Why Extendabone is good for players
If you are new to this blog, then you may not know that I (the inventor of Extendabone) am a mother. It’s true! I have a 2.5yr old and a 4.5yr old. They are my delightful little monsters angels. Although I did not invent Extendabone for them, being a parent as well as a teacher and performer has shaped the product. It helped me make something far better than I would have been able to without this perspective.
Little People, Big World
Having small children makes one very familiar with the ways the world is built for a certain size of human. When the world is too big for you to do the things you want to do, you need the help of a tool.
Toddlers as young as 2 want to wash their hands and brush their teeth. Unfortunately, counters are much too high for them to do so without a tool. This is why step stools are as ubiquitous in a family home as a garbage can.
Using a tool
No parent worries that a child who uses a step stool to wash their hands will never learn to stand on the floor at the sink.
Pediatricians don’t show concern at the tooth brushing or handwashing posture of children using a step stool.
Teachers don’t warn that a child may continue to use the step stool once they have outgrown the need for it.
There is no stigma associated with an adult using a step stool for the highest shelves in their kitchen. And adults don’t drag it around the kitchen to use when they don’t need it.
What is a tool?
A tool is a device used to carry out a particular task.
Extendabone is a tool for people who cannot reach the farthest position/s of the trombone without it. Those people are of all genders and ages. Some are very young children who have not finished growing, while others are older players who don’t have the shoulder mobility they once did.
What about buying X?
There is always someone who brings up the argument that a player should just buy an instrument with an F attachment whenever the problem of arm length and the trombone comes up on a forum. As someone who was privileged to have parents who did this exact thing, I would not argue against it, if that is an option. However, this is not a viable financial option for a lot of people. I think it is important for everyone to remember that not every band student owns their own instrument, or even can pay their own rental fees. Often there are students who play whatever the school has and that’s it. Extendabone is an affordable alternative.
Weighing the options
I am also not convinced that it is a good idea when starting the youngest players. Larger and heavier instruments in larger and heavier cases may be too much for young players to hold properly and manage to bring to and from school. Having taught third grade students, they often weigh hardly more than a trumpet themselves. I prefer to start students on the pBone. They are virtually indestructible and a manageable weight for young children. So, Parents love them. Students like the bright colors and that it feels like a toy and a game.
At the end of the day, I am exceedingly proud to have created a tool that helps people.