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Re: Play Without Thumb Rest?

Author: abrogard
Date: 2019-08-16 08:33

From the factory this instrument has the thumb rest top positioned 1 3/8" from the bottom of the top joint. Or top of bottom joint. The join.

That's 1" and 3/8". 35mm.

When I simply hold the clarinet - and play it - without any rest my hand adopts a position where the thumb is angled and the topmost part of it which would touch the rest if there were one is a mere 3/4" from the join. Something like 17mm.

The ball of my thumb actually rests on the three holes for the thumb rest screws.

The instrument feels very stable when blowing an open G.

It is held on the left hand thumb on the thumb hole and the right hand thumb as I've indicated. The the first finger of the right hand rests on the bar carrying the ring holes and the little finger of the right hand holds closed the right hand bottom key - the F key.

Generally I am happy with this but it is true there are some times when I could use just a little more purchase.

So I intend to get holes drilled and move the thumbrest to a position where the top of the thumb just meets it.

I am saying 'the top of the thumb' here but you understand it is not strictly the very thumb tip - I just mean the end of the thumb rather than the flat of the first joint of the thumb is where the rest is making contact - or meant to when I get it done.

Because of this 'grip' on the instrument, which thumbrest playing doesn't give the hand, the thumb is also further around the instrument - it doesn't touch the instrument directly at the back along the line upon which the thumbrest is mounted but rather more over the left of it (from the player's perspective, looking from the back, i.e. player's right hand thumb is more over towards the player's left side).

So a new rest needs moving over as well as up.

I figure a movement of 3/4" up and 1/2" over.

Quite a large change.

It's my feeling that this is much more ergonomic.

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