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Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 1:54 pm
by Mary Ann
I think it's Chicago something-or-other, but a middle part has several players doing silly percussion things. My part has a cow bell. The thing is, it is quite heavy, there is no stand for it, and I have to whack it really hard to get a sound I am happy with. I do not have time to put the tuba down or pick it up before and after, and do not think trying to hang it from the stand would have results that work because of how hard I have to hit it. Concert is Tuesday and I do not have it here to fiddle with. Seeking suggestions from the genius TFFJ.

Difficult to type with a 12 pound cat heavily massaging ("kneading") my right arm, which has a heavy fuzzy sleeve on it due to it being 64 degrees in here. I also don't understand the nose-in-armpit appeal, but I'm not a cat.

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 3:31 pm
by rodgeman
I have seen drum kits with the cowbell mounted to a stand and hit with a drum stick. Maybe see if the percussion group has a stand for it?

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 3:34 pm
by rodgeman

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 3:37 pm
by Three Valves
My prescription?

More cow bell! :tuba:

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 4:44 pm
by bone-a-phone
Clamp it to the back of a French Horn player's chair, or what ever poor chap is sitting in front of you... :popcorn:

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 7:09 pm
by bloke
I believe the 494 Hagen has a cowbell holder as standard equipment.
The only problem is that it's metric, so you might have to get a Meinl cowbell.

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/drums-p ... ed-cowbell

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2023 9:28 pm
by tofu
.

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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 6:08 am
by Dents Be Gone!
I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 9:44 am
by Mary Ann
Dents Be Gone! wrote: Mon Dec 04, 2023 6:08 am If it has a handle, zip tie it to your music stand by the handle.
No handle; looks like it is supposed to attach to a cow bell stand. I have looked at wiring it to the stand but without having it here to mess with, iffy to get it working in the 20 minutes before the concert. Probably going to end up just being whacked while on the floor IF I can reach it and still keep control of the tuba. Otherwise, I'll have to let the other Eb carry the (fairly insignificant) part for a few measures while I mess with the cow bell. No percussion section per se (someone usually comes in with a drum kit for the dress rehearsal) and the extra percussion is actually written into the various instruments' parts. We're not a high level brass band but we have fun.

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Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 10:05 am
by Dents Be Gone!
I agree, guys. This is the way to go.

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 10:18 am
by Mary Ann
Yeah remembering the kind of attachment it has on it (I had it for a full 20 minutes last Tuesday at the dress rehearsal) -- the only thing I could think of was to wire it somehow to the stand, but that would be iffy. With my luck the wire would come loose and it would go flying and dent someone's instrument. Kind of like a couple rehearsals ago when the Yam 822 player on my right did a fast slide pull a little too fast -- and the slide came flying through the air and landed at my feet.
Appreciating all the silly jokes, BTW.

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 10:34 am
by Wally
Perhaps use a chair, small stool, or even an instrument case. Place a folded towel on top and the cowbell on top of that. It'll be a bit muffled but players hold it in their hand to muffle it a bit anyway! Good luck and have fun! :thumbsup: :tuba:

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 10:46 am
by Mary Ann
Thanks. I'll include that in my messing with ideas today. Not having the thing here makes it a bit more difficult. This is the most workable idea so far. Since I'm not using the tuba stand -- maybe could set it up front-and-right and bring tape. As long as I whacked it from above it would stay put, and I could reach it at that height without having to put the tuba down.
Whack-a-bell?

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 11:02 am
by Three Valves
There is only one way...



:teeth:

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2023 11:17 am
by travisd
Ask the percussion section if they have a suitable spare stand?

Re: Cow bell in my part ---

Posted: Wed Dec 06, 2023 10:11 am
by Mary Ann
Taped it to the top of my unused tuba stand, worked perfectly, to my right in front eash reach with the drumstick. I was told it even resonated pretty well with that setup, as much as a cow bell CAN resonate. Whoever suggested the box, that morphed into the tuba stand, and thank you for providing the solution.