Klarinet Archive - Posting 000761.txt from 2004/07

From: CBA <clarinet10001@-----.com>
Subj: Re: [kl] Re: Neck strap
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 01:54:45 -0400

Claudia,

I have the problems you are describing, and found that no *one*
thing fixed the problem...so...

I use the Kooiman Etude (cheaper) thumbrest AND the Wristreleve
on *both* wrists. The website for the latter is here...

http://www.niche-inc.com/niche/wristreleve.html

I have been using the Wristreleve for 2 years, and I can not
only play longer and without pain, but can play standing again.
The pads go on the top protruding bones of your wrist, and
massage them in such a way while you are playing, (or typing, if
you do computer work a lot) that it releaves all pain and
fatigue in my hands. It was a freebie a few years back from the
Local 802 in NYC as a study case for these devices. I am forever
in debt of the union for that gift.

In support of the Kooiman Etude thumbrests, I have *all* of my
students who are beginners get one. It has a 100% success rate
with (my) students of keeping them from developing "the grip of
death" that many beginning clarinetists get, and spend the rest
of their years fighting to get rid of.

The combination for me, means I can continue to play *a lot*,
even with ultra progressive rheumatoid arthritis.

By the way, I went the neck strap way, and found a saxophone
neckstrap (non-stretching) that has the hook replaced with a U
shaped wire to go under the thumbrest for support helped a lot
for my hands. Unfortunately, it stifled my playing, by making me
hold the clarinet way too close to my body for comfort, and my
sound was closed off. It was also impossible to disconnect and
reconnect during quick orchestral changes from Bb to A and back.

Sometimes, there is more than one problem with hand position to
fix, and one fix seems useless, when used without the other fix.
I believe this might be the situation with you...see if it
helps!

Kelly Abraham
Woodwinds - Computer Geek
Hattiesburg, MS

--- "Zornow, Claudia" <claudia.zornow@-----.com> wrote:
> Umar Goldeli wrote:
>
> > After some searching - I came across the "Ton Kooiman"
> > (www.tonkooiman.com) thumb rests - which look quite good.
> The idea is that
> > they bring the weight of the clarinet to bear on the first
> joint of the
> > thumb as opposed to the second. So bringing the weight in
> towards the hand
> > by almost the length of your thumb.
> > ...
> > If your weight bearing problem is in your thumb - this may
> be another
> > option - which would leave you much more free than a strap -
> and of
> > course, you can always add a strap later if it doesn't work.
>
> My problem is tendinitis on the inside of my right arm just
> above
> the elbow. Originally I thought it was caused by weight
> lifting
> and exacerbated by clarinet playing, but now I believe it's
> the
> other way around. The physical therapist I saw said that
> weight
> and stress are transmitted from the thumb all the way up the
> forearm
> and beyond, so clarinet playing can definitely be a problem.
>
> I had been improving gradually, doing careful strengthening
> exercises
> and using the Weight Lifter. A few days ago I tried just five
> minutes
> a day without the Weight Lifter, and the problem came back
> immediately,
> hence my plan to get a neck strap.
>
> Thanks to everyone for the comments. I'll probably order
> several neck
> straps and return whatever doesn't work (checking return
> policies first,
> of course).
>
> Claudia
>
>
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