[sjonesjrmd]

Ernie Kalwa in Canada sells a great harness for the bari or tenor.....
Its Called the GEMINI and I have never felt anything more comfortable.
Just a thought........

 

[banerkblue]

Hi. I'm 14, a girl (I'm only saying so because there doesn't seem to be many out there), and in my second year of high school. It's my first year of marching bari, however. Our marching position is one where our arms have to be off our bodies completely while in attention and playing position. I'm about 5'6 in terms of height, and I guess you could call me stocky. Don't have much upper-body strength, though, and that's where the pain comes in. For the next two weeks, we'll be practicing 3-4 hours a day, and my arms, neck, and back are killing me. We march in competitions until the end of December. I marched alto for two years, and it was so much easier than marching bari.
I was just wondering if this is what it's going to be like. I LOVE my bari and wouldn't trade it for the world. My director wouldn't let me, anyway, (he's certainly one of those "tough love" directors) he'd kill me for even thinking about going back to alto. I rather like marching band so far. My main question is: would a harness help me out here? I'd really hate to break down and buy one and feel weak, but if marching season keeps going the way it is (although school doesn't technically begin for about another month here), I might have to reconsider it.

Thanks!

 

[hakukani]

I wouldn't call that 'tough love'--I'd call it sadistic torture. You're in danger of hurting yourself marching a bari in that unnatural position. Change back to alto for marching band---play the bari the rest of the year.

My $.02 worth being said, and if you and your band director choose not to take this advice, for gawd's sake get a harness!

 

[Agent27]

EDIT: Never Mind

 

[Brendan Muse]

Harnesses and slings work well. What I used my senior year was the Oleg custom strap harness, or something along those lines.

As for posture, find a compromise between ramrod straight and completely relaxed. I always marched with the horn at about a 15 degree angle from straight ahead and I never got any complaints. For all the attention and parade stuff, I'd suggest you hold the horn in front of you parallel to the ground. That's one of the positions I've seen a lot, and it really helps if you're the only bari player in the band, so there's no one else to compare you to.

 

[deftones]

My local tech ordered a Neotech harness for me, and it came in today. I really like it, it'll take some getting used to as it feels slightly different using the harness, but maybe maybe I haven't gotten it adjusted quite right yet (there are alot more things to adjust). Also, I was told it looked quite a bit like a bra, but I'm sure I'll get used to that too.

 

[Neffinator]

first year marching I played clarinet
second year I played alto sax
third year tenor sax

the fourth year I got smart - and grabbed one of the schools baritone horns!

After my tenor got rained on one too many times I had had enough...

Saxes just can't project like brass on the field anyhow..

AND they handle the abuse much better-

abuse?!?!:shock:
Saxophones should never be abused
they must be cradled like children....
Marching a Bari isn't fun unless you have a good harness...

 

[Wattson]

You know what I did about marching bari in High School?

I became the drum major.

But the three years I marched bari weren't too bad, but then, my high school wasn't a marching school...

 

[banerkblue]

Thanks, you guys, for all your help. After a lot of poking and prodding at my director, I (along with the other two baris in my band), get to hold our saxes to our sides. He decided that it looks better and more uniform, anyway. I'm enjoying marching band again. I got a neck strap with a good bit of padding, so the neck pain has alleviated some. My arms feel so much better now that I don't have to hold up my bari, and my sound isn't nearly as bad now that my poor arms aren't trembling after an hour of carrying it around.

I'm playing on an old Conn, by the by. It's rather out of tune, but it's pretty skinny, so we use it for marching. I play on a much better sax during concert/jazz season. (I forget the maker)

 

[milandro]

I'm playing on an old Conn, by the by. It's rather out of tune, but it's pretty skinny, so we use it for marching. I play on a much better sax during concert/jazz season. (I forget the maker)

on a unrelated subject to this thread.....I am having some problems with a very old Conn Baritone Pan American stencil (20 ties or early 30ties) which is also out of tune , they say (here on this forum) it has to do with the horn being partial to vintage mouthpieces or big chamber mouthpieces alone. Have you tried this? What vintage and type is this Conn and which mouthpiecedo you use it with?
Thanks!

 

[deftones]

My Neotech harness finally came in, just a few days before the start of band camp last week. It certainly takes some getting used to, but marching it at the side really isn't as bad as I expected. The biggest problem I'm having is with the thumb hook; it's brass and by the end of a practice my thumb is killing me. I guess I need to find some kind of soft fabric to tie around the top of the hook.

 

[Brendan Muse]

Pay two bucks for a thumbhook pad. You get used to it after a while.

 

[Barbarian Wyte Man]

abuse?!?!:shock:
Saxophones should never be abused
they must be cradled like children....
Marching a Bari isn't fun unless you have a good harness...

i marched bari for 4 years in the vertical position on a neotech strap, and enjoyed every minute of it.

needless to so i was unbeatable at arm-wrestling.

the fact remains though that position, and strap v. harness is entirely personal preference. i recommend anyone considering marching bari try a variety of configurations for maximum comfort.

 

[acti0n_jacks0n]

You know what I did about marching bari in High School?

I became the drum major.

But the three years I marched bari weren't too bad, but then, my high school wasn't a marching school...

LOL. Yes, yhe best way to solve any problems you have with marching bari is becoming Drum Major -- That is what I did. :twisted:

 

[AuntSaxophone]

Hi,

I searched but I couldn't find anything really informative. I'm sure I missed something though. For the past 3 years, I've marched alto and tenor and played baritone for Symphonic and Jazz band. But this year we're getting 2 new baritones and my director wants me to march one of the old ones. I enjoy playing baritone much more than alto and tenor so I said I'd do it. Today while I was practicing, I tried holding it in the "locked in" position (left elbow out, horn perfectly vertical and perpendicular to the ground). Being a pretty small guy, this isn't easy for me to do. I remember seeing other bands with marching baritones and they held it to the side, like one would normally do when standing and playing. Is this really the only way to march with a bari? Would a harness help with that?

Thanks

Been there... Done that... And I am on the short side. Only 4' 11" with nice sturdy boots on...

The only way I could manage it was with it held to the side like normal. Of course, holding any sax perfectly straight is something I don't like doing.

 

[adoeak]

I've done it

I've been marching bari for three years, i got a neotech harness and carried it veritcal, my thumb is amazingly strong as a result. I've always been the only one so I get to make the rules, but the vertical position isn't so bad. I'm 6'0" by the way

 

[danarsenault]

Not sure if this is relevant, SOTSDO, because you may be referring strictly to a live action marching band, but I was told that Sousa's band was 30% clarinets.

According to Bierly's book, Sousa often carried as many as 22 clarinets in his band. But they only marched once.

 

[danarsenault]

I marched bari my senior year in high school as our Sousaphone player had graduated. It was an old silver plate Conn battle-axe model, with neck breaker extensions. I survivied alright, but now I lean to the right and walk in right turn circles...

 

[altobariguy]

wow your "locked in" thing is sweet, wish i had that. my school's attention is hold it perfectly horizontal with the bell pointing strait out elbows at sides. then we march with it perfectly vertical between out legs. it sucks. anyway what i did to be able to do it is: i got some of those ancle weights and wrap them around the bell that way you get used to that weight and when you take them off you will think your holding an alto. i use a neck strap i hate the harnesses. you will get by. any way good luck practis both music and "locked in"

 

[hakukani]

Marching band just gets stupider and stupider....<sigh>