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A Transporting Experience:
Ideas for Carrying Your Recorders
by Virginia Felton
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Whether you have only been playing the recorder for a few years or are a seasoned professional, transporting your precious instruments can present plenty of challenges, no matter if your destination is to a playing session, a concert, or between classes at a workshop. And of course, the more recorders you need to take along, the more complicated the challenges become.
This article will suggest a number of approaches to transporting recorders. You’ll find specific references to helpful websites as well (these are just ideas, not companies who are paying ARS to feature them - but please consider ARS Business members when purchasing).
Unfortunately, every recorder player needs their own system for carrying recorders; there is no one-size-fits-all solution. In putting together your system, here are some questions to consider:
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How strong and fit are you? I typically carry the four basic SATB recorders to playing sessions. I carry my bass in its hard case and the other three in a fleece-lined canvas roll. Add a portable recorder stand, a music stand, and a notebook of music and my large Eddie Bauer canvas tote bag weighs in at just over 16 pounds. That’s doable to get from the car to the church basement, but if the workshop is spread out over a big campus, it could be physically challenging. If you have mobility issues or have difficulty with stairs, don’t hesitate to ask workshop organizers or fellow players for a hand with your instruments.
How many recorders will you be carrying? Carrying solutions for one to four recorders are the easiest. The carrying challenge often corresponds directly to the number of instruments. Hard cases can accommodate multiple instruments; their softer relatives, recorder rolls, are favored by many players.
The real clincher is, how big are the recorders you want to carry? If you have a set of renaissance one-piece recorders or are a professional or advanced player with a great bass or a contra bass, transportation becomes a critical issue. Players of big instruments advise checking with workshop or meeting organizers and/or previewing the music so that you are clear whether there is a place for your big bass in the repertoire. One contra bass player I know tries to place her contra in the workshop room where it is most likely to be used, then she leaves it there for the duration of the workshop. This is provided that the location seems relatively safe from thievery, with just the recorder group using the space. Here’s another situation where if the big bass needs to be moved to a different room, asking for help is the ticket!
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Components to Consider
Medium to large tote bags: If you don’t have big recorders and are confident that a tote bag will work for the long haul, then this is definitely the way to go. Eddie Bauer and Lands’ End both offer sturdy bags in various sizes.
Hard cases and rolls: Both Mollenhauer and Moeck manufacture a variety of hard cases that can fit recorders from sopranino to bass. Also, recorder rolls come in sizes to fit from one to five or more recorders. The tradeoff here is between the lesser weight and bulk of the canvas roll vs. the greater protection for the instruments with a hard case. Hard cases are also more expensive.
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Recorder backpacks
Backpacks can be a more ergonomic solution. And, they can be especially helpful if you are traveling by air, since you will not relegate your recorders to the cargo hold. There are some specifically designed for musicians (often called gig bags and used by professional rock, jazz, and classical musicians).
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Sources for gig bags:
Emily O’Brien offers a recorder-specific backpack, and will also do custom orders. There are several websites that offer instrument cases and backpacks that are not specific to recorders, but could work quite well. A phone consultation with one of their sales reps would be advisable to see what might work for you.
Sweetwater offers a large selection of backpack-style bags.
Altieri offers soft-sided bags and instrument cases for a range of instruments.
Protec sells bags and cases -- their flute cases would likely work well for some recorders.
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Repurposing other equipment
If your interests lean toward DIY, there are many creative solutions. A conventional backpack or rucksack, if it is deep enough, can be fitted with PVC pipes of appropriate sizes, cut to length to fit your recorders. This can be especially useful for renaissance recorders that do not come apart. But if you go this route, you will need to have fabric cases to cushion and protect the recorders inside the plastic. These are easily constructed, even by a sewing novice. YouTube abounds with videos for making recorder bags. Long cotton or wool socks could also work. Used sporting goods stores are a great source for backpacks.
At one workshop I attended this past year, a couple stored a full set of crumhorns in a very large gun case fitted with eggshell foam. The cases were sturdy (i.e. heavy), but the foam was versatile and they could store their various instruments without having to cut the foam to fit them. These kinds of cases are often used for cameras and other fragile equipment. Von Huene Workshop carries a few of these. Eylar Warterproof Hard Cases carries multiple shapes and sizes.
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Try it on Wheels
I have seen lots of folks at workshops toting their instruments in small utility carts with wheels. These are often seen in big cities where people shop on foot for groceries. They are less expensive than a full hard case, and are ideal for people who don’t want to carry a heavy tote bag or backpack. They also have the advantage of top loading, and have a fairly small footprint. Outfitted with PVC pipe slots for recorders, this could be a game-changer. The cart pictured here is from Wayfair. Some folks choose carts with larger wheels–they tend to be quieter and easier on stairs or difficult terrain.
Alternatively, for really large recorders, a traditional golf cart (the kind that carries a set of golf clubs for folks who walk the course) could be adapted, with PVC, for large basses. A standard roller suitcase could also be easily adapted for recorders with sheets of eggshell foam.
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Budget solutions
Some of the solutions mentioned above can cost more than a good soprano recorder. If you are seeking a solution for hauling your recorders on a low budget, consider visiting your local thrift store. Pick up a medium-sized roller bag, get some sheets of eggshell foam and snuggle your recorders into it.
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Some final thoughts
One of the best ways to figure out what might work for you is to be nosy at workshops and playing sessions. What are other players using? Recorder teachers are also a great resource for advice about this.
Efficiency is always an important consideration. Most recorders come in individual boxes or cases. But having to assemble and disassemble your recorders can take up precious time that you might prefer to use conversing with fellow players. Solutions that accept multiple recorders or are especially easy to load and unload are often preferred for this reason.
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Virginia Felton is a member of the ARS Board of Trustees and serves on the Communication and Fundraising committees. She is a communications professional and amateur recorder player.
Dave Sandage is pictured at the top of the article, loaded down with recorders at the Fall Fipple Flute Forum in Seattle, in 2022. (Photo by Vicki Boeckman)
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