Posted by NSG on January 21, 2004 at 10:32:04:
In Reply to: Pain troubles posted by RC on January 20, 2004 at 23:48:59:
RC,
I am no doctor and I don't play one on TV...BUT your problems could be caused by many things like being overweight, out of shape, not getting enough exercise, not stretching out the muscles you use to play the tuba BEFORE you play, not drinking tons of water every day, etc. With my own playing, I know that I will be sore and will experience discomfort if I sit down to play for hours at a time with no physical preparation. I find it a good idea to approach an hour-long practice session like getting ready to go for an hour of jogging or lifting weights. It's a physical activity that requires everything to be in optimal condition before I am really ready to get it on. I find that I play & breathe a lot better when I'm in better physical shape.
Depending on your physical size and how you sit, the PT-20 may be uncomfortable to play. There is no magic tuba that feels great to everybody. Maybe the way you're sitting could be adjusted to take some weight off your body. Have you tried a DEG tuba tripod (email me privately to find out Josh Cutchin's off-color name for them)? I play a Hirsbrunner 2P and love it, but I do have to rest it on the chair to take some strain off my upper body. I have played larger instruments that were MURDER on my back, just because of the weight and the way I had to sit while I played them. I sold them for many reasons, not the least of which was how UNcomfortable they were to play.
So, not knowing anything else about you and your situation, this is the advice I can offer, based on my own experience. Use it or don't.
Listen to your doctor, though. You may have something horribly wrong with you that none of my advice will help.
Good luck and keep tubin'
Sean Greene
Madison, WI