Klarinet Archive - Posting 000043.txt from 2010/10

From: BarDu@-----.com
Subj: Re: [kl] Old Fingers
Date: Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:43:46 -0400

I have similar problems of the fingers not always covering the holes due to
some peripheral
nerve damage. I got a plateau system Vito, but the quality is so low that
it is not enjoyable to play.
Barbara

In a message dated 10/6/2010 2:52:41 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
gkidder@-----.org writes:

One possibility which seems often to be the case with me (age 76) is dry
fingers, leading to failure to seal the holes completely. Oiling my
fingers (almond oil, usually) some time in advance of playing seems to
help. I wish this were my only problem!

George

At 01:57 PM 10/4/2010, you wrote:
>I joined the Klarinet list about 18 months ago and have been a lurker
>till now. I would just like to add my two cents worth to the
>discussion of Jim Lytthan's post "Old Fingers." If Jim has "old
>fingers", I have "old, old fingers." I'll turn 80 next June (retired
>academic). I played the clarinet enthusiastically in my teens
>(highschool orchestra), although my main instrument was piano. I
>returned to the clarinet a few years ago in my retirement and have
>been generally pleased with my ability to "reclaim" it - almost, I
>think, to the point where I was at age 17 (on a good day upper
>intermediate). However, like Jim I have had a problem with not always
>properly closing the tone holes. It's not arthritis, my fingers are
>straight. My theory is that in my case it is caused by a combination
>of two things: 1) my "old fingers" (not as old as Stanley Drucker's,
>of course, but almost) are bony and the little flesh left on them is
>soft and mushy, not full and firm as in a younger person. This means I
>have to press harder to seal the tone holes properly; 2) by pushing
>harder I destabilize the instrument, which makes it harder for my
>fingers (and thumb) to find the tone holes in order to close them
>properly. A catch-22 situation. I have adopted a somewhat successful
>method of dealing with this. To compensate for the instability of the
>instrument I draw my knees together and rest the bell of the clarinet
>in the cleft formed thereby. This largely solved the finger placement
>problem, but it created some other problems. I had to adjust my
>embouchure and blowing technique considerably. At this point, however,
>I'm happy with the compromise with orthodoxy. It's less harmful to my
>pride than a harness support would be, and hey! I'm never going to be
>standing in front of an audience as a soloist. I have an acquaintance
>who has switched to a plateau clarinet, but I haven't considered that
>so far, on the theory "there's gotta be a catch." Any comment on
>plateau Bb clarinets? Loss of tone quality and agility?
>
>Bob Glendinning
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