TromboneChat

I normally hold my horn almost (or exactly) perpendicular to my teeth, so usually music stand get in my slide’s way. For normal practice it doesn’t quite bother me since our band’s practice venue is large (a sport hall) and I can turn slightly away from the stand. But it becomes a trouble in concerts, where space is tight.

The bass trombone seat position does not help at all; I have to turn my face slightly to the right to be able to see the conductor, and that is into the stand. Raising it to a comfortable height obstruct the sightline to the conductor almost completely.

Because of that, I have to bend my back a little, and my wrist also a little, to keep the slide under the stand. And I always feel everything goes wrong from that: breathing is difficult, my wrist hurts, my back also aches a little, and the slide strikes the stand once in a while. The slide also, depending on venue and seat position, sometimes comes dangerously close to the back, or the head, of euphonium players in front of me.

How do you fix, or live with this? Especially those who have been in orchestra pits, in which I think the space is even tighter.

As always, thank you for your answer.

P.S.: There is a concert tomorrow, so I would be extremely grateful for quick answers.

Have you tried setting the stand low & playing over it? Takes some getting used to but could help you find a better playing position. That's how I normally do it. I hold my horn pretty close to horizontal as well.

Would this help?

https://shop.manhasset-specialty.com/p/model-48tb-symphony-trombonist-music-stand-box-of-1

Don't be shy about politely asking the players in front of you to shift a little bit up or over to accommodate you, if at all possible.
(Understood that sometimes it isn't possible)
(Understood that you've probably already thought of this... just a reminder)

Similar to JohnL's suggestion, there is a single sheet wide Manhasset stand.  The Boston Symphony Orchestra trombone players use them.

I have also moved the stand to the right of my slide.  I angle it a bit so it doesn't bother the person to my right too much.

I use an ipad attached to a microphone stand.  It let's me put it in all sorts of weird angles. That won't help tomorrow but it might be worth considering.  I can even position it so I don't need to use my glasses (I'm exceedingly near sighted) so that's a huge plus for me.

Quote from: BGuttman on Jan 27, 2018, 08:03AMSimilar to JohnL's suggestion, there is a single sheet wide Manhasset stand.  The Boston Symphony Orchestra trombone players use them.

I have also moved the stand to the right of my slide.  I angle it a bit so it doesn't bother the person to my right too much.


To avoid playing into a stand, I have been teaching my students to angle the stand as mentioned above. Works great. If still too tight after trying the above suggestions, talk to the director.

Thank you very much for your answers! Yesterday I managed to move the stand a bit to the right, and my bandmate beside me didn't seem to be bothered by it, so it went pretty well. But I'll try some other solution in the future.

Like Bruce I put the stand up and to the right, but because it's the only place I can see! 

There are other advantages, notably an open bell front to the audience. 

If direction is coming from behind the stand, though, I'm toast.  In which case I seek to move the chair. 

Quote from: JohnL on Jan 27, 2018, 07:21AMWould this help?

https://shop.manhasset-specialty.com/p/model-48tb-symphony-trombonist-music-stand-box-of-1

HOW TO MAKE AN OFFSET MUSIC STAND

After looking at this Manhasset stand I made a similar one from a metal heavy duty stand . I drilled out the rivets holding the mounting bracket to the music plate on the original stand then drilled four new holes to the right of the old ones looking from the players side using the bracket as a template. I remounted it to one side using nuts and bolts giving an offset music stand with more room for the trombone slide!
I tried to upload a photo but the site refused to accept it!
It does make a difference so I would recommend trying an offset stand .From the point of view of your MD , if he wants trombones in his band then he needs to give you enough space to play otherwise all you can do is mime and not extend your slide!

Getting poked in the back with a slide gets people to move pretty quick.

Quote from: MikeBMiller on Jan 29, 2018, 01:17PMGetting poked in the back with a slide gets people to move pretty quick.

That's a good way to end up with a mangled slide and bashed in teeth.

(Yes, I've seen it happen, and yes, it was totally deserved.)

Quote from: MikeBMiller on Jan 29, 2018, 01:17PMGetting poked in the back with a slide gets people to move pretty quick.

I'm afraid that most of the time it's not in the back, but in the head... And I don't want to pay the medical expense for cracked skull.

Quote from: MikeBMiller on Jan 29, 2018, 01:17PMGetting poked in the back with a slide gets people to move pretty quick.

I'm afraid that most of the time it's not in the back, but in the head... And I don't want to pay the medical expense for cracked skull.