Part 2: Stringed Instruments

True or False: Cellos are always played with the strings perpendicular to the floor.  

False!

All you need is ingenuity, perseverance, and a cello stand.

Inga and Elena play cello adaptively.  They use their left feet to bow and their right feet to press on the fingerboard.  Inga and Elena use stands for their cellos to keep them stable and at the proper height.  The stands were made by May We Help, an organization of engineers who volunteer their time and talent to make adaptive devices for people with disabilities.  The Play Foundation is a non-profit that provides grant money for children with limb differences to pursue the arts and athletics, and they funded the construction of these stands.  

Aly is one of the most spirited children I’ve ever met.  She also plays the cello.  Since Aly has a condition which limits the range of movement in her arms, she cannot play the typical way.  Instead, she plays with the cello on a stand.  

Cellos are not the only string instruments which can be played on a stand.  What about guitars?

Don Jaeger and the folks at the Coalition for Disabled Musicians, Inc. have been creating solutions for decades.  About 25-30 years ago, Don made a stand for bass guitarist, Jake.  He used part of a guitar stand and the bottom of a drum stand!

Through the Coalition for Disabled Musicians, I learned about a few guitar stands currently on the market.  Check them out!

The MBrace Stand works for acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, and roundback instruments played right-handed or left-handed.

The Performer is a stand for acoustic guitars.

Do you use a support for playing an instrument?  Leave a comment and share your solution!