Protec Music Stand - Review

Recently, I purchased a Protec Deluxe Music Stand (Standard Desk) and decided to write a review on it. I've used quite a few stands through the school system and other musicians who play in my small ensembles.

Design - This Protec stand is designed very well. It is a 1 piece assembly, however it is not much larger (if any) than the standard two piece assembly that most personal music stands use. I was also very impressed at the light weight of this stand. When I picked it up, with the one piece assembly and tough looking materials I was expecting a fairly heavy stand, but that is the complete opposite of reality. Also, the stand is very stable and does not feel as if it will tip over easily. There are also two adjustable metal bars on either end of the stand to hold your pages down should you be playing from a book.

Design Rating - 5/5

Mobility - Included with your purchase of the stand is a handy carrying case. This case should be helpful to anyone walking in with several cases (When I get to performances I typically have my tenor trombone, euphonium, stand, trombone stand, and sometimes my alto trombone). Also, as I mentioned before, the weight on this stand is great. Because this stand is only one piece, it is much easier to travel with as you don't have to worry about two parts damaging each other... or worse losing one of the pieces.

Mobility Rating - 5/5

Pros
1 Piece design which collapses down very well
very stable
comes with carrying case

Cons
Costs more than most stands

Overview - This is one of the best personal music stands on the market. This stand is stable, lightweight, collapsible, and mobile. While this stand may cost a bit more than most stands, I think this stand will prove to be very durable and well worth the extra money.

Overall rating - 5/5

Price - $33.95

Hercules Trombone Stand - Review

I have used a Hercules Trombone Stand for the past two or three years. This stand is great in my opinion so I decided to do a full review on it.

Design - I love the design of this trombone stand. It is far from a standard "in the bell" trombone stand. The Trombone itself rests on the braces of the handslide. This is close to how the instrument is supported when its in your hands. Also, there is no risk of damaging the bell while placing it or removing it from the stand. The width of the slots can be adjusted easily by a simple mechanism on the stand. This means it can fit student models through the wide slide on my 42BO! However, it does not fit my alto trombone. This also makes for a very stable resting position as there is no extra room for the trombone to wobble.

Design rating - 5/5

Mobility - This stand has a tripod bottom which can be collapsed without adding any extra length to the stand. The stand itself is not that heavy, but it can be a bit bulky to carry around. Especially in a backpack.

Mobility rating - 4/5

Before you read the pros and cons, let me make it clear that the "cons" are what provide many of the reasons of why I love this stand. This stand sacrifices some of the convenience for "in-bell" stands but in return gives much more saftey and stability. Considering we spend so much on our instruments shouldn't we do everything we can to keep them safe, even if it means some small sacrafices?

Pros:
New, innovative design
Low/no risk of damaging instrument while using it
Very stable
Durable

Cons:
Takes a bit longer to place/remove from stand
Would be nice if it collapsed a bit more

Overview - This stand is not your typical "in the bell" trombone stand. The trombone is easy to insert and remove, yet the instrument is completely secure while resting. The trombone also does not rest perpendicular to the ground but rather at an angle. I prefer this stand to any other that I have tested out

Overall rating - 5/5

Price: $29.20 from Band Geek

Schiller Euphonium

Today, I ordered my first euphonium. After a lot of research, I decided to order a Schiller Elite Compensating Euphonium for the cost of $885 plus shipping. I was very hesitant to order a chinese made euphonium (as any true musician should be) but this thread convinced me that this was the euphonium for me. I'll be using it fairly often for small ensemble performances and solos. I am very excited for this instrument to enter my arsenal, which currently only consists of trombones. I plan on using my Monette Prana TT-4L mouthpiece with it, but I will decide that when I recieve it. I will do a review of it after I recieve it and have the chance to test it out.

I have purchased this euphonium and done a full review here. Please check it out to see my thoughts and advice about this particular instrument.

All-District Auditions

My band director and I recently decided that I should audition for All-District on both Trombone and Euphonium. This decision was made after I had to decline a spot in Phantom Regiment due to school reasons. The solo for trombone is "Morceau Symphonique" I really like this piece and I'm progressing quite well with it. The euphonium piece is "Scene de Concert" by Denmark. This is definitely the least favorite of the two. Definitely gonna have to work this solo up in a rather short amount of time. Anyone have any tips on either of these pieces? I'm always open to new suggestions!

New Mouthpiece!

picture:
Left - new Monette Prana TT-4L
Middle - Bach Megatone 5G
Right - Bach 6 1/2 AL (never really gets used)

Last week, I received my Monette Prana tt-4L mouthpiece from their factory in Oregon. Honestly, I never thought I would spend that much on a mouthpiece for any instrument. But let me tell you, as of right now (and I'll follow up in about a month or two). These mouthpieces are worth every penny. They feel weird to play at first, but the acclimation guide does help a lot. The sound heard by the performer is much airier... However, put a listener 20+ feet away and the difference is unmistakeable. These mouthpieces sound much better than anything else I've heard at a realistic performance distance. These mouthpieces, though, require much more air than any other mouthpiece I've tried. The throat on this mouthpiece is really wide (I can drop a pencil through it!) so naturally, you will need a strong buzz and a good feel for the center of pitch.

These mouthpieces come in two weights, standard and light weight. Don't be fooled by the name "standard" weight though, these mouthpieces weigh more than the Bach Megatone brand. Before switching to my TT-4L I played on a Bach Megatone 5G. I have no experience with the light weight models, but personally I have always been a fan of heavier mouthpieces. I love the darker sounds of heavy mouthpieces and to me the project much better.

I know mouthpieces are very much a personal preferance, but my experience with Monette has been great! Oh, and their customer service is simply unmatched. I was astounded by their customer relations staff!