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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000001.txt from 2005/05
From: "Gerald E. Corey" <geraldcorey@-----.ca>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Re: wrist pain (bassoon)
Date: Sun, 01 May 2005 14:27:19 -0400
Hi Jim (et al) I would like to add a bit to Jim Katz' remarks about how to
place the seat strap on the chair. For years I put my seat strap STRAIGHT
across the front flat edge of the chair seat. I was never too uncomfortable
with that setting.
But, after reading Richard Polanchak's fine Method for Bassoon, and seeing
the angle he used for recommending his students to use, I tried it to see
what changes might arise.
I was most happily surprised to find that with the right side of the strap
with the cup now at the front right CORNER of the chair seat, and the back
of the seat strap at the back left corner of the chair seat, I had a better
feeling. I can now always support the entire bassoon with no tendency to
have it fall forward by ONLY holding the bottom of the bassoon at the bottom
of my seat strap cup! This provides a mechanical advantage to holding the
bassoon when playing. There is much more of the bassoon's weight supported
by the seat strap than I had using my former method. This results in a
lessening of strain for the left hand which supports the top part of the
bassoon in seated performance. A player can easily assess the difference by
first placing the strap in the "usual" across the front edge of the seat -
position. Next, try to hold the basssoon ONLY with the right hand at the
bottom of the seat strap cup. You will immediately feel the bassoon falling
down and forward, losing control of the instrument's movement unless you
catch it with your left hand. Now, try the new angle I have mentioned. Next
hold the bassoon with the right hand ONLY at the bottom of the seat strap
cup. Result? No tendency for the instrument to fall forward. Try it and see.
Best regards to all, Gerald Corey, Ottawa, Canada
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Katz" <jimkatz@-----.ca>
To: <doublereed@-----.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 30, 2005 9:51 PM
Subject: [DR-L] Re: wrist pain (bassoon)
>I was having wrist pain playing (also using a seat strap) and Gerald Corey
> gave me a very simple fix: My strap was too far back on the seat, simply
> pushing the right side forward (towards knees, away from butt) relieved
> the
> strain. I guess the effect is to have the instrument a bit more vertical -
> more of the weight on the strap and less on the left hand.
>
> Jim
>
>
>> Lacy, Edwin wrote:
>>> When I sent the message below, I meant to say that the problem that
>>> the student had was pain in the LEFT wrist. Sorry. I claim temporary
>>> insanity, due to the pressures of the end of the school year! :-)
>>>
>>> Friday, April 29, 2005 3:35 PM To: 'doublereed@-----.org';
>>> 'idrs-l@-----.edu' Subject: bocal curve and wrist pain
>>>
>>> I have had an interesting experience with a bassoon student who was
>>> complaining of pain in her right wrist.
>>
>> I play (as an amateur) with a seat strap, and recently had my crook (I'm
>> in the UK) straightened a bit. This made playing much more comfortable
>> for me. It also meant that the read entered my mouth straight on, rather
>> than coming in from above. I would like to think that this has helped my
>> playing a lot - in particular my ability to get high notes to sound
>> reliably, and the range of dynamics I can get.
>>
>> However, I do think that the best bend really depends on how tall you
>> are - or rather how long your torso and arms are. You want the bassoon
>> held with both hands in a comfortable position, and the left hand not
>> supporting too much weight, and at the same time you need the reed to
>> end up where your mouth is and at the right angel. That is definitely an
>> individual thing.
>>
>>> If you place the large end of the bocal on a
>>> flat surface, and then rotate it so that the tip of the bocal
>>> approaches the table or other flat surface, the tip extends about
>>> 3/4" below the surface on which the base of the bocal is resting.
>>
>> I just tried this, and the tip if mine is about 1/4" above table level.
>>
>> Tim.
>>
>> ------------------------------
>>
>> End of doublereed Digest
>> ***********************************
>>
>
>
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