Category: Product Review

Every musician should own a music stand. Probably a fold-able one that can travel. Its shocking to me that after 20 years of being a musician in New York City I still show up to gigs where ‘professional’ musicians didn’t bring a music stand or think about it. There’s no excuse and certainly even less of an excuse as exciting new music stands come out. Which brings me to the point of this article.

Folding music stands are ubiquitous, and terrible. Fortunately they are cheap, but if you are a serious musician and you finally want to get something that won’t wear out and break in a year there is finally a new portable option. Here I am going to discuss the new Capsule music stand (formerly known as the Kraftgeek music stand).

To be transparent and up front – I was sent one of these stands for free to review it. That being said, I am happy to tell you the things I love about it and the things I think can be improved. The good news is that I have seen and used this stand before and the one I was sent is actually updated and improved, which is always a great sign. This stand has a very modern design aesthetic and was clearly very thought through and well manufactured. This stand has become my new go-to music stand for gigs.

And yes, if you like this stand, I have a discount code for you. Get it for %15 off (and help support this page, affiliate fees go towards hosting costs).

https://kraftgeek.com/products/bravo-music-stand-209?ref=jazzbarisax
Use code jazzbarisax for the discount.

What is it.

Its a portable music stand with modern design, which means its light enough to carry to a performance but with a lot of features. As a baritone saxophonist, weight and space is unfortunately a major consideration, otherwise I’d bring a double wide extra shelf Manhasset stand to every gig!

Everyone has probably used the cheap ‘wire’ music stands with the three flimsy legs and metal tubing that just seems to bend if you look at it wrong. This is a more substantial stand (just over 2.5 pounds), and there is a lot of intention and design that has gone into this one. Its not as light as the cheap wire stands, but lighter than some of the heavier duty fold-able or collapsible options currently out there. This one is a thoughtful mix of plastic and metal that feels substantial and decently constructed. There are some other novel features on this stand. But let’s talk about how the Capsule stand works.

First you unfold the top portion of the stand – it has a twistable lock though I haven’t found it necessary since I usually unfold the top stand portion all the way and it rests there. You then twist the bottom to ‘unlock’ the three tripod legs – a neat feature that will keep them folded up nicely when stored in the case. Next you grab the the portion just above the lefts and pull the stand out to its desired length/height. After that its just about adjusting the top portion that will hold the music. This stand differs quite a bit from other stands here. Instead a complex interlock of metal strips that have to unfolded in a very specific delicate way, this stand has rotating arms. The two main arms fold down (that the music will rest at bottom on) then you unfold the top two arms. In the middle you can then rotate the central arms out that support the music in the middle. And the last step is key, one that I didn’t quite grasp at first. You then can slide the top arms down towards the middle to better support the music, especially if you are using sheet music or anything 11 inches tall. You can leave it slid at the top if you are using a taller book or something. The middle arms can also be extended to the sides, very helpful if you are playing multi-page music. They also have sprung clips that can help hold the music in place. The bottom arms are also topped with an anti-slip rubber which is a nice change from most music stands where things go flying off.

The stand itself has add-ons (a phone/tablet holder and a stand light… more below) and they attach to the stand using very standard 1/4″ screw holes. I love that this gives you the option to easily attach other standard mountings, like those with any camera or GoPro.

Height wise the range is excellent. It can go short enough that sitting is no problem, and it telescopes quite long! It can get more than tall enough for I think just about everyone. And not having tighteners/screws or levers to adjust when changing the height is magnificent. Its all pressure fit so you just pull up or push down to raise or lower. And after quite a bit of use there is no sign so far of it getting looser or wearing.

Packaging

I wouldn’t normally comment on packaging, but its so well thought out on this product and nicely done. There are plenty of instructions, and information on all of the packaging. I find a lot of things in the music industry often skimp on packaging so its really nice to see here.

Even the protective foam inside the boxes is nice enough to repurpose if you are so inclined. The carry case even comes in a draw string bag itself which is also decent enough that I’ll find another use for that too!

