RT THUMB CRIPPLED BY ARTHRITIS AND CANNOT STAND ANY WEIGHT SO I PROP THE END OF CLARINET ON A SMALL BASKET ON MY LAP, BETWEEN MY KNEES TO TAKE THE WT OFF, BUT I WILL LOOK INTO THAT YOKE BRACE! THANK YOU!
The Clarinet Harness (works with every size of Clarinet from Piccolo down to the Big Contrabass, the Bass Clarinet is kinda a Tenor cause it's only an Octave below the Soprano as far as Range goes) is basically a Clarinet version of Accordion Straps cause like the Accordion, the 2 shoulder straps help distribute the weight more evenly.
I jambed my Rt. thumb some years ago. The weight on that thumb is painful. What model was the wider strap on the shoulders, but NOT the suspenders on the pants model? As I am now restarting clarinet work after some years away and some injury, I'd like to practice before I consider joining your organization.
I don't know why anyone would need a strap for bass clarinet. It sits on the ground, on a spike, like a cello. I played bass for 10 years. I tried a strap once. Took it off after about 90 seconds. I loved the bass because all the weight was on the floor.
I have double jointed thumbs, beginning using a neck strap for clarinet was the most helpful thing I've ever done. It helps every aspect of my playing. I highly recommend using neck straps for everyone.
Hi Michelle. I love your video's, they are very very helpful but please please do one on the different types of thumb rests available. Many thanks. Ian
Coincidentally, I've been looking all this up lately because of wrist pain while playing recently! I'm glad you made this video! This is the best video I've seen about these... It answered a lot of my questions! and I consider your channel a very credible source for clarinet anything If my wrist starts to hurt, I try to shake it out, and then I don't play it as much. If my thumb starts to hurt... well I just though it out because sometimes I don't have a choice. I haven't gotten any long term injuries from my clarinet, but I can say that a part of my thumb will always look different from the rest of my fingers
Typically my clarinet friends only like to wear a strap when they are playing double lipped. I personally do not use a strap because I don't think I need one, and I like to play with the bell between my knees.
The bell between your knees is going to poorly effect your low E and middle line B, and to a lesser extent the F and C, respectively, above those notes.
One comment is that over time my stretchy strap lost elasticity and I came to like the other style better. But the other one I have to adjust it’s length every time I use it. The strap has been very helpful with my thumb arthritis.
Hi Michelle, my name is Linda. I've been playing clarinet for about 50 years - eek! I find that my back gets tired when I stand up to play a solo. It's not painful; I just become exhausted more quickly. Is there anything I can do to remedy this? By the way, I love all of your videos.
Hi I am Nilantha. From Srilanka. I regularly watch your vedios. This also very informative... I also had the problem at the beggining but with the time i got used to it. But still i am having samr problem when i have to play more than the usuall. So i think this is very usefull to me. thanks once again..
Thank you for this, Michelle. Being 5'8" tall is possibly a good dimension for resting the bell on my knee, which is pretty good, but it's still not that stable, so I might consider one of those stretchy straps. I live in Australia, and when repetition strain injury (RSI) or tendonitis was first being talked about, in the 80s I think, I was listening to a discussion about it on talkback radio. The first person to ring in was a clarinet player from Perth. I was just learning at the time, and I will never forget that. In the late 90s I found a clarinet teacher who had Alexander Technique quals, and I haven't looked back since.
Michelle I recently bought a BG leather neck strap as I was having problems with pain higher than you mention, in the region of biceps actually. It has definitely helped with that problem as well as the other features you mention. On the down side however, I find that it interferes somewhat with the left hand fingering, especially when crossing the break. Do you experience the same and is it something that you get used to after a while?
Interesting video, as it reminds us to do what works and what's healthy. On sax, I've gotten away from these cavernous tip openings we used to think we had to use. Sooo much the better for it. This makes me want to find a better strap solution. Perhaps someone will invent a four foot long end pin for tenor. Would make all of the different vintage palm keys easy.
I been having an issue where the clarinet falls out my mouth. It's usually during intense passages. It happens about once an hour. Hand pain I wonder if the strap would keep this thing from falling out of my mouth it really screws me up when that happens.
After just under 4 years of playing the clarinet I have recently (the last 3-4 weeks) experienced thumb pain after about 10-15 mins. I am not sure if the root cause was the clarinet or if some other activity such as gardening was the culprit. My solution was to buy 'Brace-UP' wrist/thumb support (£9.99 at Amazon in my case). I wear this a lot of the time when not playing ( sometimes it is not convenient to do so). I can now play 30-45 minutes before the first twinge. A question, please. I cannot find in your excellent series of videos one which would help me when starting a completely new piece of music. If you have one could you please send me a link if there is not one you might consider producing one. Thank you for your excellent work in our wonderful field.
Hi Tony, I don't have a RU-vid video specifically on this. Great question, though. I do have a full course on how I approach various repertoire. You can get some great samples of it at no charge here: members.clarinetmastery.com/p/mastering-clarinet-music-club-preview. You may get some good ideas out of that.
I love these videos! I've seen the one about priority in upgrades and wonder if you've had a chance to make one about the ever-so-polarizing subject, the thumb rest? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Hi Lisa, I don't have one that reviews all thumb rests, I've had lots of lively discussion with folks about them. I know people who like the Ridenour saddle, and the Kooiman thumb rests. There are also pegs that connect to the thumb rest and put the weight on a chair, kind of like a small bass clarinet peg.
Thank you Michelle for this video. I have had neck pains for a few months using the standard neck strap so I am definitely interested in the one that hooks like suspenders.
Hi, I use a BG clarinet neck strap with the leather attachment. I am thinking of have an adjustable thumb rest with a loop installed on my clarinet. Do you think that's a good idea?
