Klarinet Archive - Posting 000154.txt from 1997/04

From: "KIMBERLY L. RIECK" <krieck@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Neck straps
Date: Sat, 5 Apr 1997 00:10:25 -0500

What's the consensus about neck straps and the Bb clarinet.
Quite a few of the players at my school use neck straps fastened to the
thumbrests of their horns. Does anyone on the list use a strap? It
seems like a good idea......

Sorry for the delay in the message but we just had Spring Break and
then Easter Vacation back to back and I haven't been able to catch up
with everything. But I want to tell you about my success story.

I was a former neck strap user a few years ago when I was at
a different college. My applied clarinet professor there had advised
me to use one. At that time I couldn't really get through an hour
without severe pain coming from my hand.
Then I transferred colleges and I met up with Frank. He had shown me
how to play the clarinet without having so much stress in my right
hand. He showed me how to relax my hand and how to keep it relaxed.
Well it has been a year and a half now and the only time that my
wrist really bothers me now is when I apply a lot of stress to it
(like long car drives on icy roads). I no longer use the neck strap and
has been no pain while playing since then.
I think that neckstraps are a good idea when you have to use them.
They allow you to play the clarinet when you run into troubles like
what I had. Like someone had said before they do get a little stretched
out so you have to replace them. But I am really happy that I don't
have to use one now.

Kimberly Rieck
UW-Superior