Klarinet Archive - Posting 000295.txt from 2004/05

From: "Patricia A. Smith" <arlyss1@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] left handed C# F# key
Date: Thu, 13 May 2004 17:44:44 -0400

Nicholas Yip wrote:

> I am referring to the left handed C# F# key. My pinkie is having to
> stretch all the way and press the damn thing down all the way to get a
> sound out. 1) It is so far away and 2) It is hard to press all the way
> down with the pinkie. Is there an extension for the left handed C#,
> F# key?

At one time I had a RC Prestige horn that I played (Checked it out at
work; wasn't my own). I never cared for that LH C#/F# to be honest, and
for the same reasons you list. I have relatively long fingers, and
pretty strong pinky, so I don't think I'm lazy.

I guess a lot of it is also what we get used to, after a while. I got
used to sliding in the RH when I needed to do so, so, I basically didn't
really need the thing, and found it kind of useless. Looking at how
that particular horn's mechanism was put together, it did appear less
stable than those of the other long keys. It always seemed almost
something of an afterthought, and felt as if, were it hit too hard, it
might actually break!

IMO, unless you really have some driving personal reason why you want to
use the key, I wouldn't worry about it. That said, some folks feel that
if a particular convenience is available, why not use it? That is also
a valid way to look at it, and I'm sure you could get someone who is
skilled at re-shaping keys and adding on to them to customize it so that
it fits your hands. You may also see if that same technician would be
sure that the mechanism of your particular F#/C# key is stable.

Let us know what you decide to do, and how it goes.

Patricia Smith

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