 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: eac
Date: 2012-12-21 13:01
My teacher and I were working on my left hand position and she noticed that I have much long fingers than she which was making my use of the Ab/G# key akward. She had seen other professional clarinet players who had added a (custom made) cork pad on the top of the Ab/G# key. I dummied one up using foam mounting tape and it does indeed improve things so that I do not have to move my hand so much to get to Ab/G# key and allows my fingers to better stay above the tone holes while using the Ab/G# and the A keys. It maybe that the pad will only be a temporary aid as I eventually develop a better hand position or perhaps I will need to use one long term and have a cork one made. But my hands are not all that large (size 7 1/2 or 8 gloves) and my fingers not all that long (index finger from web space to tip 3" and middle finger from web space to tip 3 3/8") and many men have hands larger than mine. I've never seen this addressed on this bulletin board. So I'm curious; any other observations or other solutions? Thanks!
Liz Leckey
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2012-12-21 13:09
Cork, or maybe even having the key bent to achieve the same purpose. You can do this yourself if you're careful, although if it needs to be moved a really exaggerated distance cork may be a safer solution. If you bend the key upward, you will also need to compensate in the cork underneath the key so it doesn't travel uncomfortably far. Everyone's hands are different, which is what makes the rules some player-teachers lay down about hand positions so "iffy."
Karl
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-12-21 14:08
I also have long fingers, but I've always played with my hands "low." It has never been a problem for me, but as Karl said, "everyone's hands are different, which is what makes the rules some player-teachers lay down about hand positions so 'iffy.'" If a pad on the top of the G#/Ab key helps you, there's nothing wrong with it.
Your question immediately made me think about saxophone palm keys. Various types of palm key risers are frequently used by sax players, and these risers make it much easier to hit the highest notes (my alto has the rubber "slide on" type). I'm not aware of any company that makes a similar product for clarinet keys.
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Author: Jack Kissinger
Date: 2012-12-21 14:29
I'm having a hard time envisioning your problem here. It seems to me that long fingers would make it easier, not harder, to use the G# and A keys. My fingers are a little longer than yours and I've never had a problem. I expect that once you find a good hand position, you'll be fine. It occurs to me that your optimum hand position may not be the same as your teacher's. I do curve my fingers a bit (actually about the same amount as I curve them to use a computer keyboard) but my teachers have never suggested there is anything wrong with that approach and once, when I asked a teacher specifically about my hand position, she said it was fine.
Best regards,
jnk
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Author: concertmaster3
Date: 2012-12-21 16:32
I actually have this same problem, and have been thinking about getting cork put on my Ab key to help with this. My teacher and I have been very diligent about my hand position because I have long, skinny fingers (which made playing violin very natural!). We've been working on keeping my wrists tucked in, as if your hands were hanging from the sides, and you just bring them up in that same position.
I also found some plastic finger splints to help keep my knuckles from straightening (which was a result of the hand position). The problem is that with longer fingers, your hands generally move further away from the clarinet, making the side Ab key more cumbersome to reach, so putting something there to raise that key (whether it be physically raising it, or attaching something to the key) helps your hand keep it's more natural position. There are blessings and curses to long fingers!
Ron Ford
Woodwind Specialist
Performer/Teacher/Arranger
http://www.RonFordMusic.com
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2012-12-21 16:42
I'm getting closer and closer to having the tip joint of my right pinky removed so that I don't have to curl my finger so much to squeeze it onto the the Eb/Ab and C#/G# keys!
One of those bad technique things that you never seem to be able to shed: favoring the left hand C#/G#, causing some awkward sequences when playing "in the woodpile."
Bob Phillips
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Author: BartHx
Date: 2012-12-21 16:43
If you need to change the Ab/G# key in some way, I would suggest adding something on top of the key. If you bend the key and add something underneath, you add the problem of having to make sure the venting is correct, again. Both tuning and tone can be impacted by over venting or under venting the Ab/G# key.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2012-12-21 18:13
Besides, bending is not an easily undone operation (the metal will eventually break from fatigue). Remove a glued-on piece of cork is much simpler.
--
Ben
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Author: eac
Date: 2012-12-22 19:26
Thanks to everyone for all the responses! I just googled "palm sax risers" and found a write up on ready made silicone putty that the writer had used to make custom sax palm risers and had also tested on other instruments without damage to keywork, wood or finishes.
