 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Allen Cole
Date: 2000-03-02 00:42
I have two students with special needs. One is double-jointed and has broken both her wrists in the past. The other has a slight deformity which makes proper right thumb position and thumb pressure impossible.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has experience with neck straps for the clarinet. Is any one brand or system better than the other? Both of these kids are outstanding for their age, and I'd love to see them getting the most out of it.
Thanks,
Allen
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Author: Dee
Date: 2000-03-02 01:15
Don't hesitate a second to recommend neck straps for them.
I've used the Clarichord, basically an elastic strap that has a tab to fit over the thumb rest and is adjustable via velcro. It works fairly well but the elastic does get stretched out over time and then you need to go get another one.
What I would recommend (and I admit that I haven't done this myself) is to get the thumbrest replace with one that has a small loop on top (not where the thumb sits) and then get one of the adjustable straps that can hook into this loop.
There is a third type (and I haven't tried this either) where a ring goes around the center joint of the clarinet (like a lyre holder). This ring has a post that points downward and the strap fastens to it.
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Author: Beejay
Date: 2000-03-02 10:18
I've used the BG strap and found it quite efficient and easy to adjust. It connects either to a rfing on the thumbrest, or to a leather attachment that fits over the rest if it does not have a ring.
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Author: JP
Date: 2000-03-03 07:27
I had thumbrests with rings put on my Bb and A, and I use the BG strap. It works very well. I didn't have the same luck with the Clarichord strap though. I found the elastic to be too "strechy". It required partial effort with my right thumb to hold the instrument -- and that's what I was trying to aviod. Good luck!
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Author: HTW
Date: 2000-03-04 03:14
Yep, the BG is a great bet. Super comfy and natural- JP mentionned that he had trouble with the elastic, well just get the one without the elastic, like I have. Also good is a little mechanism called a Fhred. It's a tiny little pole---one end, coated with a rubber tip, restes on the chair, between the player's legs. The other end has a little loop (or a hook for those with ring attachments) and it attaches to the thumbrest. Thus, the entire wieght of the instrument is off the player's body completely! You can't play standing up in it, but I've heard something about a belt attachement...sounds complicated to me. Anyway, I don't own one- my hand stress is just bad enough that I need to use the strap occaisionally- but I've tried one before and it's really amazing- it feels like the clarinet is just floating there in the air.
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