 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2007-09-23 15:00
has anyone tried one of these?
i am in the process of correcting my right hand position with my new teacher and im finding the thumbrest on my lyrique clarinet isnt working for me.
has anyone who has a lyrique clarinet changed out the thumbrest and to what kind?
Post Edited (2007-09-23 15:01)
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Author: rtmyth
Date: 2007-09-23 15:33
On my Ariosos I use a thumbsaver over the thumb rest-- 18mm wide, 13mm deep, 10mm thick. It works for me. Ariosos have same thumb rest as Lyrique. Maybe this will work for you, rather than the saddle.
richard smith
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Author: classicalguss
Date: 2007-09-23 15:48
I really love the Ridenour saddle. I use them on both my Lyriques and my R-13's. I went through the whole pain in the right hand thing (getting old is so great), experimenting with neck straps, etc. The best solution for me was the Ridenour. Very comfortable, for me. I wouldn't play without it.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-09-23 16:37
I use the Ridenour Thumb Saddle on my oboe and my English horn. I love the way it extends down beneath the thumb rest and allows the thumb to be completely relaxed. I find it helps me create the gentle curve in the fingers of the right hand without tension -- with the Thumb Saddle, the curve just naturally happens. It's by far the best thumb rest I've ever used, on clarinet or double reeds.
Susan
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Author: grifffinity
Date: 2007-09-23 19:27
I purchased one a couple months ago when I was experimenting with thumb positioning. Its a very well made product, but it caused tension as the extra material under the thumb made my grip too wide. My experience seems to be the opposite of almost everyone elses review of this product - most find the extra width of the grip relieves tension in the hand.
Also, if you have an adjustable thumbrest, you have to add a bit of material to the back of the saddle to compensate for a gap that is created. Othewise the thumbsaddle will wiggle and be unstable.
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Author: pelo_ensortijado
Date: 2007-09-23 20:38
well. its not really an answer to your question. but i guess you have had the Kooiman thumbrests in mind to?
DO NOT use those!
they move the preassurepoint to the knuckle instead of the thumb itself and that makes the clarinet wanna go to the left with the mpc, causing extra tension in the lips when compensate this. makes the reed more damped = having a bad influence on the tone!
(i know i did speak very well of them! but i've changed my mind! - just took mine away. the thumb hurts. but the tone is sooo much greater!! so i'll just live with it!! )
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2007-09-23 21:06
no i wasnt thinking of the kooiman. i hadnt heard good things about them.
im not so much trying to solve thumb pain as i am trying to have the right thumbrest that will give me good support when the top of my hand is in the correct position.
i have good support when its out of position. too much pressure on the tip of the thumb when its in the correct position.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-09-23 21:13
<<Also, if you have an adjustable thumbrest, you have to add a bit of material to the back of the saddle to compensate for a gap that is created. Othewise the thumbsaddle will wiggle and be unstable.>>
I'm not sure what to do about the adjusting mechanism on an adjustable thumb rest. My R13 has an adjustable thumb rest, with an eyelet for a neckstrap. The Ridenour saddle fits over it quite nicely if you do what I did for my oboe and cor (which have fixed thumbrests with eyelets): I just took a razor cutter and sliced the top of the thumb saddle to create a notch for the eyelet. The saddle now snugs right up to the instrument, and it hasn't frayed or stretched, etc., in the two years that I have been using it that way.
I'm happy about it, anyway . . .
Susan
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Author: S. Friedland
Date: 2007-09-24 00:13
At eleven bucks it is the best deal in the industry and it works very well for either or any of the Lyrique/Arioso clarinets, the thumb rests on those were difficult for me to negotiate, the problem immediately resolved with the thumb saddle.
But there is another use: For those of you in long long rehearsal sessions featuring a lot of fatigue, it takes maybe three seconds to slide the thing on and the fatigue is really ameliorated almost completely.
The first time you use it for thumb fatigue, you'll feel as if you just entered the rehearsal, and yes, it goes right to the heart of the issue, everything is opened up, including your embouchure. Great stuff.
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Author: bmcgar ★2017
Date: 2007-09-24 02:36
I'm with Sherman. I have them on every clarinet I own.
Also, I insist that all my beginning students use them, especially those who tend to want to make a V with their RH fingers and thumb instead of curving the fingers.
Yes, the same thing could be home-brewed, but why bother?
As to the Kooiman, maybe David Niethamer will chime in with his experience with them, especially the necessity of having someone who really knows hand and wrist anatomy work with the adjustments.
If I recall correctly, he couldn't get the thing set correctly to relieve his wrist pain until he consulted a physical therapist who figured out the correct adjustments. Since then, I haven't seen him play without it.
B.
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Author: Joel K.
Date: 2007-09-24 05:00
I use it. It's comfortable and puts your right hand fingers in the proper position. Recommended.
Joel K.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-09-24 11:24
sorry for a tangent.
pelo- don't knock a good product! if the kooiman is adjusted correctly the pressure 'to the left' is not present- the clarinet will 'fall' forward just like a normal thumbrest. But it must be adjusted properly and one can't just 'put their thumb under it like normal'. there is a 'way' to use it.
