 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Sheila-music_lover
Date: 2004-08-14 04:23
I was reading about mouthpiece cushions, and I know my band teacher has something like that on her clarinet, but where do you get them, what do you do with them, are they replaceable, what are they made of, how do you put it on, etc.....? Also, I was reading about neck straps. I havn't heard of neck straps for the clarinet. I have a buffet B-12, and the little thumb place thing in the back is just a plastic, straight thing that wouldn't hold the leather strap that would hold it on. Why do ppl use them, in what circumstance, etc.....? Thanks for your help in advance,
Sheila
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Author: Bnatural
Date: 2004-08-14 05:04
I use a neckstrap because I had problems with my hands and that made it much easier to continue playing. I suggest people use neckstraps unless they have a reason not to. But, I'm still young and may just be missing part of the picture. If the B12 doesn't have a hook on the back (which would be used to secure the adjustable thumb rest another feature I don't remember if you have) then you could use the claricord neckstrap. I bought my claricord for like $12 years ago and still use it on my marching clarinet and my albert system c. Some repairmen in my area offer to solder on a hook I've seen the results once on a friends clarinet and thought it looked and handled quite nice.
Mouthpiece cushions come in different thicknesses and some people say that they help to keep a strong embochure. I personally don't believe that and can only see the purpose of them as to prevent marking up a piece with your teeth. I have not much experience with these but no that like neckstraps some people are strongly for them and others just don't use them.
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Author: John_May
Date: 2004-08-14 15:25
Exactly as Bnatural said above, I use cushions for no better reason than to prevent damage to my mp. However, many people find that using one is easier on their teeth. They're quite inexpensive and can be purchased at most music shops. And yes, they are replaceable.
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-08-14 15:25
Sheila,
I'm teaching my 7 year old neighbour to play the clarinet. It is heavy for him so I give him a neck strap (it's an oboe strap) to help reduce the weight on his thumb. When I had tennis elbow a few years ago I used it myself but no longer need to.
I use double lip embouchure but like the mouthpiece cushion for the extra comfort. It's easy to stick on but keeping the mouthpiece clean becomes a bit more work with it in place, although a little vinegar works well.
Regards,
Hans
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Author: Sheila-music_lover
Date: 2004-08-14 16:23
ok,my Q. about the neckstrap, see, the thumb rest on my clarinet is just a wide straight out thing, so it couldn't support a little hook doodad. So how else other than soldering somthing on, would neckstrap work? I don't understand.
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Author: SuperPat
Date: 2004-08-14 16:40
Sheila,
I think the BG Clarinet strap works for the thumb rest you describe. It attaches with a leather fob which has a vertical slot, you slide the thumb rest into the slot with the fob in a horizontal position and then rotate the fob vertically.
I don't use a strap all the time but there are some days when my thumb joint hurts and then I like the option.
Pat
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Author: David Peacham
Date: 2004-08-14 16:48
My Neotech neckstrap, which I used when I had a neck problem earlier last year, ends in a hook, which will go through a ring on the clarinet if one is fitted. For use in the absence of a ring, the strap comes with a small piece of leather with a hole for the hook and a slot to fit over the thumbrest. This works fine on the adjustable metal thumbrest on my YCL26; I assume it would work on a B12.
Picture: http://www.optechusa.com/images/Cleo101.JPG
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If there are so many people on this board unwilling or unable to have a civil and balanced discussion about important issues, then I shan't bother to post here any more.
To the great relief of many of you, no doubt.
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Author: Sheila-music_lover
Date: 2004-08-14 19:46
Ya, I know how those ones work, but like I said, my thimb rest does not go like this; | | It goes like this; | | You see what I mean? Anyway, Im
\__/ |__|
not sure if my little pics will work, so lets hope!
Sheila
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Author: Tara
Date: 2004-08-14 19:51
I have the BG neckstrap described by SuperPat. The leather piece fits easily over the thumb rest on my Bb clarinet, and my A which is actually a bit larger (newer style on the Buffets, I guess). Take a look at one and I think you'll understand...
Tara
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Author: contragirl
Date: 2004-08-14 19:59
I use a mpc coushin because my front teeth are sensitive. When I play on a non-choushined mpc, it hurts my teeth. I also have sharp front teeth that sometimes cut through the coushines, so you could imagine what it does to a non-protected mpc.
I've always thought ppl that use a neckstarp are nerds. :P But I have friends that use them, and I understand why they are used. Most have wrist or hand trouble, so the neckstrap takes the weight and pressure off the hands.