 

Carrying Case

While black is handy for musicians especially when we’re on stages and need everything to not be conspicuous, I actually appreciate that they went with a non black carrying case. The one they offer is the Portable Tripod Bag. I think it looks smart, and its very well made. Every other bag that came with a music stand I’ve ever had has worn out or broken – I often find myself adding velcro or snap buttons, or sewing rips shut. The fabric on this carrying case is much more substantial, I don’t expect to have to do that anytime soon. They also opted for a zipper instead of a cheap velcro or button enclosure. And the carrying straps are adjustable and made of good quality vinyl strapping. Its clear an actual designer tackled this product and it wasn’t just shoved in a cheap bag as an after thought.

Inside the case there are actual velcro adjusted dividers – brilliant! Especially handy if you get the full package including the stand light, phone/tablet holder etc. Even with those things inside there is PLENTY of room, maybe too much in fact. I assume this is a bag they use for other products and have re-used, they even call it a tripod bag. But you can easily store a clip for wind, some pencils or whatever else you’d want in there with room to spare.

Phone/Tablet Holder

Its an optional add on, and there is absolutely no shortage of these out there already, but one thing you can get with this stand is a phone/tablet holder that attaches to the stand. Theirs is called the FlexyMount. You might be thinking – ‘If I have a music stand, why would I need a phone or tablet holder, why wouldn’t I just put the phone/table on the stand?’. Well, on some gigs you need both sheet music and a tablet, or maybe you want hands free access to your phone, or maybe you want to record some video while playing. Basically – its a handy option to have. And the Capsule stand has included a 1/4 inch screw hole as the attachment method. This is amazing as that’s a very standard size for camera mounts and what not. So if you have a GoPro setup or some camera tripod setup it would be very easy to adapt it for use with this stand too. And the phone/tablet holder is actually good enough I use it for filming videos now even without the Capsule stand!

The holder itself is kind of brilliant. It hold a phone with very simple sprung retractable holders. But then each side has a subtle button to release it and lengthen the arm. With both arms extended it can hold a table (at least my medium sized iPad). It also has an adjustable screws and angle/arms that can be tightened so you can get the tablet or phone oriented whatever way works best for you. The hardware it comes with will look familiar to anyone who uses camera gear or a GoPro, so its nice to have non-proprietary fittings.

The stand has a 1/4 inch screw hole at the very top as well so you can put a tablet or phone (or GoPro) up there too!

Stand Light

Another optional add-on is their stand light. They call it the Lumi Light. Its well designed and smart looking, but honestly maybe my least favorite part of this stand. Its good, you won’t be displeased if you get it but there are many stand lights out there now. When LED lights finally became ubiquitous the music stand light market exploded. The prevalence of cheap rechargeable batteries was also a game changer.

This light does make use of LED lights, and has a slick two arm lighting setup up. You screw the light into the top of the stand and swing the arms out. There is a slide switch on the light with three settings – off, on, and extra bright. The brightest setting is pretty bright though it will likely eat through batteries quickly. The light can either be powered by 3 AA batteries, or you can plug it in. Its great to have both options! It doesn’t include the plug but its a standard USB C plug. A built in rechargeable battery would have been nice, but I have my own rechargeable AA batteries that I use. I have found that while in the case or a bag the stand light can accidentally turn on (just like every other stand light I own) so to be safe you might want to flip one of the batteries around when not in use.

An odd thing about this light, is that the battery compartment has a little tab you push to open, but also is closed with a screw. And they include a TINY little screw driver. This seems… unnecessary? Like the screw is probably overkill and I’m sure if it wasn’t there is some other mechanism they could use?

I have found that the brightest setting uses quite a lot of battery. So if you need that brightness maybe plan to have it plugged in. Alternately you can use the less bright setting to make it farther between battery changes.

My main complaint about the light is the way it attaches. I find the screw cumbersome to attach every gig and it doesn’t fold up with it attached so you have to remove it every time. A light that can stay on and fold up with it would have been slick. Or at the very least a more quick attachment/detachment method. Magnets? Clips? Don’t know, but it could be slicker. Though I do appreciate having another 1/4″ screw slot that can be used for other things (tripods, cameras, ring lights etc).

