Klarinet Archive - Posting 000265.txt from 1996/09

From: Neil Leupold <nleupold@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Slings
Date: Sat, 14 Sep 1996 23:36:59 -0400

On Wed, 4 Sep 1996, Serge Gariepy wrote:

> I've noticed a lot of tension in my right thumb also. What was it
> that you used to hold the sax strap in place? Usually in band, I set
> my clarinet on my knee for support, because of my right thumb hurting
> me after two hours of practise. Any advise would be appreciated!!

I've noticed a number of people indicating that they rest the clarinet
bell on their knee or knees when playing, in order to alleviate tension
in their hands (or thumb). This stop-gap remedy would seem to have the
effect of placing the clarinet at a high angle relative to the player's
body, almost to the point of a Pete Fountain imitation, unless the person
is compensating by moving their head back. This technique, compensated
or not (and the "compensation" could create serious problems of its own),
is not recommended and might do more harm than good in the long run.

The neck straps which people have been talking about are made
specifically for the clarinet and are not modified saxophone straps. The
principal of supporting the instrument is similar, but the manner in
which the strap attaches to the clarinet is handled differently, given
that there is not a hook - only the thumbrest. I _have_ seen a few
people who actually soldered a hook onto the edge of the thumbrest in
order to enable use of a conventional sax strap, but typically the
clarinet-specific straps are configured in one of two ways: 1) there is a
slit of some kind which enables fastening directly onto the thumbrest
without any additions or modifications to the instrument; or 2) an
attachment is fastened around the top ring of the lower joint, which has a
protrusion of some kind for attaching the strap (this is the
configuration of the BG strap). Neckstraps of both types are available
from all of the major warehouse shops like Woodwind/Brasswind, Weiner,
and even Muncy (he has the BG strap for sure, since that's where Ricardo
Morales obtained his).

Hope this helps.
Neil