DS has just started using a bassoon strap as he needs to now stand with his bassoon or sit without a spike. A while ago I tried a padded neck strap but the strain was too much for his small neck. I have bought one that looks like this:



but the strap resting on his right shoulder and the cross over at the back is still causing some strain. Can anyone over any advice on a good strap that we could buy? I don't expect it to be perfect but as he is so young I want to make sure he doesn't do himself any damage.

Honest answer? He DOESN'T need to stand or sit without a spike - he needs to protect his body. Make a fuss!

No good for standing. But what about this when sitting?

I would consider sons size and posture before allowing anyone to insist that he stands with a harness to support the bassoon.

Daughter held bari sax for a few hours and it did cause her to have some shoulder pain after the event.

We've since bought a playing stand and that works really well. Standing with heavy instruments is alright for a short period of time. For lengthy practice sessions make sure he has some way of supporting the instrument other than taking the weight himself.

For sitting, I would recommend a leather seat strap with a cup at the end which fits the end of the bassoon. This frees the upper body to enable better blowing and breathing without the weight of the bassoon pulling round your neck. You do have to make sure the weight of the bassoon is in the cup of the strap and not on your left arm. Howarth's have a number of different ones on their website. I bought a BG adjustable one from Myatts a number of years ago but they don't have any images on their website. Some of them come with a metal hook instead of a cup for bassoons with a metal ring on the bottom silver cover.

I have a harness for standing up and they work well, except you do have to make sure it is well adjusted to fit and that you get it in the right position so the bassoon is well balanced.

Hi MNW,

how old is DS? Is he playing on a full size instrument?
I regualarly play bassoon and am a GP, so will try to give you some advice fo DS.
I have tried every combination out there in my time; I use a simple neck strap for sitting, and the harness for standing, but honestly I have never been comfortable standing with the bassoon and not really found a suitable support in 20 years of looking!
These days I always sit down to avoid straining upper back and neck muscles.
I really hope you find something, but choices are limited. I once knew a bassoonosit who used a neck strap with a wide band, more akin to a guitar strap, but I think her father made it for her as I have never managed to find one for retail.
Howarth's or John Myatt both have friendly helpful staff, who can assist you.
Good luck for the search!

Thank you for all your helpful advice. I've thought long and hard about it and even tried to find a bassoon practice stand on the advice of notmusicmum - thank you. I've decided that his health is more important than the ideas of grown men who probably didn't even start playing bassoon until they were in their teens and more developed. As it is, the men I see playing bassoon often do not wear any supports. So in an average 40-60 minute practice (doesn't do this yet but will soon), I am going to suggest that 20/30mins are done sitting down with spike and the remainder practice with a mixture of sitting using a strap and a max of 10mins standing with his harness.

I can't imagine he'd be expected to stand for more than 10mins at this age if he has a solo or is in a competition so, as long as he can get used to 10mins, I'm not sure that would do any longterm damage, although I am happy to be told otherwise.

Does this sound sensible?

I think it sounds reasonable but there are probably more experienced people than I am out there.

Daughter started playing Bari sax at 12 she always sat with it and never had a problem until the one time when she had to hold it for a long period of time (mixture of standing and sitting). It has definately left a weakness these days she always uses a playing stand when sitting.

It did make us take action as soon as there was a problem with Cor and we got something straight away. These things don't come cheap though...

I'd keep an eye on ebay as sometimes things come up on there that are no longer made.

Howarths are probably the best people tt talk to in the meantime.

It's so difficult to know what to do for the best. Your post about your daughter's weakness really worried me notmusicmum so he used the spike today. But, his teacher who has always used a spike has been having some bad neck and shoulder problems. The one upside of Purcell is that the GP comes in once a week and she is very knowledgable on injuries caused by playing instruments, although the fact that she needs to come in once a week is a bit Might suggest he takes up the oboe instead!

Get him looked at whether sitting or standing. I do find seat strap slightly better than sling - but even though I do have the Marsden one, you need to (a) have the right chair and (b) be quite tall for the elastic counterbalance to work. It's still quite hard on the left wrist - but not on the neck. balance adjuster thingy is the way forward I would say - definitely worth investing. But there is NO NEED to play standing up (having said which I never played sitting down if I could avoid it in my teens, found the chair got in the way!!!) so for heaven's sake stand firm on this - he won't get a new body if he breaks it! (I had to have physio when I went back to the bassoon after a 10 year break!)

Even as an adult in late twenties I can only stand playing bassoon for about half an hour comfortably, but thats with the neck strap. The harness is as good as it gets comfort wise for standing. For sitting I use a seat strap like many pros do, or another one I've seen is the knee rest.

I wonder why he is being told he needs to stand. If it's for breathing just make sure he sits up straight. The big orchestra players sit for a whole two hour concert and sound fantastic!

Might be worth looking slightly left of field at say bari / tenor sax supports? These from Germany, which avoid pressure on the back of the neck get a good write-up:

Cebulla

I really don't think they would be suitable for a young child on Bari and I doubt they would work with Bassoon.






I know you are joking but even a graduate level oboe would probably be too heavy for him. Oboes don't effect the neck but can cause problems with weight on the thumb.

I was going to let BB try out my oboe this week. I have been very precious about it - not that I've had a lesson since summer - and won't let him touch it. Firstly, because it's mine and I can't bear the thought of him picking it up and overtaking me in a matter of weeks! Now I have the perfect excuse!

There should be no real need for any bassoonist to do that much playing standing up unless they are going to be one of the very few who ends up playing concertos around the world. As bassoonist you end up playing sitting down in an orchestra and for this I would use a seat strap, again I can suggest Steve Marsdens counter balance seat strap which I use with my bassoon and it relieves a lot of weight from the left hand: Counter Balance Seat Strap Anouther item which can be used to reduce the tension on the left hand is this: "No Hands" side strap



Ocassional playing standing up should be done but not every practice session.

FOr playing standing up after using the bassoon body harness for many years I found that it was detromental to my posture. I now have gone back to the normal neck strap. You could try getting a neck strap with a wider padded piece that goes over the neck to spread the weight even more.