You also can’t really adjust where the light hits on the music. You can swing the light arms in and out but that doesn’t do much to help. It can’t really be rotated or moved easily like some of the stand lights with bendable arms and adjustments. This light also can’t be used on any other music stand, so its sort of proprietary in that respect.

I use this light with the stand, but in my baritone case I won’t stop carrying my trusty bendable portable music stand light just yet.

Pricing

At $80 I think this thing is a pretty great deal given the build quality and function. Even cheaper if you use the links here and get a 15% discount. Of course that price is just for the stand, and I think the add-ons are great too. $150 gets you the whole shebang  with bag, phone/tablet holder, and light (a $25 discount). It is quite a step up from the plethora of junk stands you can get for $20-40 but if you’re a professional or a serious student and are going to be using this on like every gig – its worth the step up. And frankly, good design is worth paying for. If companies find that people are worth paying for products that are thought out and a little more expensive they’ll be more likely to produce something that isn’t just for the cheap student market. Also I hope this stand lasts a long time and reduces the waste of buying and constantly throwing out the cheaper ones when they inevitably give out.

Things That Could Be Better

I have one major complaint and dislike about this stand. Everything else is a minor suggestion. Like I think the case could be smaller and more compact – its almost twice as deep as it needs to be. I wish the stand light were more adjustable and easier to put on or take off – or at the very least could stay on when the stand is folded. I also of course would love a lighter stand (though I now notice there is a lightweight version of the stand!). Another small suggestion is a built in pencil holder. Every music stand is going to have a pencil on it sooner or later, why not build that in? And of course like any lightweight stand, this one won’t hold up to strong winds outside. It has some good features like the music clips and extra wide arms, and non-slip rubber strips, and you can add a plexiglass sheet to help in windy gigs, but no lightweight stand will hold up to a strong gust as well as a heavy old fashioned stand.

But those are all minor things I think could be easily fixed or ignored.

The one thing that really bums me about this otherwise incredible stand is the viewing angle.

When you unfold the stand the top part folds back into place and stops at about 30 degrees. That’s probably enough if you are sitting down or have the stand high enough that its not too far below tour eye-line. But after using this stand on a number of gigs, I just really want it to tilt back farther. Especially when I have the stand a bit lower  and am looking down at the music. I think i’d want maybe even twice as much tilt! It has a beautiful locking mechanism on the hinge that I never use because I always have it folded back and maxed out. If it went a full 90 degrees you could even consider putting a laptop on it (not recommended, but hey, people do it). This is the one thing where many of the cheap folding stands have got it beat. This feature reminds me of the even older metal tube based stands where the top portion just slotted into the stand and couldn’t be adjusted forward or back at all.

I can’t fully see the mechanism in the hinge and I don’t want to take it apart, so I have no idea how easy or hard this would be to adjust and improve, but that’s my only serious grudge against this otherwise incredibly well thought out piece of gear.

Summing it up

Obviously I like this stand and recommend it. Its become my go to stand for gigs. I am even probably going to buy the lightweight model to see how that one works (every ounce matters when also carrying a baritone saxophone and a bass clarinet!). I also love good design and supporting companies that make nice things for musicians.

Again, if you like this stand, I have a discount code for you. Get it for %15 off (and help support this page, affiliate fees go towards hosting costs).

https://kraftgeek.com/products/bravo-music-stand-209?ref=jazzbarisax
Use code jazzbarisax for the discount.

Key Leaves, the company whose handy little silicon wedges I already highly recommend has come out with a new product, just for us baritonists! Its a new way to keep the crook of the bari sax clean. Check out the video below for my thoughts on it and a demonstration (spoiler, its great).

Its $40 over at Key Leaves, head over and get one yourself!

The folks at ErgoBrass recently sent me their newest product to check out. Its a support system for baritone (and bass!) saxophone. It is made to replace or even work in tandem with your neck strap or harness. I was really impressed with this product. I reviewed a similar product some time ago called SaxSupport and this is somewhat of a similar idea, but I think better executed and more flexible.

