 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-04-07 15:16
As there has been a couple of posts about recovering from loss of finger strength due to atrophied muscles I'd thought I'd advise of a cheap device that I'm really pleased with. Just received it and am most impressed. It's based on the usual spring separated 2 bars that you squeeze together. However this type lets the stronger fingers do the work and doesn't do a lot for the weaker fingers.
The one I've just got has one bar split into 4 each with it's own spring. It is in effect akin to playing a 4 valve trumpet, each finger has to do it's own work even when squeezing together. It improves dexterity if you do the fingers separately, imagine you are playing a fast tune on the 4 valve trumpet.
P.S. They come in all strengths but I would go for the extra light or the light as maximum repetitions against a light resistance is the best therapy and we don't want to become weight lifters?
Post Edited (2012-04-07 15:18)
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-04-07 16:31
Hi. The name of the above device is...
Gripmaster X-Light Tension Hand & Finger Exerciser
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-04-07 21:07
Conditioning coaches and literature say that working to exhaustion under heavy load increases strength and muscle size, which is fine for weight-lifters and body-builders. For endurance, it's much better to do many repetitions under light load.
I used to do hand squeezes with a heavy-strength V-shaped spring exerciser, until I noticed that it made my fingers stiff. Worse, it made tension seem normal. Then I remembered what Alexander Williams said -- that when he was at his best, his fingers felt weightless and seemed to float up and down without effort. Kalmen Opperman pushed me to use light finger movements. He jumped on me whenever he could hear my fingers popping down or see the clarinet moving.
The wonderful baroque oboist Gonzalo Ruiz taught me to hold the oboe out nearly horizontal and use muscle action only to lift the fingers. He said that to put a finger down, he only relaxed to the finger-raising muscle and let the finger drop down by gravity. On the 2-key baroque oboe, you can cover the holes by weight of the finger alone. On the modern clarinet, you have to overcome the key springs, but I've had mine set as light as possible and use as little downward effort as possible. I practice dropping my left ring finger on its hole, and also holding down my right index or middle finger and letting the other fingers drop without effort.
If you look at your fingertips, there should be little or no impression from the rings and holes.
It felt backwards to use my raising muscles consciously but not to use the contracting muscles. I worked and continue to work on it by taking off the mouthpiece and fingering scales in thirds. The opening of Rose 40 # 1 also helps, as does Kroepsch # 1.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-04-07 22:15
Hello Ken. We may be talking at slightly crossed purposes here. My own personal problem and of the 2 previous posters were of muscle atrophy i.e. wasted muscles due to trapped nerves etc. I mentioned the device more to assist in returning the muscle strength to normality rather than to build muscles above normal.
For example, I have large hands and my fingers don't fall naturally on the keys. I make them fit over the keys with a little muscular effort. However after about 1/2 hour or so of practice the fingers with weakened muscles are no longer up to the job and further practice is a waste of time.
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Author: Ken Shaw ★2017
Date: 2012-04-07 23:46
Putz -
The first section of what I wrote was about finger strengthening -- that many reps with light resistance was better than few reps with heavy resistance.
The second section was about relaxation, so you could operate the keys with less effort.
You might also be interested in Larry Guy's advice and exercises. Go to http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=20&i=289&t=289 and search for the section called FINGER MOVEMENT the next section, COLLAPSING JOINT.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Campana
Date: 2012-04-08 09:26
Ken...Thanks for the link. I've made it a "Favorite" so I can come back to it without having to hunt. Fingering is an area I really have to work on (apart from all the others)
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Author: William
Date: 2012-04-08 17:01
The best finger exerciser is simply your clarinet. Play scales, arpeggios, etudes, whatever appears on your music stand--or play by ear if jazz is your goal. Whatever, your fingers will learn most effectively with a real instrument in your hand--not a muscle building squeeze toy.
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Author: Mark Charette
Date: 2012-04-08 17:22
William wrote:
> The best finger exerciser is simply your clarinet.
William, I don't believe that's true in this particular case of muscle atrophy. But ... I am not a doctor. A doctor specialized in muscle therapy would be the one to ask.
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