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A couple of years ago, for a while I was pulling out my old adjustable guitar footrest, and using it to elevate one of my legs to maximize comfort - as far as resting a particular tuba on my thighs. Sometimes I catch myself raising a heel off the floor to do this, and I decided that was quite a bit more work than I needed to be doing. Thus, the footrest. I've gotten out of the habit of carrying it around with me, but I'm wondering about pulling it back out. I have an aversion to accessories and toting them (which is one of the reasons why the only "Away From Home" music stand that I will ever own is a K&M 101) so that aversion works against me using something like this.

Has anyone or does anyone use a footrest for this purpose?

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Mar 24, 2023 9:06 am Has anyone or does anyone use a footrest for this purpose?

Yes, I thought it would work with my euphonium. I tried it for a while, but felt like I couldn't breathe as well. I bought a QHR lap pad and never looked back.

But, after reading your post, I thought maybe I would try it with my Eb tuba, since it has a nasty fin on the bottom that makes cuddling it on my lap painful. Maybe I could set it at an angle "just so." But no, it still felt like I was cramping my breath, so I put it back in the box in the corner. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Pro horn playing friend of mine used a guitar footrest for his right leg. He had a long torso and needed to be able to play "on the leg."

Sometimes during summer at home, when playing without wearing shoes I place a 3/4" paperback book under my left foot to avoid pressure from the edge of the chair on my thigh.

bloke wrote: ↑Fri Mar 24, 2023 9:06 am I have an aversion to accessories and toting them (which is one of the reasons why the only "Away From Home" music stand that I will ever own is a K&M 101) so that aversion works against me using something like this.

Yo, Joe, thinking outside the (check-)box for an "elegant" solution to the problem :
dress-black, check.
you already wear shoes, anyway, so no extra "toting" req'd, check.
lotsa dollar bills tucked in your belt, check. (add garter for more)
even more panties and room keys on stage than you usually get, check.
tuba player finally gets the spotlight, check.
P.S. Seriously, I hadn't given it much attention, but I noticed recently that I've been elevating my heel, so whimsy aside, I'm following this thread with interest.

tokuno wrote: ↑Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:39 am ...stuff

' interesting idea, but that would just be something else to drag around...

The other guitar solution I've seen used successfully (but it's still something you have to tote around) is a shaped cushion on TOP of the thigh. Works exceedingly well for guitars, might take a bit of finagling for tuba. But could be made of something light like styrofoam but would be bulky.

There is not a situation in which you will EVER see me in those, for less than an unimaginable amount of money.

I’ve considered it. I actually hurt my achillies and foot holding my F up.

wwwwwhhhhhhhhsssssshhhhhooooo...

Is the sound that my pun made.

I simply cannot imagine you in drag. That is much worse than a man bun, but especially across the pond it is a highly developed form of humor.

off-topic response to off-topic comments:

Back in the 1960s and '70s - besides donkey basketball, high schools used to have womanless weddings (with the fathers of some of the students) to raise money for the athletic programs. Of course today that would not only be not funny - but not allowed, as it would be considered to be "hate speech". Further, since today there are real womanless weddings, how could it possibly be considered funny today?

I remember when I was an elementary school aged kid and later in high school, I personally thought donkey basketball and womanless weddings were stupid and not funny, but I didn't see any harm in them - other than the harm a donkey could do to a gymnasium floor.

I had some good friends and good experiences in school - as everyone does, but I was mostly waiting for those years to be over. School is too much like jail, where learning is slow-walked to children, things that are taught (including things that are not so) are taught selectively, and mostly they are nurseries to hold children while their parents are at work (ok..."in my opinion").

A lot of jobs feel like jail, too. Except you get paid.

I purchased a piece of BALSA wood: 12"x6"x4". It weighs just a few oz. and I take it everywhere. It works GREAT. I had to paint it flat black as the stage manager jumped out of his skin when he saw this big "white thing" (very light brown, actually) on his black platform.

yes...

Orchestra concerts are (for the patrons, and management knows this) VISUAL events.

most older - in particular - patrons wrote:I don't know much about music, but I know what I like...and I don't like an un-tucked shirttail.