One of the challenges of playing with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra (and also with the Glen Miller Orchestra) is that the music is on a dance band “front,” a low-level music stand that works fine when you’re seated.

But when you stand up, the music is low to the ground. How do you keep your bell up when the music is so far down?

Memorizing the music works, and that’s what happens when you go on the road with a band. However, memorization is not an option when you have one rehearsal and a concert shortly after that.

I found dimensions for a front online and created a cardboard version so I could practice the music seated and standing. When I got to the gig, I was ready! (The bell wasn’t as high as I wanted, but it was a lot better than if I’d been practicing from a regular music stand.)

I made a proof-of-concept model from thin cardboard, and then I made a “real” front from corrugated cardboard. If you make your own, you’ll need fairly big pieces, which you might find at a cardboard recycling drop-off location or at a store that sells large appliances. Here’s my model with the measurements I used to make the full-size front.

Here’s the full-size version — you can easily see how much lower the front is than the regular stand.

It was a good price — free!