Woodwind Lyres
Playing a woodwind instrument takes a lot of concentration, and that goes double when you're in a marching band and you've got to focus on your movements as well as the music itself. In that situation, you simply don't have the luxury of a music stand to read from, and that's when a lyre has to step in to take over. These little clips attach directly to your instrument (or even your wrist), so you can keep the sheet music right in front of you at all times. You don't have to be in a marching band to appreciate the benefits, either - even when you're onstage, it can be a real boon not to have to glance down at a stand, so there's always room for woodwind lyres to help you out.
At its most basic, there's nothing complicated about a lyre: it's a simple double-ended clamp that attaches to your instrument at one end and holds your music at the other. In some cases, like the Grover-Trophy Marching Saxophone Lyre, they slot into mounts already built into the instrument. Others, such as the Giardinelli 506N Clarinet Lyre with Ring, have a mounting system that lets you position them freely. There are also plastic models, like the Selmer Plastic Lyre for Clarinet, that save a little bit of weight for slightly easier carrying.
Some of the woodwind lyres in this section are a little bit out of the ordinary. One example would be the Conn 1759 Flute Wrist Lyre - instead of attaching to the flute itself, this lyre goes right on your wrist like a watch strap. And then there's the DEG A16-HC225 Flute/Piccolo Lyre. One of the top sellers in the section, this lyre holds multiple pages in a flipchart-like board so you can load up a whole concert's worth of sheet music at a time.
No matter which type of lyre is right for you, it's a sure thing that it will make your instrument easier and more convenient to play. Whether you're marching or just looking to keep your music front and center, woodwind lyres can help you out. They're one of the quickest and most useful upgrades you can make to your instrument, so why wait any longer to find out how much more straightforward a lyre can make your playing experience?