Any baritonist with back or neck problems, or anyone with a bass saxophone could definitely benefit from this product. I have made an in depth video explaining how it works, demonstrating it, and trying it with various instruments (baritone sax, both low A and low Bb, bass sax, bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet and more). Check out the video for my full review:

Here’s the video from the company on the product:

If you’re interested you can purchase it directly from their website (sold and shipped from Europe):
https://store.ergobrass.com/product/ergosax-baribass-support/

We have a number of saxophone harnesses and stands listed on the accessories page, but a new one was just added. This is a free-standing baritone saxophone stand that is intended for use standing up! Though I think the stand could be adjusted for use sitting as well. Its based on very sturdy drum hardware and is made in Germany. I have not had a chance to see the stand in action, so if you’d like a full review, checkout SaxophoneCentral’s full review on it.

The stand currently can only be purchased directly through their website here.

Let us know in the comments if you’ve had a chance to try it!

Key Leaves is an innovative new (ish) US company that is making great accessories for saxophone and other woodwinds. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Rulon Brown, the Founder and President a few times, including when he initially released Key Leaves at the Navy Sax Symposium a couple years ago. I’ve been using, testing, and playing around with them ever since.

You may have have seen their products already, either from a friend or colleague using them or on the internet. The Key Leaves team is quite adept on social media have a strong web presence – even going so far as to have an Artist program of saxophonists that endorse their products.

They make a number of products, but here we’re going to focus on the products that are applicable to the baritone – the Key Leaves “Key Props”, and the “Spit Sponge”. If you play the other horns as well I’d really recommend checking out the other products as well.

A solution for Sticky Keys.

Both the Key Props and the Spit Sponge are intended to help alleviate the constant irritation of ‘sticky’ keys on the saxophone.

What are sticky keys and why do they occur?

The saxophone has keys that are either open or closed in their default or resting state. Most keys are always open until pressed. But some keys like the palm keys (D, Eb, E, F) and some pinky keys (Ab, Eb, Db) are closed by default until activated. The real issues come from the Ab and Db keys because unlike all of the other keys they have two springs, one that is tensioned to keep the key closed, and another spring that is used to open the key through the mechanical connection. These keys are more complicated because they can be closed by other key combinations and aren’t simple levers, but double levered. The low Eb key can sometimes stick as well because its the tone hole towards the bottom-back of the horn so when its sitting in the case, moisture can tend to collect down there. That’s a more common problem on alto and tenor since they don’t have a crook and spit valve.

So because these keys are always closed, and also because they have a spring tensioning them shut they can sometimes fail to open when pressed. We call this a ‘sticky’ key. This can be exacerbated by the two spring tensions being improperly adjusted, or more commonly dirt/oil/crud build up on the pad or on the tonehole. Below we will go over Key Leaves’ two tools for mitigating this problem. Both of these products are to some extent ‘better mousetraps’ in that there have been similar ways of treating sticky keys before, though I think these products do a better job and have some new attributes that haven’t been used before.

Check out a page on Key Leaves’ site with lots of examples of sticky keys and dirty bores: https://keyleaves.com/pages/proof

Key Props

The Key Props basically hold a key that is closed by default open. Because the key doesn’t sit for long periods in the case with the key pressed against the tone hole  it is far less likely to form sticky buildup of yeast, bacteria and fungus at the seal which can create a light bond or kind of glue the key shut. If the key stays open it is very unlikely to begin sticking when you go to play.

Now, it seems like you should be able to use just about anything to wedge a key open. And in fact when I showed my veteran repair man Key Leaves a couple years ago, his first comment was that players used to just wedge the keys open with a match book. And, yes, that will work. But Key Leaves is a much more elegant solution. Also, I like to think saxophonists aren’t all smoking these days.

The Key Leaves are made out of silicon, which is great for a few reasons. They are soft, and won’t scratch a horn. They are also pliable and flexible which again won’t damage a horn but is excellent for wedging a key open gently. And lastly, silicon is a great material because it is inert. In other words it won’t cause tarnish, lacquer removal, or discoloration of any sort even over the long term. I think bright green was also a good choice, as they are easy to spot and a nice visual reminder to remove them before playing. 

