Klarinet Archive - Posting 001011.txt from 1998/09

From: "Mark Charette" <charette@-----.org>
Subj: Re: [kl] Thumb rests
Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 10:52:04 -0400

From: David Adlam <dadlam@-----.nz>
>I have taken over a student at a quite advanced level,who has a chronic
>problem with her thumb. She has been using a neck strap, which has
helped a
>little. She has been to a specialist, who suggested a total design of
her
>thumbrest (She plays on a Buffet Festival). I have located an old Bay
>adjustable thumbrest, which may provide more support for her thumb. I
>wonder if there might be some other thumb rest, neck strap, or even an
>exercise, which has proved effective for others on the List. I am just
>starting to work on her hand position and related tensions, which
should
>also help.

I talked to a few people at ClarinetFest this year regarding the Kooiman
thumbrest. Strange looking contraption, but those who used it swear by,
not at it. A plate must be attached to the clarinet to enable the thumb
rest (it's not _really_ a thumb rest anymore, since the weight is
completely shifted to a different area of the hand) to be removed. The
clarinet will not be able to be placed in any regular case if the
thumbrest remains attached, and, since it's an expensive item, the
thumbrest can then be moved from clarinet to clarinet.

Of course, in pieces which require a fast change from one clarinet to
another, matters would become very complicated if you had to switch the
thumbrest along with the mouthpiece ... :)
----
Mark Charette@-----.org
Webmaster, http://www.sneezy.org/clarinet
All-around good guy and devil-may-care flying fool.
"There can be no freedom without discipline." - Nadia Boulanger

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