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk/HandyHints/key_risers.htm.
The silicone putty is sugru.
http://sugru.com/us
I will order some, give it try and post my results some time after the holidays. (I have no financial interest in this product.).
Fortunately I had my thumb rest moved up several years ago which alleviated my right thumb pain. It also improved my right hand position so I can forego the amputation of the fifth distal digit. And the finger splints also sound promising.
Thanks again and Happy Holidays to all on the Bulletin Board.
Liz Leckey
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Author: clarinetguy ★2017
Date: 2012-12-23 12:32
Liz, thanks for the links about Sugru. Interesting product! It looks like it can also be used to make comfortable thumb cushions.
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Author: mrn
Date: 2012-12-23 23:39
Attachment: hand.jpg (487k)
My fingers are just a tad longer than yours and I've never experienced a difficulty like you've described. Funny thing, though, is that I don't recall ever being explicitly taught how to position my left hand.
What I do remember doing is a useful exercise that trains your left hand to assume a correct position naturally. You play the index finger-thumb E (bottom line on the staff) and then "roll" your index finger onto the A key without uncovering the hole it's on. (don't worry about the ugly sound it makes) Do this a few times, then try doing the same motion but unsealing the holes (so you actually play a real A).
You can do the same exercise going from E to G#. It seems to me that if you practice this exercise enough it should take care of any left-hand position issues you may have. If it helps, though, I took a picture of my left hand (excuse the poor quality--I used my phone).
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2012-12-24 01:15
For me, I think it a bit easier to "approach" the clarinet differently (change the attitude of the fingers/hands to the clarinet) rather than apply add-ons or go into surgical options.
Is there ANYTHING that says one can't have their left hand fingers at a 90 degree angle (perpendicular) to the clarinet ? No not really. So just changing the angle and or flattening out your fingers (rather than rounded knuckles) could simply solve an issue that getting alot of you all bunched up in technical knots.
...................Paul Aviles
P.S. Merry Christmas to all
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Author: eac
Date: 2013-06-25 18:47
Update on using Sugru to make a pad or riser for the Ab/G# key with Sugru:
It was incredibly easy. Sugru is very pliable and easy to shape. It sets up overnight. I made the pad a bit bigger than was needed and found that the Sugru is easier to trim than cork with an exacto knife. A 5 gram pack was more than ample to make the riser.
Liz Leckey
Post Edited (2013-06-25 18:49)
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Author: aalex
Date: 2019-12-17 15:56
Hi!
I am happy I've found this old thread, because I am considering modifying the low left-pinky E/B key of one of my clarinets.
I was thinking about bending the key, but should instead I should consider glueing a cork piece, or adding Sugru glue to it.
I think that clarinet key risers could definitely find a (small) market.
Alexandre Quessy
Software developer for new media arts
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Author: aalex
Date: 2019-12-17 15:57
I'll keep this thread updated!
Alexandre Quessy
Software developer for new media arts
Post Edited (2019-12-17 15:58)
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Author: r small
Date: 2019-12-17 18:16
I used to be able to get thin sheets of synthetic cork (maybe 1/16" thick) that had an adhesive on one side and was great for building up the height of keys. I would cut it to the shape I wanted then just stick it on the top of the key I wanted raised. The adhesive was strong and would remain in place for a very long time. Unfortunately I can no longer find this product. I found a similar product that uses real cork but the synthetic is much stronger and easier to work with. Real cork tends to be a little crumbly and hard to work with.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2019-12-20 18:35
I have a lot of discussions like this with my teacher because his hands are very different from mine and some of our joints just don't seem to go the same directions at all. It seems to me that there is no one completely right way to play the clarinet, and a lot of it is just trying things out until we find something that work for the particular hands that we have. I'm just a newcomer though, so I may be wrong about that.
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Author: BethGraham
Date: 2019-12-21 05:21
I actually find that, too. (I'm a newer clarinet player than you.) My fingers are extremely long and thin, and I especially have trouble getting my right pinkie onto the right-hand B and C# keys. It's hard to bend my pinkie just right every time to be able to press those keys cleanly and consistently.
I trust this is mostly a matter of just needing to practice more.
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