 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Anon
Date: 2010-03-23 17:18
One of my students (college freshman) is having serious issues changing her hand position. For the past 11 years she has wedged her right index finger under the side keys of the top joint.
I have shown her the usual "natural" hand position, drop your wrist, correct thumb placement stuff and it is still very difficult for her to change. Any suggestions?
I'm at a loss now.
Thanks
Marianne
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2010-03-23 19:37
Would it help to have her keep her RH pinky touching the C key? Unless she has long fingers it seems to me this would force the index finger out from under the side keys. Maybe this could be a condition of playing until the previous habit has been broken.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Matt Locker
Date: 2010-03-23 19:41
I would start by understanding why she wedges her finger under the keys. There could be some other issue that needs to get resolved in order to free up her hand. Does she have an adjustable TR? If so, it may be worth experimenting with different positions. Is her hand very small/large? Is she afraid to drop the clarinet if she depends on her thumb only? That could be resoved with exercises to help her feel more comfortable with only the thumb supporting the instrument. Try long tones.
etc....
MOO,
Matt
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2010-03-23 20:03
It's always difficult to solve an old habit without working very, very hard at it. I would try lowering the thumb rest as low as it can go and see if that helps at all, but give it a few weeks. I know many players like the rest up high, I not only keep my thumb rest as low as it goes, I've even had it moved to go lower. I used to have a problem reaching the low E key without feeling a strain and that solved that. It may help your student with this problem but in any case they have to really work hard at it. You need to make up some short 1 -3 measure exercises for them to work on. ESP http://eddiesclarinet.com
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2010-03-23 23:15
If I'm understanding the position correctly, it seem that her thumb is almost pointing (tip first) into the back of the clarinet (and she is steadying the whole system with her right hand clamped around the lower joint).
The shift to a normal position would then feel like a change from single to double lip in that the clarinet would feel too unstable the correct way.
Like Ed says, it will take a lot of just getting used to the new feel (allowing herself to realize the clarinet will be stabalized in her mouth instead).
Perhaps suggest that NON playing time is JUST as important in this case. No sense wearing down her embouchure and abdominals before her fingers are even ready to accept the change.
So, what I do when changing up finger positions is to set aside "clarinet holding time" that doesn't wear me down but it does provide very specific training.........even if it looks odd to the family.
...................Paul Aviles
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2010-03-24 03:16
It's interesting that you're seeing this in a college freshman. With younger students, I see this fairly often. Let's face it--for a young clarinet player with small hands, the clarinet isn't the easiest or most comfortable instrument to hold. Many young students compensate by wedging the right index finger under the side key. With patience and practice, they can be taught to unlearn this habit. For someone who has been doing this for eleven years, it's much harder.
Ed's suggestion of lowering the thumbrest might be a good idea. A neckstrap might also be worth a try. I wonder if a good thumb cushion might help, such as the one made by BG or the Ridenour thumb saddle.
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Author: pewd
Date: 2010-03-24 04:09
A very common problem in beginners. Difficult or impossible to correct after they've been doing it for more than a year or 2.
This will be extremely difficult to correct after 11 years.
When did the student start playing, 1st grade?
Wild thought:
Superglue a very short piece of a toothpick under the bottom trill key.
They keep pricking themselves on the toothpick, it might reinforce that the hand position is wrong.
2nd the neckstrap idea.
Get a little sticker - small round dot - put it on the RH C key - tell her to rest her pinky on that dot (lightly).
Tell her to have her friends in band to bug her about her hand position.
Take a photo with a cell phone - show her the pic of the wrong position.
When she's doing it right, take another picture - show her the correct position.
Suggest practicing slow scales in front of a mirror, so she can watch her hand position as she plays.
good luck ...
- Paul Dods
Dallas, Texas
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2010-03-24 04:41
It is hard to break old habits, but there are some things that can work.
I suggest some of these, no special order for these ideas-
1. Have her sit and play with the bell on the knees. Then, she should remove her RH thumb from the clarinet. She needs to find a good position for the fingers and then build up the muscles to support it.
2. Place a wine cork or rubber ball or mouthpece cap in her palm and play with the thumb on the thumbrest. She needs to straighten out her fingers and get the palm AWAY from the clarinet.
3. Just don't practice. Take a month off from playing and come back to it with muscles that have "forgotten" their habits.
4. Neck strap.
5. Try to pay more attention to her RH thumb. If that gets fixed, the rest of the hand will fall into place more easily.
Post Edited (2010-03-24 13:17)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2010-03-25 15:21
It sounds as though the problem started with a feeling that the instrument was unstable and needed bracing. Most of us have probably felt this as beginners, and as we become more familiar with the feel of the clarinet we no longer felt the need for this bracing. Like giving up your security blanket when you no longer need it. In this case the problem seems to have become "learned behaviour" and needs to be unlearned.
It might be worthwhile investigating the position of the thumb rest. If the player has unusually large or small hands this may be contributing to the problem. If this finger placement is causing any difficulties with fingering speed or accuracy, this could be used as a tool to retrain the fingers. If all else fails, a neck strap or as a last resort try a cattle prod. Good luck.
Tony F.
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Author: William
Date: 2010-03-25 15:47
Phil Aaholm, University of Colorado (Denver) Professor of clarinet (now retired), when a DMA student here in Madison, used to have his younger clarinet students with bad left hand posture, play while holding the mouthpiece cap. Might work also for the right hand pinky problem. Just a thought.......
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