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Author: Mags1957
Date: 2007-09-24 12:19
Another yes for the Ridenour. I use them, and they free up the right hand quite a bit. It's noticeable, but much easier to get used to then the Kooiman (w.hich I tried for awhile and ditched in favor of the Ridenour)
I made one of my students try one (she was having right hand troubles), and it made all of her right-hand posistion problems disappear. Thumbs up!
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-09-24 12:22
I find to thumb saddle to be one of the best investments (and a cheap one at that!) that you can make for playing the clarinet. I absolutely love it. My daughter has three of them, one for ewach clarinet she plays (Bb, A and Eb). This way, she has spares in case she loses one, and doesn't have to worry about switching from one instrument to another in concerts.
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: TomD
Date: 2007-09-24 13:26
I felt like I didn't have as much support in certain situations. For example, when playing high 'C', since only the two thumbs are on the instrument, I think because of the roundedness of the thumbrest and the fact that the thumb is further away from the core, the clarinet seemed to want to wobble around. I'm sure it's just me, though since I haven't heard anyone else mention this.
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Author: DougR
Date: 2007-09-24 13:33
OK, potentially dumb question here: from the look of the Ridenour thumb rest, it seems to be considerably clunkier than the regular thumb rest. Will the clarinet still fit in the case with the Ridenour, or do you take it off before putting the horn away?
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Author: JJAlbrecht
Date: 2007-09-24 13:40
You take it off. It's made of flexible material and designed to remove it from the instrument before putting the clarinet back into the case.
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: janlynn
Date: 2007-09-24 13:41
just ordered my thumb saddle. will let you know how it works for me.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2007-09-24 14:30
If you excuse my shameless plug here...if you have some spare EVA "foam rubber" around, try my 5 minute 5 cents thumb rest. It's probably a far cry from Ridenour's products, but still better than nothing.
--
Ben
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Author: pelo_ensortijado
Date: 2007-09-24 14:32
skygardener: but since the soft armthing that is putted on the knuckle are on the right side of the clarinet, and the metalthings where the thumbnail is is to short for the thumb to help compensate. how to make it stable?
if there is a way to continue use it i would be very happy.
have been using it for the past 4 years in different possitions, but not found one that has no disadvantages. either to little flexibility, to much "going to the left", and when putting it outside the knuckle(out on the thumb) it aint helping at all! etc.
do you have one? can you maybe take pictures and describe to me how it is adjusted the right way! :D
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Author: seafaris
Date: 2007-09-25 18:39
I have used the Kooiman (plastic model) for over 2 years on two clarinets. I llike it a lot, any problems I used to have with my thumb and wrist are gone. Everyone is different and it just takes trial and error to find what works right for you.
...Jim
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-09-26 04:56
"skygardener: but since the soft armthing that is putted on the knuckle are on the right side of the clarinet, and the metalthings where the thumbnail is is to short for the thumb to help compensate. how to make it stable?"
Don't put it on your knuckle, please. Look at this website. http://www.infovisual.info/03/027_en.html I place the foam padding on the "Proximal phalanx" of the thumb. And when I hold the clarinet, I curve my thumb towards the base of the ring finger or pinky finger. But at the same time, I don't think "close the hand" I think "open the hand".
ps. Make it feel like your thumb is one piece. 'Open' the webbing between the thumb and index finger and imagine you are wrapping your hand around a big round coffee mug.
Post Edited (2007-09-26 12:28)
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2007-09-26 04:59
Would anyone reccomend the thumb saddle for a person with very small hands. I have a friend that has hands as small as a child and has a lot of pain. I offered the Kooiman to them, but it seems to be too big. Is there anything else that would be good for a small handed person with severe pain?
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2007-09-26 11:30
skygardener - i started this thread and i have very smalls hands (like a childs). i can let you know how it works out for me.
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Author: Paul Globus
Date: 2007-09-26 12:54
I've used the Thumb Saddle for several years and recommend it highly. It's actually a very simply device that slips over a normal clarinet thumb rest. For me the main benefit is how it opens up the right hand somewhat, which seems to encourage relaxation in the fingers. It took a few days to get used to it at first, if I recall, but quickly felt completely natural to me. I doubt that the size of one's hands is a factor in deciding to use the Thumb Saddle. It's not expensive so even if you find it's not for you, you won't be hurting in the wallet. But I predict that you'll be pleased. Try it.
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Author: ohsuzan
Date: 2007-09-26 13:10
I don't know about "child size" hands, but I have relatively small hands (an octave on the piano is a real stretch), and the Thumb Saddle is my device-of-choice. Thumb pain is a thing of the past, even with the English Horn, which is quite heavy.
Susan
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Author: pelo_ensortijado
Date: 2007-09-26 20:15
skygardener: thats how i had it some years ago... doesn't remember why i changed it. so i'll shure change back to give it a try again!!
thanks!!!! :D
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Author: lj
Date: 2007-09-26 22:47
I really like the thumb saddle--I wish I'd had it years ago. I have relatively small hands; my 11-year-old daughter and I wear the same ring size, although my fingers are slightly longer. I don't think hand size should be an issue at all. I use it on my Lyrique (adjustable thumb rest) with no problems.
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