Klarinet Archive - Posting 000572.txt from 2001/06

From: "emily worthington" <emily.worthington@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Right Hand Thumb Position
Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 19:10:37 -0400

i studied the piano for years before i took up the clarinet which would
explain why i never realised that fingers could feel 'tied together' as such
when you play it. As for trilling 4-5 on the piano, you just have to
practice until the fingers become more independant - there are many
finger-breaking studies (particularly chopin) which help. I personally find
that 3-4 is worse - i thought it was those two that are controlled my the
same nerve. Of course it's also more difficult to trill with your
non-writing hand - i can trill pretty good 4-5 with my right hand but i'm
hopeless on the left. A 'proper' pianist should never NEED to change
fingering to accomodate these problems - though it's preferrable to avoid
them when you can! I dont know if the 4&5 fingers can be trained to become
more independant for the clarinet? i certainly can get tension if i have to
do a long trill on the c#/g# or g#/d# keys - unless i concentrate on staying
relaxed.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene Nibbelin" <gnibbelin@-----.com>
Subject: RE: [kl] Right Hand Thumb Position

> Bill -
>
> As I learned when I fell and damaged some bones in the palm of my hand
back
> in '94, the 4th and 5th fingers are controlled by one set of nerves,
while
> the other fingers are controlled individually. Thus, it is only natural
> that the 4th & 5th fingers are going to move somewhat in sympathy with
each
> other.
>
> The injury cost me about a 5% loss of flexibility in my right hand 4th &
5th
> fingers. This has resulted in my having to strengthen the sliver key
spring
> by hooking a short rubber band under the key and attaching it to the posts
> on the opposite side of the horn. Crude, but necessary, since moving my
5th
> finger in close for the D# and C# keys causes my 5th finger to move my 4th
> finger up against the sliver key and sometime depressing it. This is
> natural, because of the dual control. However, the injury prevents me
from
> being able to over-ride this tendency that most uninjured hands can do.
> (This is the 5% loss.)
>
> >From my own experience as a beginner, I imagine that most beginning
> clarinetists who had studied piano before the clarinet did not experience
> the feeling of their fingers being "tied together".
>
> The nerve coupling of the 4th & 5th fingers also explains why trilling
with
> these fingers on the piano is difficult. I imagine that generally the
> fingering is adjusted so that more amenable fingers are used.
>
> Gene Nibbelin
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: William Wright [mailto:Bilwright@-----.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 3:15 PM
> To: klarinet@-----.org
> Subject: Re: [kl] Right Hand Thumb Position
>
> <><> So you can honestly say that you have the same mobility when
> your thumb is held rigid as you have when your hand is able to entirely
> move free?
>
>
>
> Mike, one of my problems (which I assume every beginner has) is
> that my fingers behave as if they are 'tied together'. Moving one
> finger makes another finger move as well.
>
> The goal --- imo, but I don't think that anyone on this list will
> disagree --- is to separate the control of each finger such that you
> _can_ hold (say) the right thumb rigid while moving every other finger
> in an independent unconstrained manner.
> I have watched my teacher's fingers many times. They stay poised
> in one position no matter what else is happening, ready to drop or roll
> or stretch when needed; and they return to their 'home' position
> immediately afterwards whether they are needed for the next note or not,
> without anything else (right thumb included) so much as twitching.
>
> So if balancing a pencil restrains your other fingers, then you
> aren't perfect yet (says Bill as he snaps his pencil in half and throws
> it out the window when nobody is looking).
>
>
>
> Cheers,
> Bill
>
>
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