There are so many different ways to support your instrument, some more ergonomic than others, and it’s important that you know what your options are! If you’re lucky enough to live near a double reed retailer, you’ll be able to try the different supports before you commit to a purchase, but most oboists don’t live close enough to visit and try them out.
I’ll give you my thoughts on each system, and I’ll link to the store you can purchase them from! (I'm not sponsored by any of the linked stores or brands.)
Neck strap (elastic or cotton cord)
The most readily available option for supporting an English horn is a neck strap. I own one with both a cotton cord and a bungee cord made by the company BG. They’re high quality products, and provide different amounts of support to the instrument. I don’t favor the bungee cord because it doesn’t take enough of the instrument’s weight off my right hand when I play, so if I use a neck strap, I typically use my cotton cord model which is inflexible and gives me more support.
The drawback to this option is that the weight of the instrument presses down upon the player’s neck. I find neck straps uncomfortable to use over a long period because they contribute to my tendency to slouch - the weight of the instrument pulls me into a slouch.
Chair support peg
I haven’t seen this style of support in the wild recently. This is a tool that connects to your thumbrest and then rests the weight of the instrument on the chair between your legs as you play. This would only be useful while sitting, so could work great for orchestra or band performances.
When I first started playing oboe, I had some right wrist discomfort - the weight of my school’s instrument was too much for me. I purchased an oboe version available at the time called a PHRED, and it was a game-changer for my playing.
Suspender-style harness
Weightless Winds (Apparently not in production anymore)
This was my favorite support for my English horn until a year and a half ago when I invested in a peg. The suspenders clip onto the waistband of your pants, and shift the weight of the instrument over your shoulders in a more ergonomically correct manner. I find the suspenders really comfortable, especially when standing, although I wish they didn’t stretch as much as they do.
The drawback of using the suspender-style harness is that you can’t really wear a skirt or a dress while using this harness. Ideally I’d love to be able to wear a dress for some performances and when I’m in my everyday life practicing.
W.R.I.S.T. support
The idea is you hook it onto a sturdy metal music stand and the music stand bears the weight of the English horn for you. It’s a nifty mechanism, and you can adjust how much it flexes up and down with the weight of the instrument.
I own one of these supports, but I don’t use it very much anymore. I find that my small stature requires me to sit way too close to the music stand when I use this product, even when it’s extended out towards me further. It’s also a pain to set up, and I don’t dare leave it put together for fear of the delicate hook getting damaged.
Peg support
My most recent investment in gear has been to purchase a peg and an instrument stand extender for my English horn. The peg is attached to a cup that slides onto the bell of the instrument and has an adjustable peg to accommodate different height chairs. When I play English horn in orchestral settings, I’m always seated, and this is the most comfortable support to use during a rehearsal because it takes the full weight of the instrument off my hand and I have more dexterity to move my right fingers.
Unfortunately, the peg doesn’t work when standing, so I can’t use it for chamber music when standing or recitals. In addition, when I’m doing a lot of switching between oboe and English horn, I often find that the peg requires extra time and attention to avoid knocking it off by accident. Instead of putting the instrument back on its stand, sometimes I’ll hold it between my legs while I play the oboe part and wait for a longer period of rest to put the English horn on the stand.
No matter what support you choose, having a support as an option as you fatigue is really important. If you’re a band director - I recommend the BG neck straps as a starting point. If you’re a hobbyist or aspiring oboist, you might benefit from trying some of the options I listed above.
Did I miss your favorite English horn support? Reply and let me know!
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