The Clarinet BBoard

RE: Pinky problems...

Author: Ken Shaw  Date:   1999-09-22 17:35 Erin wrote: ------------------------------- After I have been playing for a while, my pinkies begin to lock up at the middle joint, making it difficult to use them. It is also painful if I continue playing without taking a break. Does this happen to any of you? Is there anything that can be done to correct this? My professor says that it is probably because I keep them pretty much straight when playing, instead of slightly curved. Unfortunatly, if I curve them, I can't reach the keys at all. (my hands are fairly small and my fingers are short... everything is a reach for me!) Thanks for any info on this subject! Erin - DON'T PLAY IN PAIN. Your fingers are talking to you, and what they're saying is "stop before repetitive stress injury happens." Professional players all talk about relaxed hands. My old teacher Alexander Williams (principal in the NBC Symphony) said that when he was in top condition his fingers felt almost weightless. When you do this, your fingers will feel "nervous" at first and will fly all over the place. Just think about using less and less effort. Many excellent players have small hands. Michele Gingras, for example, is barely 5 feet tall, with tiny hands, yet she plays with almost no apparent effort. The first thing to do is to see a physical therapist who works with musicians. The one I went to saw immediately what was wrong and showed me what to do. An immediate solution could be a neck strap. That way you don't use your hands to hold the instrument up. You could also rest the bell on your knee (even if your teacher says not to). The second step is to move the thumb rest to a position where at least your right pinkie is comfortable. A more heroic solution is to have the little finger keys extended. Rosario Mazzeo, in his clarinet method book, shows his *very* extensively customized instrument, on which almost every key had been changed to fit his hands. More than half of french horn players have their valve touchplates lengthened (usually by soldering on dimes). Jeanne Baxtresser (former principal flute of the NY Philharmonic) had a number of keys extended to avoid hand pain. The New York repairman Perry Ritter is said to make good clarinet key extensions. Another possibility is to try a Leblanc clarinet with the "jump key" design. The keys are at different and (for me) more convenient angles than those on Buffets and Selmers. Whatever you do, though, your first priority should be to find a way to play without pain. It's not a contest to see who can withstand the most pain. It's about getting the most enjoyment and playing with the most beauty. Go to the best physical therapist you can find. It's a one time investment that will benefit you for the rest of your life. Then go out there and relax, sing every phrase and knock 'em dead. Good luck. Ken Shaw

Topics	Author	Date
Pinky problems...  new	Erin :)	1999-09-20 23:54
RE: Pinky problems...  new	Sara	1999-09-21 02:02
RE: Pinky problems...  new	angella	1999-09-21 02:16
RE: Pinky problems...  new	michael	1999-09-21 03:39
RE: Pinky problems... - watch your thumb, too!  new	Arnold the basset hornist	1999-09-21 06:58
RE: Pinky problems... - watch your thumb, too!  new	Chris Hill	1999-09-21 15:17
RE: Pinky problems... - watch your thumb, too!  new	Don Berger	1999-09-21 19:55
RE: Pinky problems... - watch your thumb, too!  new	Chris Hill	1999-09-22 05:15
RE: Pinky probs... - more info to watch your thumb  new	Arnold the basset hornist	1999-09-22 07:33
RE: Pinky problems...  new	Ken Shaw	1999-09-22 17:35
my solution  new	Beth	1999-09-23 01:13
RE: my solution  new	Mark Charette	1999-09-23 01:57

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