How to deal with Sousaphone shoulder pain

[SousaSaver]

I wrote a little bit about this.

Let me know what you all think. Some of it may be a bit redundant or maybe even common sense. I don't know. I just know what worked for me.

Let me know!

http://www.SousaCentral.blogspot.com

[SousaSaver]

Thanks for the kind words Brian!

Interesting circumstances. It is nice to know that even a shot to the back didn't slow you down. I find stories like that to be very awesome.

[Rick Denney]

I always held the instrument with my left hand on the upper bow just in front of my shoulder, to bear some of the weight. My shoulders are just not shaped to cradle the instrument and resting the sousa without the support always causes stabbing pain. If I had to dance around with a sousaphone, I would invent a harness that would support the instrument, at least partly, from the bottom bow.

Rick "who played only a sousaphone from 7th to 12th grades" Denney

[SousaSaver]

Rick,

I understand your pain. It really does go away after hours of agonizing pain and developing a nice "lump".