Klarinet Archive - Posting 000286.txt from 2002/08

From: Karl Krelove <karlkrelove@-----.net>
Subj: RE: [kl] Legato fingers/hand position question
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 20:25:34 -0400

There are two related problems here. One is the angle at which your finger
approaches and finally closes the hole. The other is the amount of tension
existing in the muscles and ligaments across the knuckles of each finger.
It seems to me the trick for each player is to find a finger position which
allows efficient closure (without squeaks or breaks in the sound) in an
easy, relaxed motion. If straighter (or, at least, less curved) fingers
result in cleaner coverage and don't result in greater tension or delayed
motion to or from the holes, they aren't in themselves a problem. Too much
curve can cause just as much trouble if the resulting angle causes
incomplete closure even for a short instant.

The extreme, which has always appeared to be a problem for my students, is
when the fingers (or even a specific finger, like the left hand pinky) go so
straight that they "lock." Then it takes two actions to cover a hole - one
to unlock the knuckle and the other to actually move to the hole. It takes
too long and makes technical problems much worse.

Karl Krelove

-----Original Message-----
From: LeliaLoban@-----.com]
Subject: [kl] Legato fingers/hand position question

Joe Redmon wrote,
>[W]ho out there plays with flatter fingers and takes
>a similar approch to playing and/or teaching the
>clarinet? In the brief time I have been doing this, I
>definitely feel more relaxed regarding hands and
>fingers.

I'm an amateur and I don't teach, but FWIW, I think that to some extent,
good
hand position depends on the size and shape of the hands. "Ideal" finger
position doesn't enter the equation in my case. I have no choice but to
play
with fairly flat fingers, because my hands are small and my fingers are so
short and thin that if I curve them and try to seal the holes with my bony
fingertips, I get air leaks and squeaks. If I flatten my fingers slightly,
a
thicker part of the finger pad covers each hole
adequately. Fortunately, I find the flattened position comfortable anyway.

Lelia
LeliaLoban@-----.com

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