 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: The Watcher
Date: 2011-12-15 08:58
I'm an adult student of the Clarinet. And, I've started to develope some pain in my hand, just where the thumb joins to the hand, and in the wrist.
What type of support method and product do you recomend?
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-12-15 10:05
A lot of simple fixes will be recommended but I wanted to suggest one possible reason for the problem in the first place. I had this problem come up (I was ALWAYS playing mind you) when I moved the thumb rest UP. Turned out that to get to the side Eb/Bb key I was unconsciously pushing my hand with my thumb (that is too be 'correct' the Eb/Bb side key needs to be comfortably under your index finger as you are comfortably holding the horn) to reach the Eb/Bb side key. The simple fix for me (at the time) was to move the thumb rest DOWN on the horn until I got the right position for the RH index finger.
Another way to rearrange the thumb position for comfort's sake is to take a more 'pro-active' thumb position where the thumb is actually angled UP (tip higher than where it joins the wrist). This is a position advocated by Elsa Ludwig-Verder of Michigan State. It actually distributes the weight of the horn better through the skeletal system this way. HOWEVER, you will need the thumb rest to be HIGHER to facilitate the proper RH index finger posture relative to the side key.
..........................Paul Aviles
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2011-12-15 16:56
I use and recommend a neck strap made of elastic that hooks to the thumb rest. Mine is made by BG.
I like the elastic because you set it to bring the clarinet mouthpiece to just below your playing position and then you apply just a skoosh of pressure with your thumb to get everything set to play.
The strap will still require some thumb pressure because the strap will try to pull the clarinet toward your body --and you'll have to poke it away. But in a few weeks, my elastic strap removed my practice time limit, and in a few months my thumb callus disappeared.
Few clarinet thumb rests have a convenient ring to hook the strap on to. Here's a link to Michele Gingris, where she shows you how to make a thumb rest ring for about a buck with hardware store parts.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGA2yhSV24Y>
I've been using mine for 3 or 4 years, and the O-ring shows no sign of wear.
Good luck, and avoid carpal tunnel surgery!
Bob Phillips
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Author: The Watcher
Date: 2011-12-16 07:31
Thanks for the info.
I just ordered a different brand of neck strap from amazon and it supposedley does not need a ring.
I can't wait to try it.
I'm still looking at other solutions.
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Author: oca
Date: 2011-12-16 08:03
The ridenour thumbrest is great too.
It opens your right hand up (beneficial to speed), ups surface area (straining forces are less concentrated), oh and its soft rubber!
However, you do have to get used to the new position your right thumb is in now, since it is not touching the clarinet anymore.
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2011-12-16 18:57
After a week or so, i never even noteced the fact that I was using a Ridenour Thumb Saddle. it worked great, and I never looked back.
Jeff
“Everyone discovers their own way of destroying themselves, and some people choose the clarinet.” Kalman Opperman, 1919-2010
"A drummer is a musician's best friend."
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Author: marcia
Date: 2011-12-17 05:21
I have wrist problems on occasion. I am reasonably sure it is due to the location of the wieght. I tried the Kooiman without succes. In view of the fact that with the Ridenour Thumb Saddle the weight is still at the end of the thumb, how does it alleviate wrist problems?
Marcia ![[huh]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie11.gif)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-12-17 09:31
marcia,
It depends on the 'Kooiman' to which you are referring. There is the one that has multiple adjustment points and the weight of that 'Kooiman' is at the base of the thumb. I used this product at the height of my frustration when it turned out that an arbitrary positioning of the thumb rest was the culprit. 'Kooiman' is no longer necessary for me........but an excellent product nonetheless.
.................Paul Aviles
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Author: C.Elizabeth07
Date: 2011-12-17 12:58
I use a BG elastic neckstrap. I would check your hand position and make sure the thumb rest isn't sitting too far up or down your thumb. Also remember to stay as relaxed as possible while playing. Tension can cause pain as well.
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2011-12-17 13:44
I'm also an adult returnee to the clarinet and developed the same pains in my hands, mostly the right hand. I moved the thumbrest further up towards the centre joint and fitted a ridenour thumb saddle, and it has considerably improved the situation.
Tony F.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2011-12-17 13:47
Another vote for the Ridenour Thumb Saddle here.
Among the alternatives I have tried, neck straps drive me to distraction (although I know lots of people use them), and I had trouble keeping the FHRED support steady on the chair. The Kooiman thumb rest is too Rube Goldberg, and expensive, to boot (not to mention requiring installation).
I use the Ridenour Thumb Saddle on both my oboe and my English horn. With the oboe, it gives me a wonderful open hand position, and with the English horn (which is larger and heavier than a Bb clarinet), I am able to play for long periods of time without any pain or tiredness in the hands. And I have small hands, as well as occasional arthritis.
The thumb rests on both of my instruments have the keyholes for a neckstrap, so I just took a razor cutter and sliced a little slit in the top of the Thumb Saddle to allow it to fit. Have been using the same ones for years. Cheap, reliable, beneficial -- what's not to like!
