Musically Mobile

How can we design a solution for musicians in a marching band to play non-traditional instruments while on the move?

The initial problem - without an appropriate music holder, Elizabeth and other stringed instruments struggled to read their music, watch the conductor, and move with the rest of the marching band.

As a proud member of the Yale Precision Marching Band (YPMB) in college, I fully embraced their belief in inclusivity and sought to enable musicians to march and play any instrument. When cellist Elizabeth joined the YPMB, she struggled to play the cello during performances due to the lack of existing cello lyres. This problem extended to other non-standard instrument players, such as violinists and accordionists. To address this, I employed Solidworks, 3D-printing, and iterative design to create custom sheet music holders for each instrument.

Recognizing the fast-paced nature of the YPMB, I designed a specialized lyre for the cello that accommodated the instrument's curvature and provided secure mounting for song sheets. Through testing on the football field, we refined the design and expanded its application to other traditionally 'seated' instruments like guitars, violins, and accordions. The success of Elizabeth's music holder sparked interest from other YPMB members, leading to the development of custom lyre designs for their respective instruments.

After - with the 3rd iteration of the lyre design!