Check out the instruction images below on the proper way to use them. Key Leaves warns against contacting directly with the pad leather. I assume this is because should the key prop sit in the case pushing on the leather for extended periods it could deform the felt within the pad and cause leaks. 

I personally use the double up method a lot as this makes an easy grab tab to remove the key leaves before playing. Each package of Key Leaves comes with two “Leaves” and a strap, also made of silicon. I also use Key Props for horns that are likely to sit in the case for a long time. If they sit in the case with keys pressed against a tone hole (especially a non-rolled tone hole) the pads can dry out and split or rip. So I’ve found Key Leaves Key Props great for daily use as well as long term storage.

 

Spit Sponge

The spit sponge is a newer product from Key Leaves. And this is definitely a form of an existing tool. Most saxophonists have a sticky key remedy they swear by. A lot of people use dollar bills to clean the pad and tone hole – close the key semi-firmly on the bill and slide the bill out, thereby wiping both sides clean. Some people even soak the dollar bill in lighter fluid – this seems to do a good job of cleaning the pad, though exposing your saxophone to flammable liquids is not ideal.  Some people swear by cigarette paper instead of a dollar bill, some people just use regular paper.  Another old trick is to apply talcum or baby powder to the paper before running it through the pad. Yamaha has a product called powder paper which is basically east to rip out sheets of cigarette paper impregnated with talcum powder for easy use. This stuff works wonders, but it also gets which powder all over your pad and tone hole. BG has a tool which is a rounded piece of microfiber that can be used instead of paper to clean the pad. The Spit Sponge is probably closest to BGs but with a few noticeable and important differences.

The Spit Sponge unlike most of the other tools here has two unique sides. One is a plain soft microfiber while the other side is a laser engraved to form a very subtly abrasive texture. This is even better for removing stubborn dirt. The shape of the Spit Sponge is also unique, it has a large circular area great for larger pads and a smaller protrusion that is great for smaller pads and harder to reach areas. Also, because the Spit Sponge is laser cut it should be resistant to fraying. It is microfiber, so once it gets dirty you can simply wash it with water and soap to renew. 

Unorthodox / Unapproved / Unsanctioned usages

Key Leaves is very specific about the method and use of their product. So take this next bit with a grain of salt and lets agree not to hold them responsible for any problems arising from using their products in alternate ways. That being said, I’ve been using them quite successful in other ways. I mention in my cases article that if you are going to wheel your baritone around I’d highly recommend gently ‘corking’ or ‘clamping’ your keys shut so that the keys don’t flap or bounce constantly. In the past I’ve used cut wine corks to cork the keys shut, but turns out Key Leaves are perfect for this. Gentle enough not to damage the key, soft enough to wedge between the key and the key guard, and the right size so the pads aren’t smushed or crushed.

Lately I’ve also taken to using Key Leaves to prop open the spit valve, hopefully giving the crook a chance to dry out quicker? This may have little effect, but I’m going to try it out for a while.

I have reached out to Rulon Brown and Key Leaves in the hopes that in the future there may be a baritone specific product. Hopefully their ingenuity and desire to address saxophone specific problems could help baritone players everywhere with one of the challenges of playing baritone.

 

 

Summing it up. 

Key Leaves makes some great products to address common problems on the saxophone. They are well made, well designed, affordable and made in the USA by a small company. I’ve been using them for a couple years and have been pleased to see their popularity take off. You can find them at your local music store, on Amazon, or directly through their website. I have no problem at all encouraging everyone to give them a try.

Yamaha has released their new YBS-480. This will eventually replace the already popular YBS-52 intermediate baritone saxophone. The neck and bore have been altered, supposedly to closer match the professional model YBS-62 and there is a socket for a removable peg on the bottom.

Since this model will most likely be used by students and often younger students the option to rest the horn on a peg will be a welcome addition.

I had a chance to try this new horn in New Orleans in January at the Jazz Education Network conference, and I thought it was excellent. While I personally play a vintage horn I have no problem recommending a Yamaha especially to schools and students. They are tanks and can take a lot of abuse and still function very well. They are priced appropriately and are very consistent from horn to horn.

