 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: shahs
Date: 2013-11-08 19:37
Hello everybody,
I am looking for some help.
One of my best clarinet and tenor sax students recently lost his left index finger in an accident. Though he and his family have already embraced the fact that he is not likely to be able to play anymore, I am still holding out hope that there may be a way to modify the key system on the upper joint of his clarinet and/or the left-hand keys of his saxophone in such a way that he can still play even with only his thumb and three fingers.
Has anybody ever encountered such a scenario, or does anybody have contact information to a wiz repairman who would be willing to attempt such a thing? It seems as though if we can send a man to the moon, somebody out there might have an idea for this!
In the meantime, he is playing percussion and being a real trooper about it. I am just hopeful we can get him back in the wind-playing part of the band someday.
Thanks so much for your consideration.
Sue
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Author: jdbassplayer
Date: 2013-11-08 19:50
What if a bridge is added to the c#/g# key so it can be played by the right index finger (see link). Then he can put his middle on the 1st ring, his ring finger on the 2nd ring, and his pinkey on the open hole. He can play middle b and c# with his right hand. It might be hard to get use too but at least he could play. Best of luck to your student
http://www.rossiclarinet.com/english-site/images/extension.jpg
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2013-11-08 20:02
Years ago a Scottish sax player came into the shop where I worked who had his left index finger amputated. So he used his middle, ring and little finger on the main action finger buttons.
He used the lower edge of his hand to operate the G# key, so with that in mind, your friend should be able to adapt and use his middle finger on the LH1 chimney and throat A and G# keys, ring finger for the LH2 chimney and little finger on the LH3 tonehole.
The G# key and LH levers can be built up so they can be operated by the lower edge or palm of his left hand.
More recently I fitted a Stephen Fox RH1 C#/G# touchpiece for a player with arthritis who can't reach the C#/G# touch normally, so this has also helped.
What would be better is a clarinet fitted with an articulated C#/G# key and have it linked to the LH levers, so any of them will give C#/G# unless the RH fingers are down. Also, if the LH levers are pinned, C#/G# can be played with the RH E/B and F#/C# touches as well as can be found on Pupeschi system clarinets.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2013-11-08 20:08)
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Author: David Spiegelthal ★2017
Date: 2013-11-08 20:13
I once acquired an old Selmer-Paris clarinet (pre-WWII) that had been modified by some very clever tech for a player who was missing his right index finger. It involved a "flyover" plateau key and roller mechanism. Something analogous could be done with the clarinet upper joint. I envision extensions of the throat A and G# spatulas to allow the l.h. middle finger to reach them, and converting the first and second rings to plateau keys, with the lower one tab-closed by the upper one, to allow the middle finger to close either or both of those toneholes.
A similar setup for sax might be a bit trickier because of the need to operate the front F/bis keys, but is probably do-able as well.
I would be willing to take this on if nobody else jumps in.....
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Author: donald
Date: 2013-11-08 21:23
I would imagine that saxophone would be much easier to play, or design an alternative system for, than the clarinet if missing the index finger. I recall someone telling me years ago about a sax with the keys modified so that....
- 3rd finger right hand operated the "button" usually operated by the left hand index fingering... (and had been disconnected from the usual links to the B flat or F sharp opperation).
Thus C major scale became....
0X0 000
000 00X
0X0 00X
0XX 000
0XX X00
0XX XX0
0XX XXX
0XX XXX C
... which might take a bit of getting used to (and be more difficult to play smoothly) but is a lot better than not being able to play. I never saw this mechanism, but was told about it my a former teacher who I haven't had any contact with in the last 25 years...
As for bis/front F- these are both fingerings I agree are very useful and which I use as often as possible, but it's also possible to play without them (as an example, I've just had a student sit Grade 8 ABRSM, and she used the bis fingering ONCE, and only used the front F for Fmaj/min arpeggios)
i hope this was helpful
dn
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Author: Hank Lehrer
Date: 2013-11-08 22:03
Hi,
This is a very touching story but I'd like to tell you a short one about Sparky.
My new neighbor Joe had two dogs, Bandit and Sparky. I remember the first time I saw the dogs go out the door to play in the big side yard. Bandit was much bigger and faster but Sparky seemed to be keeping up pretty well.
I went over and talked to Joe and the dogs came up and sat down. It was then I noticed that Sparky was missing his left front leg.
Humans and animals are pretty inventive. The suggestions above are really great. I know something will work out for Sue's student. As a doubler. I think a sax modification might be the easiest but maybe your student could learn flute? With just a wrap-around extension of the G#/Ab key, the RH thumb could be used (a little bit of an engineering problem because of the motion required but not insurmountable- think trombone or horn thumb use).
HRL
PS I wonder if Sparky could have become a percussionist with the proper instruction?
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2013-11-08 22:23
Is the entire finger gone, or does part of it remain? I once saw a picture of a sax on a website (I'll see if I can find it) that had been modified for someone who had lost part of a finger. An extension had been attached to one of the keys that enabled the remaining part of the finger to close it. If your student still has part of the finger, perhaps extensions could also be added to the palm keys. A similar solution could be used on his clariner.
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Author: Liquorice
Date: 2013-11-09 08:01
I once saw Rene Hagmann in Geneva re-building an instrument for someone who had lost part of two of their fingers. He was basically building elongated keys which operated pads to cover some of the main tone-holes. Hagmann is an expert on clarinet mechanics and helped design the Buffet Prestige bass clarinet.
If I'm not wrong, he still works at Servette Music:
http://www.servette-music.ch/pages/_main.php
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2013-11-09 09:17
About 50 years ago I modified a clarinet for a friend who had lost the top 2 joints of his left ring finger. I added a post in line with the D# key posts and fitted an articulated plateau pad to the tone-hole above the middle joint. I also lengthened the C# key. I fabricated the keywork from the contents of my junkbox. As far as I know the clarinet (Selmer, as I recall) is still in use.
Tony F.
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2013-11-10 00:56
Sue,
I recommend that you contact David Nabb at University of Nebraska at Kearney. He suffered a stroke in 2000 rendering his left hand unusable. In conjunction with a technician, a system was devised that allowed him to perform with his right hand only.
http://www.unk.edu/mobile/mobile.aspx?id=17184
I bet he will have valuable input on this situation.
Best wishes,
Chris.
Christopher Nichols, D.M.A.
Assistant Professor of Clarinet
University of Delaware
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-11-10 15:21
There are a few specialized instruments out there. I have two customers missing the end of their fingers and have made modifications so that they can play. There are also one handed clarinets and flutes. These are much more complex. Changing a clarinet to accommodate one missing finger is not too complex.
Steve Ocone
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Author: shahs
Date: 2013-11-12 12:30
Wow, thank you all for your thoughtful and informative responses! Things may be a bit quiet from my end for a bit while I work with the family to see what direction they may want to take.
Thank you all so, so much!
Sue
Music Teacher, NH
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Author: Steven Ocone
Date: 2013-11-12 12:46
It looks like you are in New Hampshire. I know a tech in Vermont that could modify your instruments(s).
Steve Ocone
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