Brass Lyres
There's a lot to think about while playing a brass instrument, especially when you have to keep on top of your sheet music. The playing positions of many instruments make it tough to see a music stand, and of course, if you're in a marching band then a stand is out of the question entirely. Situations like these are the perfect times for brass lyres, which mount directly to your instruments to hold the sheet music right in front of you while you play. It's a straightforward solution, and one that every brass musician can take advantage of. With your music held up right where you need it, you don't have to distract yourself to find your place on the sheet - so you can devote all of your focus to the music.
The traditional lyre is about as simple as can be: it generally consists of a metal post with a small clip on the end to hold your sheet music. Some examples of this classic style include the Yamaha Low Brass Lyre, Standard Large Bore Trombone Marching Lyre, and the top-selling Grover-Trophy Brass Marching Lyres. You can also find some with a plastic clip, like the Plasti Lyre for Trumpet and Cornet, if you'd like something a little more lightweight.
When you're in a marching band or any kind of outdoor ensemble, there isn't usually room to have extra sheet music close by to swap in and out of your lyre. That's when it's a good idea to use a lyre that can hold multiple pages at once. You can find that here with the DEG A16-HC260 Trumpet Lyre, DEG Marching Bass Drum Lyre and DEG HC250 Trombone Bell Lyre. These three are designed like miniature flipcharts, so you can have the whole repertoire for a performance loaded up at once, with the next page only a quick flip away at all times.
Unless you have every single piece perfectly memorized (which is probably something that no musician can claim!), brass lyres are an important part of your musical toolkit. They'll put the sheet music front and center in a way that even a music stand can't do, so you can say goodbye to dividing your attention. Just load up your lyre and play - your music will literally be riding on your instrument, so you'll be free to concentrate on your technique and play at your best.