Susan
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2011-12-19 16:49
I've been playing more attention to position of both of my thumbs lately. I noticed that I tend to put them down farther on the clarinet when not playing (especially in my LH). I'm not sure if the LH position is due to the ganglion cyst in my wrist or not (and because that's been bothering me more, I now wear support gloves on both hands/wrists; at least I was able to find a pair in black so they match concert dress!).
----------
Rachel
Clarinet Stash:
Bb/A: Buffet R13
Eb: Bundy
Bass: Royal Global Max
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2011-12-19 22:36
Is there also a plastic brace that sits on ones chest and supports the clarinet just at the top of the thumb rest ? There was a famous female clarinetist who used it. I've tried to find it on the internet but don't know the name of it or the clarinetist.
Can anyone enlighten me on this ?
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Author: trish24
Date: 2011-12-20 04:09
Barry,
You may be thinking of the PAN clarinet support and it's use by Deborah de Graaff. I have one and use it when I have to stand to play and consider it well worth the cost. Having said that, I would much rather play unassisted if I could.
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2011-12-20 07:46
Thanks for responding to my inquiry Trish, I'll try and find it on the internet and see it's the one I'm thinking of .
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Author: Jon Shurlock
Date: 2011-12-20 10:47
I have been playing clarinet for about a year now, having played it a bit about 5 or 6 years ago, so still relatively new to it. I have experienced my fair share of aches (some quite painful) but am now in a position where hopefully most of the pain is just muscular and comes from over-enthusiastic practising!
To be quite honest the best piece of advice I have had came from my teacher who has been fantastic. When I started with her I was very tense which made it difficult to play smoothly and also put too much strain on my joints and muscles. My teacher told me to hold my clarinet purely by balancing the thumb rest on my thumb and then asked me how heavy it felt. Of course it is very light and easy to hold, not like a tuba! She said that if I found playing the clarinet arduous then I wasn’t doing it right and that I was making things too hard for myself. She suggested that every time I started playing I should loosen up and concentrate on being as relaxed as possible
She followed that up with lots of tips and advice on posture, hand position, breathing, playing across the break etc. but her point was that if you do it right then the clarinet is fundamentally a very easy instrument to play (from the physical side of things, which is not to ignore all the technique that you need to know!)
Specific pieces of advice that have helped me
1. Get a good teacher and explain your problem. It may be your technique or it may be your clarinet set-up – they should know, and should be able to help you
2. Your thumb will hurt anyway for the first 6 months until it toughens up and until you start relaxing enough so you are not putting too much strain on it
3. Remember how light the clarinet is – you need hardly any effort to play it
4. Don’t practise too much at first – if it starts hurting then stop and come back to it…
5. …But practise as much as you can – the better your muscle memory the less you need to strain to play difficult notes and intervals (and don’t be persuaded by your brain that you know a piece. Until your fingers know the piece you don’t!)
6. The more relaxed you are the less pressure you put on your joints, and also you will find it much easier to play smoothly and tunefully
Hope that helps
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Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2011-12-20 21:10
Jon, yes, that is certainly the correct approach to clarinet technique , and for that matter , oboe playing as well. BUT , what is not considered is the ageing factor. When you get to my age (67) and have been playing Oboe and Clarinet since I was 27 , things start to catch up with you, you begin to wear out. One of the problems is RSI , and even though this can happen at an early age to anybody,(usually because of incorrect technique) it can become a real menace when you get to be around my age. And the damage is permanent.
Also , certain types of clarinet and Oboe are NOT light. For example , my Amati Klaslice full Boehms and Howarth Full Conservatoire Oboe are :-
Bb Soprano Cl 816 g
A Soprano Cl . 845 g
Oboe S55c (Howarth) 704 g
These are wooden instruments.
In comparison, the Lyrique 576bc is 710 g (Ebonite)
Jupiter 631 is 702 g (Plastic)
Schreiber 6010 is 640 g (Plastic)
As you can see , the Amati Full Boehm Clarinets and the Howarth full conservatoire Oboe are heavyweights. There is a real problem with the Oboe, as even though it weighs about the same as the Lyrique and Jupiter, most of the weight is below the right thumb rest.
Note the marvellous light weight of the Schreiber.
* Clarinets weighed minus mouthpiece.
Skyfacer
Post Edited (2011-12-20 21:16)
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Author: annev
Date: 2011-12-20 21:37
There are some great comments above and I'd certainly want to make sure the position of your hands and thumb rest on the clarinet is optimum.
Something that was helpful for me was to build up the muscles around the base of the thumb. You can do that by finding a soft foam ball (sometimes pharmacies will sell them as tension-relievers), holding it in the palm of your hand and squeezing it repeatedly with your fingers and thumb. Do that for a few minutes, several times a day. It may take two or three weeks, but the muscles at the base of the thumb should gradually strengthen and help provide support to the joint.
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