 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Leonard Alterman
Date: 2021-05-18 17:09
This really makes the clarinet more comfortable to hold and creates the natural curve for the right hand fingers.
http://ridenourclarinetproducts.com/thumb-saddle.html
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Author: OneWatt
Date: 2021-05-20 20:10
I absolutely love my Ridenour clarinet - yet Tom's thumb saddle doesn't do much for me. For some reason its particular shape/curve feels clumpy and awkward.
I was thinking about sanding/shaving it in some manner, but before getting the gumption to do so I bought a Kooiman thumb rest. Ever since, I've had great success with the Kooiman.
I recently tried my Ridenour thumb rest once again - but immediately returned to the Kooiman.
YMMV.
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Israel = Ancient Hebrew for "Wrestles with God"
Klarinet = Ancient Greek for "Struggles with Reeds"
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Author: Late_returner
Date: 2021-05-21 22:37
I used one for several years and agree the curve does feel nice.
But then I reasoned that the hand pain I was getting was likely because the saddle ( quite thick) was increasing the stretch I had to make between thumb and top trills/ and that pulled my R hand out of shape. It helped that I wasnt getting the pain when I put the saddle on a reserve clarinet which happened to have its thumb rest set higher.
It just made my hand too low. Small hands I guess.
So I moved the rest up, fitted an adjustable slider and that has solved things, no hand pain for the last 5/6 years.
Now the adjusted rest means my thumb is directly under the space between R1 hole and the R joint vent cap which gives me easy access to the trills, and I can keep all R fingers very close over holes. If I had wanted to do this and also compensate for the saddle thickness, I think I might have had to fit the rest on the upper joint !
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Author: Una
Date: 2021-05-21 23:39
It makes me feel like I'm playing an extra thick clarinet. Just doesn't work for me. Reducing material where the pad of my thumb sits might help.
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Author: LFabian
Date: 2021-05-22 10:47
I opened the ridenour to fit on my Eb clarinet. I have a better feel for all keys in the lower joint.
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Author: Reformed
Date: 2021-05-23 00:32
The thumb saddle and a relatively high thumb rest position helps me enormously to manage the impact of a Dupuytren's contracture on my right ring finger and also some arthritis.
The increased instrument thickness opens the hand out and make the best of the reduced lift that I now have on ring finger and neighbouring pinky.
The thumb rest is also very comfortable but it does effectively lower the position by maybe 3-4 mm. A competent tech can adjust for that.
On first try, the extra thickness may feel extreme.
My thumb callous has also nearly disappeared.
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Author: Leonard Alterman
Date: 2021-05-24 03:03
It is my understanding that you have to take the Kooiman tbumb rest off and on each time you play. Is that right?
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Author: OneWatt
Date: 2021-05-24 06:28
Leonard Alterman wrote:
> It is my understanding that you have to take the Kooiman tbumb
> rest off and on each time you play. Is that right?
Assuming your case doesn't accommodate the joint with the Kooiman thumb rest attached, then yes. But frankly, it slips right off and goes in one of the spare part sections of your case. Then it slips right back on again when you reassemble your clarinet.
In other words, it's just another part to be disassembled/reassembled when storing/preparing your instrument.
I've got a Kooiman installed on each of my (2 current) clarinets - it's not a constraint in any sense. On and off, just like taking the segments/barrel apart before casing the instrument.
Alternatively, although the Ridenour thumb rest was a bit clunky, I was able to leave it attached to my instruments when returning them to their cases.
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Israel = Ancient Hebrew for "Wrestles with God"
Klarinet = Ancient Greek for "Struggles with Reeds"
Post Edited (2021-05-24 06:28)
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