The background of the idea

The history of the ERGObrass is based on the ErgoBone, the first support device for tha trombone.

I started to develop a trombone support device in the autumn of 1999 as a result of suffering from frequent, gradually growing pains in my left elbow whenever I played a little more than usual. At times also suffered from pain in the wrist.

I looked for a solution on the trombonists' many homepages, where there was discussion about the problems of trombone playing and also occasionally some talk about the symptoms caused by the tension in the left hand. As a result from these discussions, however, advice was only given on the way the instrument's body should be pressed with the left hand's fingers in order to minimize stress.

I finally realized that it was completely useless to wonder how to cope with physically supporting the instrument's weight when the solution would naturally be that a trombone needn't be supported only by hand in the first place! Neither saxophones, bassoons nor violoncellos are supported meryly by hand. Even many clarinetists and oboists nowadays prefer to support the few hundred grams of their instruments with their body rather than with their hands only.

I also noticed that the floortube provides essential help for young trombone learners in finding a right playing position, which is, as known, often difficult for them.

After a great worldwide succes with the ErgoBone, many french horn players have asked me to develop a similar device also for their heavy instruments. So I started to work with this new project with the help of Mr Olli Hirvonen, principal horn player of the Turku Philhamonic Orchestra, Finland and Mrs Erja Joukamo-Ampuja, professor of the Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. After several prototypes I end up with this most simple and effective version.

Any comments or questions?

Please email and share your thoughts with me!