What the ppl above are describing is a piece of leather that has a slit cut in it that just slides over the flat thumrest, without a hook. The hole that the piece of metal (being the thumbrest) goes through looks like this ---
| ---- | <-neckstrap leather piece
( ) <-Thumbrest
/\
slide through
I thought I would make my own ASCII pictures.
Here is a pic on the WW&BW site. If you zoom in, it shows a hook put on the leather piece then on the thumbrest.
http://www.wwbw.com/BG-Clarinet-Support-Strap-i80641.music
--Contragirl
Post Edited (2004-08-14 20:02)
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Author: hans
Date: 2004-08-14 23:51
Sheila,
Maybe you could have a hole drilled through your thumb rest for the strap's hook to go through?
My neck strap had the little leather-fob-with-slit too but it kept coming off at the worst times... Somebody should invent a better one. It looks to me like a new product opportunity for Dr. Henderson (hint, hint).
Regards,
hans
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Author: Sheila-music_lover
Date: 2004-08-15 01:13
Ya, you guys keep assuming that my thumb rest is a little circle (kinda) attached to the clarinet. Thats why the leather slite thing wouldn't work.
Either that or I really don't get it at all.
Sheila
PS. i didn't mean hook, I meant little leather thing.
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Author: Sheila-music_lover
Date: 2004-08-15 02:31
OOOPS! sorry if that sounded a little harsh. You know haw it can sound different typing it than saying it, theirs no tone.
Sheila
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Author: bill28099
Date: 2004-08-15 02:40
I use a neckstrap to reduce the pressure on the first knuckle of my right hand since it swells up when I play to much. I've had metal rings soldered to the backs of my thumb rests. However, the little leather thingie that came with the strap works just fine on those less used horns that have not been modified. I also remove the hook from the neckstrap and use a spring loaded clip which cannot slip out without manual intervention.
I use TWO mouthpiece cushions on my crystal mouthpieces, one is .5 mm the second is .8 mm. If I don't after a couple of 5 hour days my two upper front teeth hurt.
The joys of old age, I never had these problems as a teenager.
A great teacher gives you answers to questions
you don't even know you should ask.
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Author: leonardA
Date: 2004-08-15 12:12
The mouthpiece cushions are great to keep marks off the mouthpiece. I find that the plastic ones do not dampen the sound, but the rubber ones do, so I prefer the plastic. I also used a neckstrap in the beginning until I got used to the weight of the clarinet. It also forces you to keep the clarinet in the right position. I have the BG neckstrap which some have mentioned and it works very well with the standard thumbrest. Most music stores have them. Try Woodwind and Brasswind wwbw.com.
Leonard
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Author: jmsa
Date: 2004-08-16 14:47
I use a neck strap to prevent me from dropping my horn.
jmsa
Post Edited (2004-08-16 14:47)
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Author: BobD
Date: 2004-08-16 15:51
Yes, Sheila, at least somebody out here knows that stupid plastic tr you're talking about. The slit in the neckstrap won't work with it....period. To complicate matters, if you remove it you'll find two projections that fit into holes in the clarinet body.....as I recall....which makes direct replacement a problem. Drilling a hole might work but the tr is so thick that it won't. Best bet is to take it to a tech rep for advice.
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Author: Bennett ★2017
Date: 2004-08-16 16:08
I can't picture the tr in question but I thread a paper clip through my tr so that the hook on my neck strap has a place to go. Applicable to you?
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Author: Piper
Date: 2004-08-31 02:49
[ Post deleted - Advertising is not permitted. Please read the rules prior to posting - GBK ]
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2004-08-31 21:14
Hi,
One of the reasons I use a patch on clarinet and not on sax is that with clarinet, I was taught that the top, front teeth along with the up thrust of the RH thumb on the thumb rest really anchors the clarinet's position. The patch helps in this process. Also, I have one front tooth that is a little longer and sharper than the other; the use of the patch evens out the upper teeth position on the top of the MP.
On sax, the use of the neck strap does not require the upward pressure of the MP on the teeth. I do not use a patch on sax but have considered it on soprano. I think the ergonomics are about the same as the clarinet.
HRL
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Author: gsurosey
Date: 2004-09-01 01:22
Hi Sheila
I get tendonitis in my right wrist; that's why I wear a neckstrap. I wear a wrist brace, too, but I'm trying to break myself of that. As for the mouthpiece patch, one of my front teeth is longer than the other and I figure chewing an indentation into a patch is better than chewing it into a mouthpiece. Now that I'm used to the patch, a mouthpiece seems too hard if it doesn't have one.
Hope this helps.
Rachel
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