Tuba Stands

[ThomasDodd]

but why do these older, and stronger, older men use tuba stands?

Do you walk, ride a bike, or drive a car to the store 3 blocks away? 1 mile away?

All 3 are options, but some are easier.

So using a stand is nice. Not required, but helpful. You can spend you time playing, and not be concerned with holding the horn.

Now it could improve your playing, since it wilol put the horn in the correct position every time. Different chair height? Not a problem. So the horn is at the abngl;e you want and the mouthpeice is where it should be.

This can be a requirement to adjust the mouthpeice. Big horns and short people in particular.

Then there are some whos belly get's in the way of using a chair. Some chairs don' have much room for some bottoms (forget the horn). Some horns are very uncomfortable on the legs.

FWIW, I've never used one, but am considering it. Practice at home is hard, since I don't have a chair the right size. So I could get a chair, or get/make a stand. The stand has many more applicatios, so it looks to be the best route.

[poomshanka]

but why do these older, and stronger, older men use tuba stands? even my 5 1/2 foot friend doesnt need one. and he isnt the stronger either. but he can handle it. even a girl smaller then him can handle. but those two are bigger then the other guys up there.

From my own experience, it has as much to do with ergonomics as anything else.

I'm 6'4", and played a Meinl-Weston 2145 for three years in an Air Force field band. Since we'd use whatever chairs were available at the gig site when travelling, you can do the math and figure I sat in just about every type of chair imaginable.

I tend to tip my head down when I play, so I couldn't really get away with sitting the horn on my lap (mouthpiece would've been too high). Setting the horn on the chair *might* have worked, provided it was just the right angle. Usually, however, I just had problems.

I made a custom rig from a Stewart Stand that enabled me to support the horn out past the edge of the chair, and usually down a ways. This was especially helpful with chairs that were higher in the front than in the back (e.g. those flimsy folding chairs with plastic seats). This set-up gave me total control over horn positioning, regardless of what type of chair I was forced to sit it.

If I'd had a stand like the K&M, I probably could've used that with the same results. I've heard some say the stands offer better acoustical coupling with hall stage surfaces, but I don't have an informed opinion on that particular subject. I'm looking to get a K&M and stool setup ala Alan Baer's rig for my Mirafone 190 (giant rotary CC), and if it makes any difference in the way the horn sounds in our performance hall, I'll pass on the results...

...Dave

[kontrabass]

Absolutely, the most effective stand solution in my opinion:
A Stewart stand, but remove the useless nylon tubing and have your favourite technician solder the knobs directly onto the horn. Insert the stand into the knobs when you're ready to play, and the weight is entirely supported by the rod. I'll never use a different stand as long as I live.

[Matt G]

I have some questions about tuba stands.

first off, my school has them for the two smallest tuba players. they can barely handle carrying it, but theyre short and small to, so its reasonable. no im 6 foot, and can play it on my lap, or put it on the chair and have it at a small angle.

but why do these older, and stronger, older men use tuba stands? even my 5 1/2 foot friend doesnt need one. and he isnt the stronger either. but he can handle it. even a girl smaller then him can handle. but those two are bigger then the other guys up there.

Mr. Pokorny uses one. A K&M I believe.

I wonder how sales were for those after the last TUSAB Conference?


Anyhow, Mr. Pokorny believes it does a few things. He says it alleviates stress from the knees and ankles. It also allows him to move around a bit with the horn without supporting it. He also believes that the decrease in contact area with a very effective dampener (inner thigh) allows the horn to resonate better. With a horn like the one he uses (old thin as paper York), this might be even more noticeable. I am also supecting that the stand does a better job to transfer energy to the wooden stage better similar to a 'cello or bass clarinet end pin (better take of those little rubber feet off the K&M if your playing one a wooden stage).

I knew a middle school band director that made his kids buy a tuba stand (DEG) and a mouthpiece to use with the school provided tubas. The mouthpiece is a no-brainer, but the tuba stand was saving him $$$ to $$$$ a year in repair bills. It also allowed the smaller kids to hold the tuba regardless of chair.

After using one, I won't switch back to the old neoprene-pad-on-the-inner-thigh routine. The stand makes it easier to hold the horn, adjust the slides, and even turn pages. Fact is, you can rest the horn against your shoulder and use both hands for tasking if needed. The only time I was playing that I was more free in movement was playing standing gigs for a Anheiser-Busch distributor using my Blue Note strap. Playing with the strap and all the other crap I was doing made for a sore back. It was comfortable while I was playing, but I think it had something to do with the general anesthetic I was consuming...

