ERGObone
Trombone / Bass Trombone support
BASIC SET
Includes: Everything for playing sitting on a chair (best for kids). This is recommended as a first ERGObone, cheaper and easy to upgrade to Full Set.
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN:
The problem for children as every teacher knows is the slow collapse of the upper body under the stress of trombone weight.
At the same time the backbone, the lungs and the whole upper body have flopped down. How could anybody develop a proper technique and efficient breathing and blowing in this kind of a position?
In fact all these reactions are very natural. The body tries to find a position where it can tolerate physical stress. But of course at the same time, the physical precondition of being able to play efficiently diminishes radically.
It is certain that one of the most difficult tasks for a young player is to keep a good bearing with the instrument also when the teacher is not around! Although it is most important to be able to really learn to play.
First the hand gets tired and stiff. Later one often acquires many kinds of pains in the wrist, arm, elbow, upper arm and shoulder or in the upper back and neck. This can reduce the effectiveness and enjoyment of playing the trombone. It does not have to be like this. If a young trombonist do not get tired, he or she will practise a lot longer every day
General info:
ERGObone
Trombone / Bass Trombone support
Why the ERGObone?
Well, the reason for using it is actually very simple and obvious. The trombone weighs about 1,3 to 2,8 kilos (3,0 to 6,1 lb). Your left arm weighs about 4 to 5 kg (9 to 11 lb) and you keep both of them up at the same time. All the time when you play.
Of course, you can keep the trombone and the left arm up in a playing position, with continually tensed muscles. However, if you can avoid this, the important question is, is there really any sense in keep on doing it? Would the playing be better in the long run if your upper body could stay more relaxed?
The ERGObone helps you to keep a good posture and breathe more freely and efficiently. Would it not be better to lean, or even hang, your left arm on the trombone rather than keep it continually tensed up?
Yes, Im trying to open your eyes
If you really focus on the normal playing position, you will realize that it is really not sensible to stay for hours and hours in a static tensed position like this. I mean, really, if you could play without the static tension, why not do it?
Health issues have become important
The way the trombone is played was developed about 500 years ago. They did not understand anything about the ergonomics back then.
Today we do understand the ergonomic challenges involved in this. Furthermore, many present models have become a lot heavier; therefore that old irrational tradition of holding your instrument with the everlasting static tension should be questioned.
Comfort after short adjusting time
You need some time to readjust your perception about trombone playing. You need a moment to get used to the different feeling of the nearly weightless instrument. You also need to practise how to handle the horn, everything cannot obviously be done exactly the same way as before, but the new way is not any worse, just slightly different. After that period, you will enjoy playing with less tension.
Only after you have learned to play with it you can say whether it is good or not. But like always, it is a lot easier to condemn something new without even trying it out!
Technical details
In the ERGObone kit you will find the following parts:
- The black harness, with genuine leather covered shoulder paddings
- A chest part, made of clear plastic plate and black plastic counter part
- The plastic clamp, gray or black in colour; plastic padding inside the clamp
- The support rod with a spring mechanism and height adjustment
- The black support tube made of aluminium; a rubber plug in the bottom end and a rubber band in the upper end
