 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: mjd1pa
Date: 2018-10-28 21:06
Apologies in advance for being a long-time lurker on the board. And for posting on a topic that has been addressed by others. That said, I wanted to share a solution to what seemed to be my eternal, yet intermittent problems with the long (middle) B.
For what it's worth, I am a fairly serious adult amateur (I play in three community ensembles, plus sometimes sit in with others -- e.g., filling in in a pit orchestra or swing band). For years I've had some off-and-on issues with the long B and have repeatedly run through all the usual possibilities (regulation of the instrument, mpc/reed setups, air support, etc.). Anyhow, about a month ago my teacher made an in-passing observation about my right hand finger position. This led to a complete and immediate improvement. Long story short, raising the thumb rest on my R13 as high as possible, plus a few minutes attention to KEEPING MY RH FINGERS CURVED in daily practice, have had amazing results. (For me, the RH ring finger, specifically, was the culprit)
I don't believe in things that are "too good to believe," and obviously, this isn't going to be a magical solution -- the instrument still needs to be in good shape, and so on. But maybe my experience can help a few other folks who've had similar frustrations with the long B. I hope so!
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Author: kdk
Date: 2018-10-28 21:18
I reached the same solution on my own. I sensed that the original thumb rest position was adding tension in my hand, which was exacerbating a tendency I suspect is age-related for my hand to be less able to stretch than before. The curved fingers are just good technique, but I think I was just getting sloppy. Straighter fingers indicate just enough extra tension to interfere with my coordination. The combination of relaxing my hand (higher thumb rest) and my knuckles (curved fingers) makes a huge difference for me.
I might add, the problem for me was worse on an A clarinet, where the RH stretch is slightly longer, and the result of the changes was that much more noticeable.
Karl
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Author: mjd1pa
Date: 2018-10-28 21:26
Karl, interesting observation, and it might be age-related for me too. I am 65 ... this didn't seem to be a big problem until, I don't know, a couple of years ago. Hard to say exactly when because even then it wasn't a consistent problem. Which is also probably why, in part, it was hard to diagnose and solve.
Post Edited (2018-10-28 21:26)
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Author: CaptForce
Date: 2018-10-28 22:05
Related to this same issue with thumb rest pressure, finger agility and age; I've been pleased with using a neck strap after adding a ring to my thumb rest. I still use the thumb rest, but the weight is negligible.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2018-10-29 02:02
One thing to keep in mind with the thumb rest position is where your RH index finger "hovers" with respect to the lowest side key (Eb/Bb). If the index finger is higher than just over the lowest key, you may find yourself straining to get "down" to the Eb/Bb. "Just under" to directly "over" Eb/Bb is best for comfort and avoiding carpal tunnel.
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2018-10-29 03:11
Well, the problem with the original thumb rest positions on both of my 10Gs (A and Bb) was that they lined my thumb up almost behind my 2nd finger. There was a limit to how far up we could move them before the screws went into the tenon. Where they are now puts my thumb directly behind my index finger and I'm in no danger of having to reach for the side Eb/Bb. But I don't angle my fingers downward as much as I've seen some players do it.
Oddly enough, when I was teaching beginning string players as part of my school job, the standard, at least among the Suzuki teachers from whom I learned some of the techniques, was to line the left thumb up behind the fingerboard with the 2nd finger. Same with the bow hold in the rh even for the violin and viola - line the thumb up with the 2nd finger on the stick. Seems a lot of people find that alignment comfortable and declare it "best." It cramps my hand eventually and for the past couple of years has limited my fingers' mobility.
The placement that's "best for comfort" is generally where it's comfortable.
Karl
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2018-10-29 03:43
If you're all referring to Buffets with adjustable thumbrests fitted, then the problem lies with Buffet as they can't be arsed to relocate the thumbrest screws which are still in the same location as they have been for decades instead of relocating them around 10mm or maybe more above their current location so the adjustable thumbrest can be adjusted to sit higher up the lower joint instead of all adjustment being downward which the majority of players don't want.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: kdk
Date: 2018-10-29 04:18
Mine are Selmer 10Gs, but they were of course modeled on Gigliotti's Moennig-altered R-13s of the time.
Karl
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Author: mjd1pa
Date: 2018-10-29 06:56
Mine is a newish R13 with the factory-installed adjustable thumbrest. And Chris is right. It is mounted low, at least compared with the adjustable thumbrest on my backup horn -- a Yamaha 450, which I don't recall having many long B problems with, now that I'm thinking about it. Funny how I never noticed this before!
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Author: Philip Caron
Date: 2018-10-29 07:09
I too have issues with the R13 thumb rest being placed too low, especially on my A clarinet, and coincidentally I'm 65. The stretch to RH low B does seem to pressure other rh fingers to move. I've gotten around it, so far, by incorporating an rh exercise I made up as part of every warmup. It seems to stretch & warm up the hand enough so the issues don't recur. It also fits in with some more general exercises I do to isolate / control / coordinate / speed up the pinky fingers. However, I recall earlier threads here identifying a thumb rest replacement that a number of people said works well and can raise the effective position of the thumb. I don't recall the brand, but a search should find it.
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Author: gavalanche20
Date: 2018-10-29 21:55
Pardon me if I've missed something but what exactly are the problems you were experiencing with the long B?
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Author: kdk
Date: 2018-10-29 23:42
mjd1pa describes them in his original post above.
Karl
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Author: gavalanche20
Date: 2018-10-29 23:46
kdk,
Sorry but I'm really not seeing it. He goes into detail about the attempted solutions as well as what ended up working, but never goes into detail about what the actual solution was other than that it was "off-and-on". Was it stuffiness, or just the note not speaking properly?
(Again, apologies if it's something really obvious that I'm just not seeing)
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Author: mjd1pa
Date: 2018-10-30 03:55
My problem with the long B was, once in a while, the note wouldn't speak easily. Otherwise OK.
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