 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: annev
Date: 2011-03-16 03:04
I've gained so much information from this Board (thank you!) that I was wondering if you might be able to help me with an on-going problem. When I play clarinet, especially if I play for an extended period, I develop tired and sore muscles along the inner and upper (medial and anterior) edges of the shoulder blades. I also am sometimes sore in the small of the back, just below the last rib. As a singer I'm aware of how to use abdominal support for breathing, and I think I do that well (although the clarinet has more back pressure - no pun intended! - then a voice). I also know that jaw tension can radiate to the shoulders, but niether my jaw or neck is having any problems. My teacher has experimented with various ways to sit or stand (straight backed chairs, etc.) but he says my posture is quite good and since it doesn't seem to help much either, we're baffled. Any thoughts or practice tips would be very welcome! Thank you.
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Author: clariniano
Date: 2011-03-16 03:20
Hmm, you could check in with an Alexander Technique teacher for example, or with a performing arts clinic. Seeing that you are in ON (I am too, in Toronto), Toronto Western Hospital has a performing arts clinic, which I have been to a couple of times, once for problems handling long phrases which I never had before and once for tendonitis, and a couple of past students went to (because they were playing a lot between lessons, school ensembles, their practicing) and it really helped them.
You could consider stretching *before* playing. That's been helping me a lot lately. Madeline Bruser's The Art of Practicing is a book that I recommend to a lot of musicians, I have even given it as a gift three times, two to musician friends and last Christmas to my theory/piano teacher. Also Janet Horvath's Playing Less Hurt gives some ideas for stretches you can do, for example while the conductor is rehearsing with another section.
Meri
Please check out my website at: http://donmillsmusicstudio.weebly.com and my blog at: http://clariniano.wordpress.com
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Author: davyd
Date: 2011-03-16 03:44
Undoubtedly there are exercises that can help. You might also experiment with various types of chairs and cushions. Would using a neck strap or instrument support help?
But it could also be that you're suffering from an all-too-common condition known as O L D, for which there is no cure.
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Author: Bb R13 greenline
Date: 2011-03-16 06:10
I guess a 15 year old is considered old these days, I have the same problem but only when playing for extended periods of time(over 4 hours)
Usually a good nights sleep and it's fine the next day
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Author: marcia
Date: 2011-03-16 08:23
>But it could also be that you're suffering from an all-too-common condition >known as O L D, for which there is no cure.
"Old Lady" Disease? ![[grin]](http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/smileys/smilie5.gif)
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2011-03-16 11:23
My guess is that you are tensing areas that don't need to be tense. EVERYTHING should be relaxed should be relaxed..........except for your lip/cheek muscles and your abdominals. One student upon being told to be completely relaxed said, "and play as if I don't care?!!?" And the teacher responded, "EXACTLY."
.............Paul Aviles
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Author: kdk
Date: 2011-03-16 11:30
I think the next step might be to check with your doctor. Once you tell him or her, "if I practice for an extended period" and you get past the response paraphrasing the old joke, "then don't practice so much," you and the doctor might consider the likelihood of a physical cause - pinched nerve in your cervical spine, a chronic tendinitis or small tear in the muscles around the shoulder, etc.... There may be nothing, and the problem may result simply from your tightening up as you get tired, shifting effort to muscles or tendons that aren't conditioned to sustain it. The solution then might be to rest more often. But if there is an underlying neural-muscular cause for your soreness, diagnosing it would be the first step toward clearing it up.
Karl
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Author: annev
Date: 2011-03-17 02:58
Thank you for your suggestions - they are very much appreciated. I usually do some stretches at home before practice, as well as yoga at other times for flexibility and relaxation. I'll have a look at the books that were suggested (I do have a copy of Madeline Bruser's book) and see what I can put together as a good regimen. Stretching periodically at band would probably be helpful also.
I'm pretty active and physically in good shape. My main concern is that I might be doing something wrong technically. I do start with relaxed muscles so the problem might be learning to maintain that over the time I'm playing. More good thoughts and things to work on, thanks.
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