ERGOsax - TENOR ALTO Saxophone Support

REVOLUTIONARY SAXOPHONE SUPPORT!  REMOVE WEIGHT, PLAY FLUIDLY, PLAY FREELY!

Great news for sax players.  Following on from the success of the soprano sax support, and other wind support systems in the ERGObrass catalogue, this support is now available for ALTO, TENOR and BARITONE sax.  Unlike other designs that have come and gone over the years, the ERGOsax is designed with manoeuvrability in mind.  Such an overlooked part of playing the saxophone, particularly the bigger and heavier ones, is the strain that it places on our body, especially the back, neck and shoulders.  Not only does the ERGOsax completely remove this strain, but it can encourage us to play with better posture and more overall relaxation during our practice sessions or performances.  This will lead to happier and healthier musicians!

Details

The design features a series of telescopic extension tubes, and a robust strap-ring connecting device, but the magic happens due to the use of an angled stainless-steel rod which counterbalances the saxophone perfectly and allows the sax to be manoeuvred left, right, back or forth in a very natural fashion.  In addition, the ERGOsax can be adjusted for use in a seated or standing position.  This well-designed device is made from quality materials and parts and comes with a comprehensive assembly guide.  For those of you worried about letting go of your sax and having it go crashing to the ground, ERGObrass have included a black plastic 'second ring' which can be attached to the strap ring connecting device.  It allows you to attach your strap and have it loosely in position, just in case!

At first it will be necessary to take some time experimenting with placing the support in different positions, until the balance feels right.  Once the height adjustment has been set the ERGOsax support can be left in the appropriate position permanently, unless you decide to change from Alto to Tenor, or vice versa (or from standing to seated).

Staff Review

I have personally been interested and excited about the development of both an alto/tenor and a baritone version for some time.  The soprano one has been around for several years now, but let's face it - most of us play alto or tenor, and as a result of this version I'm sure we're going to see a real surge in demand.

Unlike other support sticks that take the weight of the instrument, the thing that really clinches it for me with this design is the fact that it has this angled piece of stainless steel at the top, and this seems to change the centre of gravity such that the horn now feels balanced and stable.  In other designs, I've had the feeling that the sax just wants to fall away to one side or the other, particularly when moving from holding lots of keys to just one, or none (as in middle or upper C#).  With the ERGOsax, everything feels a lot more stable in this regard.

One thing to note, on the TEN ALT version, when playing in a seated position, I did have to experiment for a good few minutes before I got the support in the right position/angle, etc.  Eventually, I realised that the ideal set-up involved positioning the base of the support on the inside of my right foot and having the post sit gently against my right calf and inner thigh.  From here the angled metal rod swings over to my right and allows the sax to be positioned neatly against my mid-right thigh.  Due to its design, the support can rotate while in position, meaning the sax will still move fluidly with you as you please.  It does take some getting used to - but once you have the feeling of trust you soon realise that you can play incredibly freely, with virtually zero physical burden, other than the use of your breathing muscles!  What a great invention!

Jim Cheek