Klarinet Archive - Posting 000489.txt from 2005/03

From: Resent-Anna Benassi <acb@-----.is>
Subj: [kl] Kooiman thumb rest vs neck strap
Date: Sun, 20 Mar 2005 05:30:26 -0500

Hi,

I have a Kooiman thumb rest installed on my Buffet clarinet, but I use=20=

my Rossi almost exclusively, so I have no personal experience in USING=20=

Kooiman's thumb rest, though several of my colleagues are quite happy=20
with it. My own positive experience is through my students, and centers=20=

on Kooiman's correction of bad hand position.

Kooiman's Etude is finally available in Iceland, and I have seen a=20
couple of neck-strap users among my students switch to it with good=20
results. I have always been quite concerned about ergonomic problems=20
among young students who really have neither the strength nor the body=20=

size to handle a Bb clarinet (my school starts beginners at age 8, and=20=

I have no say in the matter). So I have had my youngsters use neck=20
straps, only to be dismayed when I see them react to the weight-lifing=20=

advantage of the neck strap by sliding their right thumb so far under=20
the clarinet that their right hand position is seriously compromised.=20
They hang the clarinet on their right thumb, using the Eb/Bb key, and=20
hug the rails with the fingers of their right hands.

So I have begun recommending the Etude thumb rest, and my first results=20=

are positive enough that I will continue. I entertain the hope that=20
long-term ergonomic problems can perhaps be avoided this way.

BTW, he makes a neat little gizmo for flutes, too. Young flute students=20=

do the same thing: they slide the right thumb too far under the flute=20
and then hang onto the rails supporting the key work. It's enough to=20
make a grown man cry. Kooiman's flute thumb rest seems to correct this.

Kudos to Kooiman for an excellent product.

******************************
Anna Benass=ED
l=F6ggiltur skjala=FE=FD=F0andi
enska =96 =EDslenska
Lindarbraut 2a
170 Seltjarnarnesi
s=EDmi: 562-6636
GSM: 895-1958
netfang: acb@-----.is
******************************

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