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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000048.txt from 2003/02
From: herb fawcett <herbgosia@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Playing both oboe and bassoon
Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 15:30:19 -0500
I recommend that all my students try to reverse the guard over the E pancake
in the right hand so it covers the C# rod as it eliminates a lot of wrist
soreness in bassoon players, especially the small ones. A very low-set
"sausage" will accomplish much the same for those who have a hard time with
ridding themselves of it. I had border-line tendonitis for several years
until Sol Schoenbach suggested this solution. For me, it worked.
Herb
> From: Brucec18@-----.com
> Reply-To: doublereed-l@-----.edu
> Date: Sat, 8 Feb 2003 02:25:18 EST
> To: doublereed-l@-----.edu
> Subject: Re: [DR-L] Playing both oboe and bassoon
>
> Hi Karen,
> I saw your post on the listserv and thought I would share my experience. I
> see you are in Australia. Wonderful. I hope to attend the convention there
> in Melbourne in two years. I am also curious how is life for a double reed
> player in Australia?
> I am a woodwind doubler, though I made oboe my major instrument about 4
> years ago as in the US there is much more work available for double reed
> players than for other woodwinds. I play professionally in the Fresno
> Philharmonic Orchestra (English Horn), and also the local community
> symphonies nearby. I teach bassoon in the local high schools and play
> bassoon occasionally in the Broadway shows that come through.
> In my experience I have had more hand injury from playing oboe than playing
> bassoon, but then I have pretty large hands. My right hand feels cramped on
> the oboe so when I started having burning up my arm from overuse I had to use
> a MUTS thumb saver for several weeks. After about 6 weeks my hand returned
> to normal.
> There is no such stress for me on bassoon as the weight of the instrument
> is held by a seat strap. Your left hand might get tired at first from
> leaning the bassoon to the left against your hand. But I rest by holding the
> bassoon straight up with my right hand while still on the seat strap.
> There is quite a stretch for the left hand to keep the holes covered as the
> holes are oval rather than round. The right hand doesn't have as much of a
> stretch as the ring finger closes a covered key. And you have a crutch to
> rest your right hand on while playing.
> Hopefully that all makes sense. Good luck with bassoon. I think you will
> really enjoy it!
>
> Bruce Carpenter
> Kingsburg Public Schools (in central California)
> Fresno Philharmonic
> Tulare County Symphony
> Kings Symphony
> President's Quintet
> DOUBLEREED-L mailing list
> DOUBLEREED-L@-----.edu
> http://lists.washburn.edu/mailman/listinfo/doublereed-l
