 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-07-21 19:28
what kind of neckstrap do you recommend and the best place to get it?
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Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-07-21 19:50
what kind of neckstrap do you recommend? - one that you find comfortable
and the best place to get it? - a shop that will let you try before you buy
C'mon, we aren't talking a huge investment here.
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-07-21 19:52
well i dont live in an area where i can go try any. i have to order online. therefore i need to know what others reccommend before ordering.
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Author: NorbertTheParrot
Date: 2008-07-21 20:01
Well, I have a NeoTech, which is as cheap as any. I use it only on those occasions when my right shoulder is giving me problems, though frankly it's just as effective to prop the bell on my knee.
A neckstrap is most effective if you are one of those players who holds the clarinet rather vertically and close to your body. If, like me, you tend to hold the instrument high, well away from your body, the strap won't really take much of the weight.
You can easily make a strap out of any old piece of cloth and some elastic, just to see whether it helps.
Using a strap also increases the risk of inadvertently smacking the mouthpiece against your teeth. (Maybe I'm just unusually clumsy.)
If you have a major problem with the weight of the instrument, you might do better to consider one of those devices that support the instrument from below.
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Author: Katrina
Date: 2008-07-21 20:04
Claricord is elastic and inexpensive. It's not as "high tech" as some, but it'll give you an idea if a neck strap will help any problems you may have.
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Author: BobD
Date: 2008-07-22 10:56
I've tried neckstraps and didn't find them helpful.
Bob Draznik
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Author: Neal Raskin
Date: 2008-07-22 12:35
I use the Claricord neckstrap when my right wrist starts tensing up. I don't use it all the time, but it is helpful for me on occasion. I'm at least glad that I have it.
Try weinermusic.com or prowinds.com Those are the large music stores that I purchase from.
Neal
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Author: Bob Phillips
Date: 2008-07-22 16:02
I use a BG elastic strap.
I set the length of the strap so that when it's holding the clarinet it places just the right of mouthpiece into my mouth.
The elasticity of the strap lets me remove the clarinet from my mouth without having to lift or turn my head.
The strap tend to pull the clarinet bell to close to my body, cramping the reed against my lower lip. I have to apply thumb pressure to get the horn out far enough to let the air go over my tongue and into the mouthpiece.
The strap completely eliminated the pain in my right forearm after about a month's use.
I must, however, work to keep the clarinet far enough from my body to keep my sound quality up. When I get lazy with my right thumb, my sound gets cramped.
Bob Phillips
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Author: David Lee
Date: 2008-07-22 16:15
I have been using a Neo Tech for three years, I am very comfortable using it. I use it for practice two hours (one hour per session) a day and when I play in the local community band. I used to have wrist problems with out it and it has completely disappeared. I did forget to bring it once for band and I was a little panicked, but I was able to play OK without it. So I would recommend playing with out some of the time so that in an emergency you won't worry that you don't have it.
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Author: Tara
Date: 2008-07-22 17:01
I use the BG elastic and really like it. You can find it at several online retailers.
Tara
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Author: coasten1
Date: 2008-07-22 17:25
I know everyone has their limitations and problems with wrists, arms, shoulders, but sometimes the solution to not use a neck strap just comes with some building of the muscles in the arms. Some light dumbbells to do arm curls and wrist curls can build enough strength to be able to support the clarinet. Plus you gain from the added strength in your arms.
Just a suggestion/alternative.
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Author: EEBaum
Date: 2008-07-22 18:33
I prefer the BG non-elastic. If it's not adjusted just right, I end up pulling the clarinet down a bit with the BG elastic or the Claricord, which makes for an unhappy neck.
-Alex
www.mostlydifferent.com
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Author: Ed Palanker
Date: 2008-07-22 20:10
BG elastic is a very good one. Just make sure it is elastic so it moves with you. Our second clarinetist uses one; my former student Ricardo Morales uses one and a great many other do too. ESP www.peabody.jhu.edu/457 Mozart!
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Author: denner22
Date: 2008-07-24 11:01
Neotech is a great strap. Slightly elastic, but not so much that you feel that it wants to push the instrument inside your mouth too much. Comfortable and easy to use. It has worked well for me at one stage and also several students - especially younger students.
David
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Author: J. Schoepflin
Date: 2008-07-24 15:54
The BG Elastic, elequently advocated by several writers in this blog, receives a big endorsement from me. The elastic model provides just the right balance of security with freedom. If you make the permanent conversion to this strap, you may wish to modify your clarinets by installing thumb rests with eyelets for ease of attaching and switching quickly.
SpokaneJim
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Author: Tara
Date: 2008-07-24 19:37
Funny you mention Ricardo, Mr. Palanker- when I first started using a neckstrap in college one of my classmates gave me such a hard time for being a "wimp". About that time I saw a photo of him using it. I felt a bit more justified then!
Tara
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Author: Ryder
Date: 2008-07-24 21:43
David, so does my R13. The R13 already weighs quite a bit, but i have a r. scott barrel on it, a vandoren leather lig w/ metal insert, a bg rubber thumb cushion, and the leather piece that attaches my neckstrap. I wish the R13 was lighter to begin with! The first time I picked up a Tosca I was floored by how light it was. if I get one of those, I won't need to use a neckstrap!
I use a BG non-elastic neckstrap. After having several days to try the elastic, I find it doesn't quite give me the support i need, nor is it easy to adjust correctly. With the non-elastic, it's either perfect or not... both a blessing and a curse. I tend to move allot while playing, and i don't find the non-elastic constricting. Just be aware of how much you are biting, as any neckstrap will ncrease biting pressure without using more force from the right thumb. Just try them. I wouldn't reccomend the neotech unless you want your clarinet held by towing straps. It's a little bulky.
____________________
Ryder Naymik
San Antonio, Texas
"We pracice the way we want to perform, that way when we perform it's just like we practiced"
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Author: D Dow
Date: 2008-07-25 01:21
If you are having alot of physical problems playing the clarinet you should also address the root cause. Tension over a long period of time will also play havoc with wrist and arms too...a neck strap on the sax always bugs me..on clarinet I feel much better without a strap..however if you are having problems seek advice from an experience professional player as well. That also means if you are a pro too..sometimes things that are bothering you may also mean a technique change as well. A scary proposition but one that may add years and development to your playing!
David Dow
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2008-07-25 13:49
I don't like the elastic ones...at least, the Claricord. I like the BG non-elastic strap, haven't tried their elastic one. I found the elastic claricord too "bouncy" and it felt weird. It seems to me the non-elastic one takes more of the weight. But, you might be happy with either. They were around $30 several years ago when I bought one, so it's not a huge investment. Worth a try to improve your comfort level when you're playing, I think. wwbw.com or fred weiner or muncy, one of those places should have them.
Lori
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