Klarinet Archive - Posting 000059.txt from 1969/12

From: kurtheisig@-----.net
Subj: Re: [kl] Old Fingers
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500


A Charles Bay thumb rest, especially mounted in higher holes in the back, works wonders.

-----Original Message-----
>From: Robert Glendinning <glendin@-----.ca>
>Sent: Oct 4, 2010 10:57 AM
>To: klarinet@-----.com
>Subject: [kl] Old Fingers
>
>I joined the Klarinet list about 18 months ago and have been a lurker
>till now. I would just like to add my two cents worth to the
>discussion of Jim Lytthan's post "Old Fingers." If Jim has "old
>fingers", I have "old, old fingers." I'll turn 80 next June (retired
>academic). I played the clarinet enthusiastically in my teens
>(highschool orchestra), although my main instrument was piano. I
>returned to the clarinet a few years ago in my retirement and have
>been generally pleased with my ability to "reclaim" it - almost, I
>think, to the point where I was at age 17 (on a good day upper
>intermediate). However, like Jim I have had a problem with not always
>properly closing the tone holes. It's not arthritis, my fingers are
>straight. My theory is that in my case it is caused by a combination
>of two things: 1) my "old fingers" (not as old as Stanley Drucker's,
>of course, but almost) are bony and the little flesh left on them is
>soft and mushy, not full and firm as in a younger person. This means I
>have to press harder to seal the tone holes properly; 2) by pushing
>harder I destabilize the instrument, which makes it harder for my
>fingers (and thumb) to find the tone holes in order to close them
>properly. A catch-22 situation. I have adopted a somewhat successful
>method of dealing with this. To compensate for the instability of the
>instrument I draw my knees together and rest the bell of the clarinet
>in the cleft formed thereby. This largely solved the finger placement
>problem, but it created some other problems. I had to adjust my
>embouchure and blowing technique considerably. At this point, however,
>I'm happy with the compromise with orthodoxy. It's less harmful to my
>pride than a harness support would be, and hey! I'm never going to be
>standing in front of an audience as a soloist. I have an acquaintance
>who has switched to a plateau clarinet, but I haven't considered that
>so far, on the theory "there's gotta be a catch." Any comment on
>plateau Bb clarinets? Loss of tone quality and agility?
>
>Bob Glendinning
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