 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-04-08 14:41
Does anyone have any suggestions regarding the C#4 (C# below the staff) fingering? I find it hard because my C ring finger is in the way, even when I roll my pinky to hit the key. I'm in the middle of nowhere MT without a live teacher.
Tristan
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-04-08 15:01
Is the C# touchpiece located immediately above the LH F touchpiece? If there's a large gap between them, then the C# touchpiece can be bent downwards narrowing the gap between it and the LH F touchpiece so you're not contorting your hands to reach it. But there still has to be a sufficient gap so both touchpieces don't get mashed up during assembly - you can test this by rotating the joints to see how much clearance you have.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-04-08 19:59
There's only the one decent fingering for low register C# - that's with the C#/G# key (xxxC#/G#|ooo).
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-04-08 21:57
Chris P wrote:
> There's only the one decent fingering for low register C# -
> that's with the C#/G# key (xxxC#/G#|ooo).
>
The fingering is easy -- execution without getting one's fingers tangled up is what I'm having problems with... :-) All suggestions are very welcome.
Tristan
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2013-04-08 21:57
First, try changing your left hand position so that your fingers come in close to a 90 degree angle, rather than the 50 degree angle many people use. Watch in a mirror to see how much of a change you need.
You could also bend the C# touchpiece up and put a thicker cork beneath it.
Lengthening and changing the height and angle of the low C# touchpiece is simple work for a well-equipped tech shop.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-04-08 22:14
What make and model is your clarinet and how old is it?
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2013-04-09 00:30
Ok I'm not visualizing your problem, HOWEVER, I have a slightly unconventional approach to the clarinet these days that may help you...... maybe.
I have my left palm MUCH lower so that I am actually hitting the G# Key (second line of staff) with my index finger almost at the very bottom !!! So my fingers pretty much angle up rather than down. The consequence to my pinky is that it needs to curl a fair amount to reach the paddle keys which I activate more or less with the pinky's outside corner. This in affect takes the ring finger out of the equation (but makes things rather congested down there......just takes some practice to get things right).
Just a thought.
...............Paul Aviles
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2013-04-09 13:31
I agree that it could be the C# key position that may need adjustment or your hand position needs to change just a bit. I take it your pinky finger is hitting your ring finger when playing the C#, so perhaps your hand needs to be tilted downwards a bit (or rotated), but not so much that you lose the ability to work the G# and A throat tones. One other thing....your email indicates Helena MT and having lived there, I know there are lots of decent musicians in the area, so find someone to take a look at what is happening with your left hand!
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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Author: Taras12
Date: 2013-04-09 20:37
johng wrote:
> your email indicates Helena MT and having lived there,
> I know there are lots of decent musicians in the area, so find
> someone to take a look at what is happening with your left
> hand!
>
Helena is about 1 1/2 hours away from where I live (Anaconda, MT), Missoula 1 1/4 and Bozeman almost 2 hours. I still work full time (8-10 hour days).
You, however, are quite correct regarding my pinky hitting my ring finger with my current hand position. I'll give both the increased angle as well as wrist rotation a try.
Tristan
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Author: johng ★2017
Date: 2013-04-09 21:56
>Helena is about 1 1/2 hours away from where I live (Anaconda, MT), >Missoula 1 1/4 and Bozeman almost 2 hours. I still work full time (8-10 hour <days).
Well, sure enough, you ARE in the middle of nowhere! Hope you get your problem solved.
John Gibson, Founder of JB Linear Music, www.music4woodwinds.com
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