Klarinet Archive - Posting 000088.txt from 1995/04

From: "Tony A. Landin" <S1TAL@-----.BITNET>
Subj: Regarding Neck Straps
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 14:55:38 -0400

Hi folks,

In lieu of the recent discussion regarding neck straps, I'd like to add my
viewpoint. I am of the opinion that neckstraps on the soprano clarinet are
not necessary accessories ALL THE TIME, but there are certainly times that they
do help matters. In my practice scheme, I will usually only put on the strap
when know that I'll be playing something that will be long and/or tedious on
my wrist, and little more. This was not always the case, as I used to wear
it 100% of the time. Now, it's more like about 5%, and you'll rarely ever see
me wear one in a performance situation (unless it's a 4 hour gig!) I suppose
part of the reason I changed my approach to using one was the fact that I
don't like to be so dependent on such accessories, unless I decide it's
totally necessary. It could also be because of my experience in a master
class that Eddie Daniels was doing that I performed in.

In the master class, Eddie did a little experiment to find out what angle
between my body and the instrument would produce the best sound on the
clarinet. He decided that for ME, my sound is best when the clarinet is
pushed out a little farther than is conventionally practiced (I'd say,
somewhere between 35 and 40 degrees.) Well, I happened to be wearing the
neck strap at the time, as was my normal habit, and he noticed that it was
difficult to keep the clarinet at the best "angle" for my sound, when the
strap was trying to pull it back. So, he recommended that I not use the strap
all the time, in order to get optimum sound.

I think it's rather interesting that this doesn't mean that Eddie has a
thing against neckstraps, because my clarinet professor happened to see him
soon after the masterclass actually purchasing a neckstrap just like mine.
Perhaps he wanted to see if it would work for him. Who knows.

I once played in a dance band, in which the drummer happened to be a band
director in and around the Boone Comm. School District here in Iowa. He has
opportunity to "start" young players on the various instruments. When he saw
me using a neckstrap, he thought it was quite an innovation, and he later told
me that he started requiring all his beginning clarinetists to wear neckstraps.
I wasn't quite sure about this idea, personally, but he told me that in having
the kids use neckstraps, it tends to keep them from developing bad habits
in terms of holding the instrument. I think he mentioned that his kids tend
to try to hold the instrument by hooking their fingers underneath the side
trill keys with the left hand, but I'm not sure. So, perhaps neckstraps would
be good for starting out students who haven't had much of a chance to develop
those supporting muscles in the arm and wrist, and let them ease into it a
little more. This one's a topic for (somebody elses) debate, I'm sure!

In answer to your question, Helen from New Z., the neck strap that I use
consists of an elastic band which stretches (minimizes impedence of the
movement, I'm sure) with a velcro end that comes around and attaches to itself.
The way it attaches to the clarinet is by slipping the thumbrest of the
clarinet through a slit cut in a synthetic leather-like strip at the "holding"
end of the strap. Thus, there are no attachments you need to add to your
clarinet to be able to accept the strap; although if you have an adjustable
thumbrest, you may need to enlarge the slit just a bit for strap to fit without
slipping off.

Hope this helps!

Tony Landin
s1tal@-----.edu
Iowa State University
Ames, Ia.