank]

I can only say that all I've ever done is to wipe my hands on whatever I happen to be wearing at the time.

 

[RedBottom]

Tried that, but it's never quite enough, somehow.

My bloke tells me that drummers use Grippo, so I may just nip out and buy some.

 

[kevgermany]

I'm missing something here - my palms don't touch the sax, unless there's a key I need to press.

 

[Taz]

My hands sweat a lot too, I simply wipe them on my trousers. When I play with the Zephyres, I wear a tennis style sweat band on my wrist so that I can wipe the sweat away from my eyes.

 

[RedBottom]

@ Kev - when I say my palms, I mean the whole 'underside' of my hand, which includes my fingers.

@ Taz - I can wipe my hands on my trousers, but to be honest, it doesn't make a sight of difference. I wouldn't be allowed sweat bands - this is a band/uniform situation we're in.

On Wednesday we have a concert in what we know to be an un-air-conditioned hall. We've played there before, last July, and one or two were saying then that they could feel their instruments slipping all evening.

I think a trip to the sports shop will be in order in the morning.

 

[Taz]

Kev will you be sitting or standing? I wonder if you could get two black hand towels (presuming your band uniform is black) and tuck them into the waist band of your trousers, one for each hand, it's just a thought.

 

[RedBottom]

Well, I went with the Grippo and it worked fine. Only thing is it makes your fingers smell like floor polish all evening. Oh, and you have to use it a good while before picking up the sax, or you end up getting sticky fingerprints all over it.

To answer your question, Taz, most of the evening was sent sitting, with a couple of numbers standing. For less formal events then many people keep blue or yellow towels with them (band colours), to wipe up the spit as well as the sweat. Luckily the tenor player in the seat beside me brought an electric fan and managed to prop it on the floor in front of us. Apparently I looked like Kate Winslet for most of the evening with my hair blowing in the breeze.;}