Euphonium strap/sling

[UglyGrayDuck]

Howdy folks! I just got back into playing Euphonium after about 15 years hiatus. During said hiatus, I did play guitar in several bands, and coming from that perspective, I'm a little surprised that euphonium players don't use a strap or sling to transfer more of the weight to their shoulder/back.

Is there any particular reason for this? Is it just that most end up playing sitting down so there's not much of a market for it?

[RickF]

Welcome to the forum!

I’ve not seen anyone use a strap to help hold up their horn. There are some who use a hand strap on their left hand to help hold their horn though. See this video where Dave Werden demonstrates its use:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hraqlLCM3EM

[MichaelSchott]

A compensating euphonium weighs 9-10 pounds. To me that doesn’t seem enough to need compensation.

[dsurkin]

I have used a strap while marching. It's not a question of weight, per se, but the arthritis in my hands made it uncomfortable to hold.

[RickF]

I think the ERGObrass support may be a better solution than a strap for standing or marching. I had a section mate who used it for awhile but he found it cumbersome when playing sitting in the section when there were long rests. Couldn't easily lay the horn on his lap.

See this short video on ERGObrass for euphonium:

...

[tokuno]

Howdy folks! I just got back into playing Euphonium after about 15 years hiatus. During said hiatus, I did play guitar in several bands, and coming from that perspective, I'm a little surprised that euphonium players don't use a strap or sling to transfer more of the weight to their shoulder/back.

Is there any particular reason for this? Is it just that most end up playing sitting down so there's not much of a market for it?

Folks endorse straps for standing tuba, but I've tried a few versions and find them cumbersome. Hard to get the positioning right to relieve the load, relatively inflexible for in-play adjusting, and too many gymnastics to empty condensation ("king spin") & doff/don the rig. There's a modicum of stress relief, but much more than playing seated. I prefer a light-weight folding stool or sousaphone :-)

I started standing-euph last month preparatory to playing band features with my son (BTW, I'm interested in suggestions for band-backed euph duets in add'n to Pearl Fishers), and it's uncomfortable: left wrist oddly angled to bear weight and run the trigger, main slide interference, and left arm weariness. I'm habituating, but weight on my right hand impacts my dexterity and changes my stroke to create 2nd valve sticking. I haven't yet resolved these standing-euph extra-tension problems, so this thread interests me and reminds me that I bought a Stewart Stand about 40 years ago that I tried briefly then shelved.
I bet the Stewart would work with a belt-mounted leather pocket/pouch that should be easy to fabricate.
That concept might be another alternative you'd want to investigate.
http://www.stewartsounds.com/Stewart...art_Stand.html

[UglyGrayDuck]

A compensating euphonium weighs 9-10 pounds. To me that doesn’t seem enough to need compensation.

I suppose it's not really a question of weight for me, but of comfort while playing. The instrument I am currently renting is a inline 4 valve model, and i can't seem to find a comfortable left hand placement without excess tension or over-wrapping my hand in such a way that causes pain in my wrist after too long. Then, if I try to 'compensate' with my right hand to alleviate a bit of the left hand issues, i tend to press the left side of my hand against the bell, making it more difficult to finger dexterously.

I found a couple of straps, or 'brass slings' as they are designated on Amazon. One was ok, but the loops at the end were a bit small and couldn't really fit around the right parts of the tubing, however the other was able to fit fairly well. When I start a playing session, it can take a second to get it properly situated, but it has alleviated much of the tension and whatnot while playing standing.

Those other devices look interesting, but seem to be a bit pricey (i guess not in comparison to the instrument itself, but certainly the 25ish dollars for the sling, lol). Perhaps later on down the line if I continue playing I'll try one of those out.

I guess most people can hold their instrument comfortably, or find the strap uncomfortable. I suppose I'm just used to them coming from the guitar world.

[davewerden]

Have you considered the Comfy Euph Strap? It really makes my hand and wrist more comfortable. And it showed freedom of movement as you play.
http://www.dwerden.com/forum/showthread.php/22203-Euphonium-Hand-Strap-quot-Comfy-Euph-Strap-quot

[tokuno]

. . . i can't seem to find a comfortable left hand placement without excess tension or over-wrapping my hand in such a way that causes pain in my wrist after too long. Then, if I try to 'compensate' with my right hand to alleviate a bit of the left hand issues, i tend to press the left side of my hand against the bell, making it more difficult to finger dexterously.

I found a couple of straps, or 'brass slings' as they are designated on Amazon. One was ok, but the loops at the end were a bit small and couldn't really fit around the right parts of the tubing, however the other was able to fit fairly well. When I start a playing session, it can take a second to get it properly situated, but it has alleviated much of the tension and whatnot while playing standing.

I guess most people can hold their instrument comfortably, or find the strap uncomfortable. I suppose I'm just used to them coming from the guitar world.

My guitar strap works fine - I think because it allows a "natural" guitar motion and there's more range of acceptable motion/location for left & right arms/hands - but with a tuba strap, my mouthpiece position is hit or (mostly) miss, and I find myself awkwardly goose-necking to stay in mouthpiece contact (exacerbated by that horn's size, weight, and C-of-Gravity).
I use a Comfy Euph (left-hand) Strap, but it doesn't resolve my euph standing issues (it helps, though). I'm interested to know what strap you picked up, if you wouldn't mind sharing the Amazon link.

[UglyGrayDuck]

My guitar strap works fine - I think because it allows a "natural" guitar motion and there's more range of acceptable motion/location for left & right arms/hands - but with a tuba strap, my mouthpiece position is hit or (mostly) miss, and I find myself awkwardly goose-necking to stay in mouthpiece contact (exacerbated by that horn's size, weight, and C-of-Gravity).
I use a Comfy Euph (left-hand) Strap, but it doesn't resolve my euph standing issues (it helps, though). I'm interested to know what strap you picked up, if you wouldn't mind sharing the Amazon link.

The one I like is:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G26SDZE...roduct_details

I also ordered one of the Comfy Euph straps as well to try it out.

I will say that with the shoulder strap, it is a little close to the body, and I use my left hand to get the instrument in the exact position I need, but it is certain more comfortable for me than without.

[UglyGrayDuck]

I don't know if anyone is still interested, but I think I somewhat understand part of why I have been experiencing discomfort: the third valve tubing positioning on my horn. I have a jp174IL, which has the 4 valves inline, and I realized the way things are situated, the third valve tubing is parallel with the main body of the horn and also a bit further out, making a more awkward angle to wrap an arm/wrist around.

I thought maybe I'd just been away from the instrument for so long I forgot how uncomfortable it was, but no, I just spent most of my time playing (primarily school owned) yamaha and willson compensating horns which have their 3rd valve tubing at an angle/more flush with the rest of the body.