Klarinet Archive - Posting 000418.txt from 2001/04
From: "Dee D. Hays" <deehays@-----.net> Subj: Re: [kl] Right Hand Thumb Position Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2001 17:56:36 -0400
----- Original Message -----
From: <RobynB1070@-----.com>
Subject: [kl] Right Hand Thumb Position
> [snip] ... I have been playing for about 8
> years now, and in the last year I have had some wrist soreness when I play
> for more than a few hours at a time (such as at an all-day honor band
> rehearsal). This problem is remedied with an Ace bandage or a neck strap.
>
> Here is my question. My friend was telling me that her fifth grade
student
> uses the same thumb position and is already having wrist problems. Does
> anyone have experience with this? Am I doing serious damage to my hands
by
> continuing to play this way? I have tried to curve my thumb the other
way,
> but this is very uncomfortable because my arm and fingers get very tense
and
> locked up. Is there another solution?
I really would suggest making the use of a neckstrap your standard method of
playing. Even normal thumbs were never designed to hold the weight of a
clarinet. That many people are able to do so is just luck. There's really
not much you can do to build up the thumb. Ricardo Morales of the Met Opera
Orchestra uses a neck strap. Robert Lowry recommends it in one of his books
on clarinet.
However be sure that the thumb is positioned correctly. Many people do put
the hand too far under the clarinet due to the weight issue but then the
angles put a lot of stress on other parts of the hand/wrist. The middle of
the thumb rest should straddle the line on your thumb where the base of the
thumbnail meets the flesh.
There are also special thumbrests designed to redistribute the weight a bit
better too although they are pricey.
Dee Hays
Michigan
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