Buy a stand. Use it. You'll be happier.

[Lars Trawen]

Sorry, a mistake occurred. Could you please remove this post, Sean.

[Lars Trawen]

Is the Tubassist still available? How does it hold up? It looks as if it might fit the music pocket of a gig bag, any comments?

Sorry, I've no idea whether it's still available. Please ask Mr. Johnson, the inventor, he's a very kind man, descending from Sweden.
The Tubassist is bulky and even taken apart it will not fit the music pocket.
Future improvements are welcome. There is a cloth bag available, unfortunately not padded. It doesn't give much of protection if placed in the case or the bell, sharp edges will cause dents.
Furthermore you have to use a heavily padded pillow to sit on. Looking at the design of the Tubassist you understand why. In my case it's an advantage only, I'm 6'2" tall. Since I always use a hard case there is fortunately plenty of space free for various aids.
Despite the handling disadvantages, it's still the best and most flexible tuba stand I've found. I can recommend it.
Good luck,
Lars

[Rick Denney]

but why do these older, and stronger, older men use tuba stands? even my 5 1/2 foot friend doesnt need one. and he isnt the stronger either. but he can handle it. even a girl smaller then him can handle. but those two are bigger then the other guys up there.

After you play tuba for decades, you may find that holding it in your lap has caused damage to your back. I know two top players (one an orchestral player, and another in a military band) who have had back surgery. I, too, have had serious back ailments at times, and don't want them to strike more often or more severely.

I don't use the stand for my F tubas--they are small enough for it not to be an issue. But my Miraphone is designed to rest on a chair, and a stand is a lot safer (for the instrument and the player--you don't want to have an instrument to your mouth when it slips off the chair). My York Master is heavy and ungainly, and the Holton is bigger and even more ungainly.

It's not a matter of strength. I can easily lift and carry the Holton over my head with one arm. It's a matter of achieving a balanced, comfortable position that won't do damage.

It's also a matter of being able to completely relax while playing, which is important to the proper movement of air. If you are tense managing the weight of the instrument, that tension will make it hard to breathe as smoothly and as deeply as you need to make your best sound.

Not all these issues can be resolved by moving the leadpipe, or by being tall (I'm 6').

And they are certainly not resolved by being older, older.

Rick "remembering his youth, when nothing hurt" Denney

[Tubaryan12]

For all wondering the cost of a drum throne...$19.99 at Sam Ash model GJB-10 by Groove Percussion. The actual seat has a very small base so if you did want to modify it it would leave you a nice small base for the new tuba "saddle". The lowest non modified height is 20 inches. Highest non modified height is 29-5/8 inches (with seat lifted aprox 1 inch on seat post). Not quite tall enough for a 6ft tall person to use standing but with a couple of well placed mounting holes in a new longer 1 in o.d. pipe i'm sure it could be modified for standing for less than $5.00. I bought one and if I modify it i will take pics and post them with instructions.

p.s.
Manny's is selling them on eBay for $19.99 also w/free shipping
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... gory=10173

[porkchopsisgood]

Know what's funny?

I don't know what I own....I found it at school. Apparently it had been there for a number of years.

I used one (that I bought) about 10 years ago, (a DEG, I believe), and stopped using it after I left the stand on the right coast when I moved to the left coast (Williamsburg, VA to San Diego, CA). I'm cheap, so I never bought one again.

I never used one again until I saw Alan Baer play at Mannes in November. Imagine being intrigued once again to use a stand when he SWEARS by one. Man, I'm glad I came back around. It is such a joy to use one again.

The only thing is.....I don't know who made it.....I guess by the process of elimination it's a K&M......

You figure it out.....anyway....the stand works. I'm a believer once again. Both my F and my CC thank you, tuba stand.....

[chhite]

I use both a K&M stand and a Roc n' Soc Lunar hydraulic drum throne. It was an expensive investment but it has paid off in many ways. My comfort level has increased as well as my accuracy and endurance. The energy I save from holding and manipulating the horn over the course of three hours is more focus and energy I can put into my performance. I purchased a bass drum gig bag to carry the stool and stand and it does get a bit cumbersome to load in and out of halls and I still get some funny looks. But once the players around me hear and see the difference they wonder why other tuba players haven't tried it. It's not the solution for everyone but for me, I feel I've hit a home run.

An answer to Matthew Gilchrest about stands at the last Army conference; most of the vendors had already sold the stands they had brought, but there were lots of folks asking where to get them. I related my experiences with the DEG model to a friend who was looking, and how I had poor results with heavy horns. The K&M is the workhorse of the group.