Saxophones I'm a believer--playing sitting down

[eb424]

So...The wedding I urgently wanted to do this for has thrown a curveball..

I've been asked to " carry on the party" on the coach...arghhhhh...it's only a 20 minute journey and after initially being scared shoootless I think I have a way that this can be achieved which requires playing sitting down which I have never done..Think it could be fun turning up at the evening venue with a coachload of party revellers singing sweet caroline, but hey thats just me..What are peoples opinion on doing this (not the song list lol), not licences etc just the practicalities. As my nephew is in media the reception has a few sound engineers etc. His brother is going to help setting up and stripping down..(ooooh matron), and going to compare for the journey. We are having a dry run with his mixer ( I wanted to keep it simple and just play the Cube, rf mic, and media source but hey ho..

Just to bug those who had earworms re I'm a believer I have attached a vid of me playing sitting down. With apologies I usually record with the phone camera away but didn't this time. Also the recording isn't mixed which it will be. As usual can I have some feedback on areas for improvement, I'm sure there will be many...

Happy Sunday to one and all...Eddie

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[Targa]

The road surface, coach suspension and driving standard will probably determine the standard of your performance and possibly state of your teeth.

 

[BalancedReaction]

You got me confused there. I skimmed through the original post, and only after Targa's comment, I realized I was mixing up words "coach" and "couch".
Why would playing on a couch pose a problem, I asked myself. 🤦‍♂️

 

[Pete Thomas]

Playing sitting down should not be a problem, it's something musicians have been doing for centuries. However I agree with Targa, speed bumps or other hazards causing the coach to bounce could cause accidental damage to your teeth or the instrument. I would politely decline. OTOH it might be good for your progress as you'd probably need to memorise the tunes at last.

 

[sax panther]

completely agree with Targa and Pete, politely and firmly say no. Not worth the risk to your teeth or your gear.

 

[mark_addy]

I dunno, if you made a temporary shock-isolating crook out of a piece of plastic hose and somehow attached the mouthpiece to a hat or a pair of comedy spectacles... Or...suspend yourself and the sax from the roof of the coach on really compliant rubber bungees?

I used to work in noise and vibration control, in a university setting where novel solutions are quite the thing 🙂

 

[eb424]

I'Ve always found coaches quite smooth..

 

[mark_addy]

I'Ve always found coaches quite smooth..

Take your sax on the bus and give the idea a dry run. You could wrap it in a bin liner to get past the driver, though if it is hanging around your person he may suspect an IED and call the bomb squad.

 

[mizmar]

revellers singing sweet caroline

As an aside; a while ago we were out for dinner at a local eatery which had a geetar and song man. I discovered that it's traditional, after "sweet Caroline" is sung, for the audience to reply "who the hell is Caroline?".
Or words to that affect.
Certainly brightened things up.

 

[MikeMorrell]

So...The wedding I urgently wanted to do this for has thrown a curveball..

I've been asked to " carry on the party" on the coach...arghhhhh...it's only a 20 minute journey and after initially being scared shoootless I think I have a way that this can be achieved which requires playing sitting down which I have never done.
...

Happy Sunday to one and all...Eddie

...

I agree with the many members who advise against playing sax while sitting down on a coach. I wouldn't either (though I'm used to playing when sitting down). Even if you know the coach route in advance and it's speed-bump free, unexpected things can happen (like sudden braking for a red light, some fool driver who pulls in front of the coach, etc.). So there are always risks.

Personally, I just might be tempted to give it a go, just for the fun and novelty. But only on condition that I played
- standing up, facing forwards the front of the coach (to look at traffic conditions coming up)
- with bent knees (to absorb any minor up-down undulations)
- with my feet 'braced' front and back to absorb any forward-backward undulations.
- between two seat backs to lean on (or quickly grab!) if the coach swerves/turns

A given is that I would explain that if I at any time uncomfortable, I would just stop playing mid-way in any tune (temporarily or permanently). In other words, playing sax on a coach would be conditional and purely on a 'best effort' basis. I would also explain to the wedding organizers what the real risks are for a sax player on a coach with a hard sax mpc in his mouth!

What I definitely would not do is to play sitting down (with no 'anticipation' of road conditions ahead, no means of 'absorbing' minor undulations in your legs and - consequently - little chance of quickly 'ejecting' your mpc if necessary.

Thinking of a 'worse case scenario', it could mean that you, your sax or passengers are injured (by your loose, swinging sax). So insurance is an issue too.

In writing this response, I retract my comment that 'I might be tempted to give it a go'. For me, it would just be too much hassle for 20 minutes! I think I would opt for just playing a recording that passengers can sing along to. Showing off my sax just to show that it's you that's playing.

I wish you wisdom!

Mike

 

[Pete Thomas]

So insurance is an issue too.

I imagine most insurance companies may class this as an unnecessary risk. Probably more do than playing saxophone while sky diving.

 

[mizmar]

So insurance is an issue too.

Also, aren't you required to use a seatbelt on coaches these days?

 

[MikeMorrell]

Also, aren't you required to use a seatbelt on coaches these days?

I have no idea. Didn't in my day (1980).

 

[lig]

I can't of many use cases that would have me using my Vibratosax over any other axe but this would be one of them. 🙂

 

[Pete Effamy]

I imagine most insurance companies may class this as an unnecessary risk. Probably more do than playing saxophone while sky diving.

I thought of a great “extreme sport “ years ago - deep sea darts.

 

[Dr G]

@eb424 Are you still playing from some form of written music? How is that going to work on the coach?

Has anyone considered how LOUD your horn will be on a coach?

Have you considered saying “That is outside what I am able to do. I cannot do that.”?

FWIW: I have played tenor sax for many decades. I have also toured many miles in coaches and buses. I would not consider this gig for sooooo many reasons even though it evokes many memories of watching the Monkees perform in similar situations on TV.

 

[Pete Thomas]

How is that going to work on the coach?

It’s unlikely, hence why I posted above need to memorise tunes.

 

[Dr G]

It’s unlikely, hence why I posted above need to memorise tunes.

Yes, you and I know that. I thought it was apparent that I was asking @eb424. I’ll edit my post to make that more explicit.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Yes, you and I know that

Great minds think alike! 😀

 

[Ivan]

As an aside; a while ago we were out for dinner at a local eatery which had a geetar and song man. I discovered that it's traditional, after "sweet Caroline" is sung, for the audience to reply "who the hell is Caroline?".
Or words to that affect.
Certainly brightened things up.

A sweet Norwegian tradition