 The Fingering Forum
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-17 18:44
I recently returned to clarinet after quite a break for a couple of decades. I was surprised how little time did it take to catch up. After a couple of hours of playing it seemed like there has been no brake at all. Well, almost... except the reed strength.
I have problem though with transition from the the middle C to C#, from C# to D#, from B to C# and vice versa. The problem is due to the fact that when learning and playing before I had a clarinet with different keys with rollers. It was easy to roll the pinky over, say, from C to C#, etc. Now I switched to a Leblanc Bb clarinet that has four different keyys for the right pinky which is feeling very uncomfortable about this.
I figured out that it is possible to switch from C to C# without lifting the tip of the pinky from C (because lifting causes interruption) but rather by pushing the C# with the upper joint of the same pinky. Stilll not awfully comfortable (obviously training is needed), but it works.
However I realize that it might be wrong and I do not want to develop wrong technique that will be difficult to gett rid of. So, could anybody share their secret techniques of the pinkies?
Post Edited (2008-02-17 18:45)
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-02-17 20:56
I gather you played German/Oehler/Albert/Simple system before and are now playing French/Boehm now. The former systems had rollers because there were no (or nearly no) alternative fingerings for the pinky; the French system offers left-hand alternatives for right-hand pinky fingerings and vice versa.
So you're supposed to switch pinkies (L-R-L etc) rather than to roll from key to key with the same finger.
Did you check the fingering chart?
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Ben
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-18 09:45
Thanks Ben for the tip. Actually I had figured out that left pinky could make C# just as the right one, but it seemed a bit awkward. But this was obviously just a habit from playing the German system. Will have to re-learn then. Also F and F# are switched around, as well as few other #, but that was easy to overcome. The C# remains the only one giving the pain
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-18 10:33
By the way, still do not understand how to get to C# from B when both pinkies are busy. Obviously the alternative pinky method is not valid here.
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Author: tictactux ★2017
Date: 2008-02-18 19:47
AS wrote:
> By the way, still do not understand how to get to C# from B
> when both pinkies are busy. Obviously the alternative pinky
> method is not valid here.
With the French system, no two pinkies are busy at the same time.
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Ben
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Author: AS
Date: 2008-02-18 20:40
Allrigt, I got it! Finally Thanks a lot!
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