The YBS-52 is a big staple across the world in classrooms and hands of students so the improvements this horn will bring are going to make a big difference to baritone players all over. Kudos to Yamaha! Any attention to the big horn is much appreciated.

Click here to read the full news item on Yamaha’s website.

This review is for a product that I don’t think will appeal to all baritonists, but it is certainly a unique product and not something seen before so worth checking out.

Many, if not most baritonists these days, use a harness or at the very least a neck strap that provides a lot of support. Neck straps and harnesses have come a long way in the last 10 years, with many new options and systems out there. For some people though these aren’t an option due to extreme back issues or other problems.

There are a few modern baritone saxophones that include an integrated peg (similar to bass clarinets), although none of the major or popular brands do. In the past baritonists that didn’t want to use a neck strap could get a Hamilton style stand with a part that sort of bolted to the mid bell section of the horn that could be taken on and off a sturdy stand, and more importantly adjusted so it could be played while sitting without any weight being on the player.

A new product from Australia offers a new option for the players out there that are looking for an alternative to neck straps or are unable to use them. The SaxSupport sax stand is a light-weight telescoping stand made to hold the weight of the saxophone in a similar way to a bass clarinet peg would. The stand reminds me very much of a monopod camera stand, similar type latches with multi-tired adjust-ability.

The materials seems to be high grade sturdy plastic with some metal hardware in the important places. The locks have a ‘cam-lock’ system with adjustable screws to adjust tension. The pole also has numerical markings to get the same precise length desired for different situations (sitting vs standing). A nice rubber bottom of the ‘peg’ keeps the stand from sliding too much. The top portion of the stand is covered in a rough velcro – this is the area that is made to connect to the horn.

 

 

The main issue I have with the stand and I think what will cause many people to hesitate is the manner in which the stand connects to the horn. Included with the stand are two narrower strips of velcro and one long wide strip with an adhesive on the back. The wide strip of velcro is made to be placed vertically on the bow/bell portion of the saxophone. The SaxSupport stand velcro will adhere to this strip and the two narrower strips of velcro are made to go around the bell and be tightened similar to horizontal belts.

 

When testing out the stand I did not use the glue back to adhere the wide strip to my horn. I was concerned with applying and adhesive strip and removing it on my horn and whether that would damage the lacquer, especially as the lacquer on my vintage horn is already missing in places. The maker of the stand could not provide exact details about the type of adhesive used in the backing. However he does provide pictures on his website of having removed the velcro after a year on his horn. With some glue removal solution it looks like there were no permanent marks. I imagine more modern horns with complete lacquer will be less at risk, but I think anytime you are attaching something to your horn, especially when using it to hold the horn you can expect some abrasion or permanent marking.

I was able to get the stand to hold the weight of the horn with a simple friction fit, using the velcro and the two thin strips very tightly clasped around the bell and the stand. It adjusted nicely, and while it felt a little strange as it was a different playing angle, it could certainly be adapted to.  The maker of the stand recommends using a neck strap or harness in addition to the stand and I think that’s a wise precaution.

One additional consideration is that the shape of the bell and bow on a Low A baritone is quite different than that of a low Bb baritone, especially a Conn like my own. The low Bb bells can be curved almost the majority of the bell, whereas low A horns have a much longer section that is pretty much straight. This makes the SaxSupport stand much more compatible with a low A horn rather than a low Bb horn, though by experimenting with placement I think you could still make the system work.

Conclusion:

My honest perception of this product is that I don’t think most players really need it, or will be willing to adhere/glue a velcro strip to their horn to use it. However, for the few people that really can’t use a neckstrap or harness this product could be the difference between never playing the baritone again or continuing to enjoy the king of all horns. Aside from the issues I have with the connection to the horn and bell the stand seems very well designed and thought out. It should be noted that this stand could theoretically be used for any of the saxophones.

Check out the promotional video below.

The SaxSupport stand is $89. You can order one and see all of the details over at the website.