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Heaviest instruments CARRIED? Drums AND brass


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Couple things...I used to carry a 36" bass. A long time ago. It still hurts! There's a cymbal player with the Hurricanes Sr. corps who plays 30" or 32" cymbals during their signature "Magnificent Seven". He spreads his arms as far apart as he can, then with fully extended arms, brings the cymbals together. He certainly must be careful to not catch his chin or nose, between the plates! And finally, I have seen a female bari player march with a contra...held like a bari / euph, and hold it for 30 seconds+. WOW! THAT is strength! :lol:

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Not really with the marching timpani. I marched a 29" timpano and my vibraphone was WAY heavier than that. It bent the T-bar harness in half and I had to fabricate a harness in my basement from an old fiberglass tenor harness and a specially forged steel T-bar. That, and I had to wear a lumbar brace the second year because my back was wrecked. Somehow, I still managed to look like I was having fun out on the field, (as indeed I was). In fact, the xylophone was worse than a timpano in the weight department.

Bob Blomberg

Looks like you're the winner so far, Bob. I too carried a vibraphone on the field. 1975 Cabs. The vibes belonged to George Tuthill, who I taught with there for several years. We took the legs off it; it was INCREDIBLY heavy. (it was NOT a "marching" keyboard). Then they took an old triple bass harness (previously worn by Mike DeLucia, Dennis' brother.) and rigged it for my vibes. Then, they put two 5 lb. counterweights behind me. It did help me to stand up straight; but it made the whole thing ten pounds heavier! It kinda drove me into the ground, like a nail!! I used to kneel down behind the corps during the Ritual Fire Dance concert just to catch my breath!! :) AHHhhh ...memories.

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Huh? I thought the whole point was to make them touch eachother!!!!

I mean where they are completely pressed together for more than half a second. There is only one position where you do that. All the rest the cyms are apart and only come together very very briefly on a note.

And I cannot imagine being able to have decent AV crash quality with 32" cyms.

Edited by Morgoth Bauglir
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We should count our blessings. Imagine the poor folks who do the marching "Anvil Chorus." b**bs

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HEY, HEY, HEY !!!

In 1975, the 27th Lancers had a guy in a cage that played both chimes and I believe a xylaphone !!!

Now that sucker must have been the heaviest S.O.B. I have seen anyone carry !! b**bs :sshh: b**bs :sshh: b**bs

Edited by ODBC
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Let's consider for a momemt that all the instruments are carried in the same manner.

If you mount a euphonium on a vest carrier, or you hold a 32" bass in front of you.

Just trying to mix it up a bit.

In any case, the heaviest is still the vibraphone at 65#.

lol now that'd be something to see...a euph on a carrier ha

and i've tried holding out a 32 in front of me....it didn't happen lol

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These are the Horizons in 1974. Take a look at the triple bass player just behind the judge on the right. This gets my vote.

horizons2.jpg

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