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[Nick Collis Bird]

I don't have ergonomic posture problems but something just as bad. I can't even get through Constant Billy without being totally out of breath. Having had tests, it's not heart or lungs. The tests continue.

Shouldn't this be under the Dear Marge  thread.?
PS Playing "Getting up Stairs" is even worse 

[Bob Ellis]

I've posted some of this on another thread in the past, but it bears repeating and there is now a bit more to it.

Throughout nearly two decades of playing, I have always had trouble keeping the keyboard still (Steve-freereeder criticised me for it, quite correctly, at Witney a couple of years ago). It didn't matter whether I stood up, sat down, used two straps (with or without a connector across the back) or just one strap: the damn thing still waggled about like a demented jellyfish. I also had to have frequent visits to a chiropractor due to problems with my back.

Then I had a pacemaker fitted that precluded having a strap resting on my left shoulder, so I took the advice of a friend and lifted the strap over the top of my head so that it sat on my right shoulder (this requires a longer left strap). Two unexpected bonuses of this were that this immediately cured my 'demented jellyfish' syndrome, giving me a firm and stable playing position, and that my back problems were cured almost instantly - although, buying a memory-foam bed probably also contributed to curing the back pain.

Now I just need to find a more stable way of playing my one-row boxes, which only have one strap... 

[911377brian]

Bob, I only 'play' one row, and I've started to put the strap over my head onto my left shoulder. I THINK its more stable, but I tend to be forever changing my mind on the strap position debate....

[Bob Ellis]

Thanks for the suggestion, Brian. I should have thought of it myself because it is a logical corollary of how I play my other boxes that have two straps, but I didn't! 

I've just spent a couple of hours trying it out whilst playing both English and Cajun tunes, but I don't think it is going to suit me because it alters the position of the box so that it is not only closer to my body (not, in itself, a bad thing) but also tends to twist the box into an uncomfortable playing position. I tried varying the length of the strap, but I couldn't find a position that I found comfortable. Maybe it is just a case of more experimentation until I find a position that suits me.

[pikey]

I don't have ergonomic posture problems but something just as bad. I can't even get through Constant Billy without being totally out of breath. Having had tests, it's not heart or lungs. The tests continue.

Shouldn't this be under the Dear Marge  thread.?
PS Playing "Getting up Stairs" is even worse 

Does Billy mind? Plus playing whilst navigating stairs is very risky, you might catch your bellows on the banister.

I suspect you have confused the Charles Atlas Bullworker with a melodeon. Try playing using as little air as possible - fix the top strap to keep your bellows movements tight.  Let me know if that helps!

[Nick Collis Bird]

Bugger off ! 

[Nick Collis Bird]

Shouldn't have said that. 

[pikey]

 

No a fence taken    btw comment about amount of air was serious.

[Ebor_fiddler]

"And he lay in an ergonomic posture, wi' t' shade of his face on the bars.
Young Albert 'ad 'eard about Lions ..."