Posted by Ken Herrick on June 04, 2002 at 00:51:12:
In Reply to: Hand bruising due to playing euphonium? posted by Heather on June 03, 2002 at 20:02:51:
I would suggest that you spend a bit of time with a teacher having a really good look at how you are holding the instrument. I don't know what model you play so could not offer much of a suggestion on what might be wrong.
You want to look for a way of supporting the instrument in such a way that your right hand has to do the minimum amount of work holding the instrument. Maybe some sort of stand or harness would help.
What ever you do, avoid leaning to one side as this will impair your respiratory function and lead to further tension and possible back strain. Euphoniums, like their bigger siblings are not, generally, the best designed things ergonomically. Seek a posture with the least amount of tension required as any tension in one place tends to be matched with more tension elsewhere and tension should be avoided.
Maybe trying some cushions or something in front of a mirror so you can see what is going on will help will help. You might also want to consult with a friendly instrument tech who might be able to modify the hand grip etc.