CSO Music Stands for Trombonists

[KWL]

In a recent CSO Facebook post, the photo shows Jay Friedman and Michael Mulcahy with their wonderfully offset music stands. What a great setup. Are these available to ordinary mortals?

Ken

[dwn8ve]

In a recent CSO Facebook post, the photo shows Jay Friedman and Michael Mulcahy with their wonderfully offset music stands. What a great setup. Are these available to ordinary mortals?

Ken

Not sure it’s the same one, but recalled Manhasset offering something like that.

https://shop.manhasset-specialty.com/p ... of-1?pp=24

[Doug Elliott]

Manhasset does sell them that way... mounted to either side. I drilled out the rivets on one and drilled new holes to offset it like that. It's useful in some situations, I used it for one show.

[officermayo]

https://www.amazon.com/Manhasset-48TB-R ... B00G3ZMXFQ

[harrisonreed]

This seems like a cool idea but the more I think of it, the weirder it is.

Is the idea that your slide goes where the pole used to be, under the shelf, and the bell is out to the left of the shelf? The closer you get to having your slide directly under the stand, the more the stand blocks your bell.

[officermayo]

The closer you get to having your slide directly under the stand, the more the stand blocks your bell.

This actually works well for me. I only see with my left eye, but have mscular degeneration. This causes me to wear special glasses and place my stand far to the right, agled at about 45°.

[Crazy4Tbone86]

My primary problem with the “regular” music stands is that I am constantly shifting the music to the left side so that I can keep a watchful eye on the conductor. I like to establish as much eye contact as possible and that can be tricky when the music is on the far-right side of a “regular” stand.

I like the idea of an offset music stand. I like it so much that I will probably buy one this week. If it works as well as I am thinking it will, I might end up taking it every time I have a gig with a conductor!

[Posaunus]

My primary problem with the “regular” music stands is that I am constantly shifting the music to the left side so that I can keep a watchful eye on the conductor. I like to establish as much eye contact as possible and that can be tricky when the music is on the far-right side of a “regular” stand.

Unfortunately, this only works if you play with your slide below the music stand. For those of us who prefer to play with our slides more horizontal, we must play with our slides to the left of the stand, no matter where the pole is. This means that I still prefer to shift the music to the left whenever possible, both to better see the conductor and to keep the notes within my optimal visual field.

[KWL]

I see we have the usual TC consensus on these. . I’ll probably pick one up for use in my music room as I’m currently using a flimsy folding stand that still has the name of a bandmate from 50 years ago on it. If it doesn’t work as well as I expect, I can always drill holes as Doug did and center the pole.

Thanks for all the comments.

[Doug Elliott]

Regardless of where you put your slide, and of course depending on available floor space, getting the base away from you can improve possibilities for where you can put a trombone stand, mic stand, mutes, spit towel, coffee cup, snacks, etc.

Right now I'm playing a show in a very cramped box with a short wall to my right and also in front of me. I'm using a Manhasset Concertino short stand and playing to the left of it, which suits my chops well since I play to the left anyway. I just have to play 6th and 7th above the wall and everything else toward it. I'd use my 36B but 6th and 7th are needed for glisses. A video monitor is to my left where it's mostly covered by my bell. And juggling 4 mutes with very little floor space. Just have to make it work somehow.

[tbonesullivan]

The hinges on the back of those stands look fairly heavy duty, and are not a type I recognize. It's very possible that the orchestra uses custom made stands not available to the general public. Those desks also appear to be large and substantially built.

[CalgaryTbone]

I think those are older stands with wood music desks and cast iron for the bases as well as the rest of the hardware. I have one of those that I acquired years ago, but the music desk attaches in the center.

A lot of orchestras who have been around for many years and who play in historic halls have unique stands that date back to their early days. The stands at the Musikeverein (sp?) in Vienna are gigantic heavy wooden things that in spite of their size, fit perfectly on the built-in multiple levels of the stage.

It's nice that they respect their history and tradition.

Jim Scott

[Aznguyy]

Regardless of where you put your slide, and of course depending on available floor space, getting the base away from you can improve possibilities for where you can put a trombone stand, mic stand, mutes, spit towel, coffee cup, snacks, etc.

Right now I'm playing a show in a very cramped box with a short wall to my right and also in front of me. I'm using a Manhasset Concertino short stand and playing to the left of it, which suits my chops well since I play to the left anyway. I just have to play 6th and 7th above the wall and everything else toward it. I'd use my 36B but 6th and 7th are needed for glisses. A video monitor is to my left where it's mostly covered by my bell. And juggling 4 mutes with very little floor space. Just have to make it work somehow.

I can also see this stand being used in the pits. In most pits, I'm usually stuck with the wall on my right and having a mic just to the left of my music stand(or clipped onto my music stand). With the mic right there, it doesn't really matter if you're playing into the stand or not. I also use a mute clamp on my music stand so having it closer to my right hand is more convenient with this stand.

[CharlieB]

I see we have the usual TC consensus on these. . I’ll probably pick one up for use in my music room as I’m currently using a flimsy folding stand that still has the name of a bandmate from 50 years ago on it. If it doesn’t work as well as I expect, I can always drill holes as Doug did and center the pole.

Thanks for all the comments.

At first, I had a flimsy folding stand in my music room, too.
Upgraded to a Manhasset. Sturdier, but still only wide enough to display two sheets of music, and lots of my music is five pages long. I made an extension "desk" that clips on over the factory sheet metal desk. 45" wide, 1/4" thick perforated Masonite from Home Depot and one black binder clip. Totally impractical anywhere but the music room, but it sure is nice being able to play a five page solo without stopping to turn pages, and no worries about the slide hitting the post on either side.

[BGuttman]

There is an accessory for the Manhasset stand called a "stand out". It slides over one half of the stand and can extend that side one more page width. I got a pair for my portable Manhasset and can easily open to take 4 pages (5 pages if you allow 1/2 page overlap on each side).

Note that the Boston Symphony puts half width Manhasset stands at the trombone chairs. You can set up so that there is nothing between you and the conductor (except for the Plexiglas barrier between you and the string players ).

There also was a RAT Stand that was a normal 2 page desk with the support column on one edge.

[officermayo]

Doug's comment inspired me to make my own.

[Doug Elliott]

I didn't go quite that far off center, I didn't want a balance issue. Be careful with that.

[officermayo]

Checked it with a folder stuffed with 200 charts - no balance issues. Also keep in mind I'll have my mute holder rig on the right side.