Author: D
Date: 2008-09-08 21:00
Well the obvious assumption without seeing you play is that you are very tense (probably in the shoulders) and holding your fingers at an unnecessarily strained angle. Have you played the same clarinet the whole time you have been playing or has this happened regardless of make or model?
If you are being overly tense, a good teacher and some yoga or similar exercises are probably the answer.
If it turns out that your fingers just happen to have their lengths distributed in such a way that it makes the clarinet awkward, it is perfectly possible to get key extensions built to make certain keys less of a stretch and improve your playing angle.
Similarly, it could be related to the angle of your thumb and the strain on the thumb joint twisting the rest of your hand position. Perhaps a ergonomic thumb rest or a sling might ease the situation.
Picture s of you playing might help, but your best bet is a consultation with a good teacher.
What do you do in the real world? If you use your hands a lot (typing, holding a chain saw etc) it could be that that is what is affecting your hands and not the clarinet, and better working position is needed in the day.
If you haven't played other makes of clarinet, try and swap instruments with a friend for a week to see if your particular key layout is the problem. When I bought one of my clarinets (small British maker Hanson) I was given the option of some slightly different key layouts which were designed because people do have different hands and prefer different things.
Best of luck and tell us what you find out.
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