Klarinet Archive - Posting 000346.txt from 1994/05

From: James Langdell <James.Langdell@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Exercises (physical)
Date: Fri, 20 May 1994 14:54:16 -0400

Victor Wyman (WYMANVIC@-----.COM) wrote:
>Can someone recommend some exercises to make the hands more supple? Any
>clarinet playing physiotherapists? My right hand is a little tight (result of
>age? Argggguh!) and right pinkie a little too short. I end up pulling the
>ring finger off the G every once in a while when reaching with the pinkie.
>Sometimes also get cramped hand.

I have some suggestions, based on what helped me.

---Take a good look at anatomical illustrations of hands, particularly
the bone structure. You might notice far more bones in each hand
than you imagined. The set of bones for each finger extends well
into than hand, and there's a mess of little bones nested
together towards the wrist.

Keep in mind that there's probably potential for more space around
all of these bones. Seeing what the bones are will help sort out
what parts of your hand *aren't* supposed to be rock solid.

---Try using one hand to massage the other. In particular, work on
opening up the space between each pair of fingers down into the
palm. Do this as well between the thumb and first finger, all
the way to the wrist.

---Try playing the clarinet in a way that changes your hands' expectation
of gripping the instrument. For example, lie on your back while
playing, and support the instrument with your thumb on the other
side of the thumb rest. Or, sitting upright, brace the bell of
the clarinet against a pillow and try playing without the hands
needing to support the instrument at all.

The advice some folks gave about changing the clarinet to fit your body
is good too.

--James Langdell jamesc@-----.com
Sun Microsystems Mountain View, Calif.