Vehicles and instruments; balance is possible…

At some point in every musician’s career, there comes a moment when your instrument has to travel (or not) with the rest of the band or orchestra equipment — a difficult decision, to say the least…

Your instrument has been with you throughout your entire journey. It has cried, laughed, sulked, and shared countless emotions with you; it’s part of who you are. But when concert seasons arrive, the time comes to make that decision.

Who hasn’t trusted every possible deity — religious or otherwise — hoping that their instrument would be handled with the utmost care, only to realize that wasn’t the case?

At this point, several things may have happened:

● The first: you arrive at the soundcheck and… boom. Your instrument doesn’t work, doesn’t respond, doesn’t give you that unconditional love it once did. You ask around, and no one knows what happened — apparently it was handled “with care”…

● The second, and more worrying: unfortunately, you witness how your instrument is being “carefully transported.” There’s that moment — which feels like an eternity — between the person carrying your instrument and where it’s supposed to go. Then you hear a thud! (or something similar), and you feel it deep inside, knowing that sound can’t be good for it (or for you). And when you get to the soundcheck… we’re back to the first scenario (except now you know who’s responsible).

At this stage, all that’s left is frustration — saying “I told you so,” getting upset… none of which changes anything, because the damage is already done. You get through the gig as best you can and then take the sax to a technician to assess the damage.

So, what can we do to prevent this from happening again? Here are some tips to minimize the risks:

● A good case is your first line of defense. Brands like Santtonio, Marco Maggi, or Bam offer reliable protection. A good defense is always the best offense.

● Whenever possible, keep your instrument with you. In bands or orchestras, it’s common to organize transport logistics to reduce costs, and sometimes all equipment (wardrobe, accessories, instruments) travels separately in a truck or van. In these cases, in addition to a good case, a flight case or protective shell is highly recommended.

● For flutes, clarinets, and saxophones, it’s best to place them on top of everything else in the vehicle to avoid other items being stacked on them.

● Ideally, your instrument should always travel with you — although this isn’t always possible. If it does, make sure it’s properly secured inside the vehicle. Avoid situations where, during a sharp turn, it slides from side to side in the trunk due to poor load distribution.

● One final point, not directly related to transport but still important: where you place your instrument when you’re not playing. Having stable stands available can prevent unnecessary accidents.

To finish, one obvious thing that’s sometimes easy to overlook: always use common sense. These are our instruments — they give us life (musically and professionally). Don’t they deserve the best possible care when being transported?