The Claritie - Right Hand Thumb and Wrist Support for Clarinet players - made by Daniel Bangham

Introducing The 'Claritie' - Right Hand Thumb and Wrist Support for Clarinet Players

I am fortunate enough to not have suffered greatly from pain in my hands from supporting my musical instruments but I know many players who have struggled with strain induced problems, sadly some to the point of giving up playing altogether. I have recently become aware of a product that really works and which any players suffering from such problems needs to know about. To order follow the link below to see the 'Claritie' as offered by Woodwind and Reed, specialist music shop, Cambridge, UK:

http://www.wwr.co.uk/other-clarinet-accessories/pid89425/cid417/clarinet-support-to-suppliment-the-use-o.asp

Here is the advertising blurb itself:

For all clarinet players who suffer from pain and tension in their right hand thumb and wrist from playing – there is now a total solution available!

A fantastic, new invention that holds the clarinet in the correct playing position, but takes all the weight of the thumb. An excellent solution for those with RSS or Arthritis.

The hook ring fits between the bell and bottom joint and the hanger goes between your body and the hook fitting.

Daniel Bangham, a master craftsman, repairer and retailer based in Cambridge in the United Kingdom, has developed a support that has the effect of making a clarinet virtually weightless, suspended without reliance on the right hand thumb for lifting.

This clarinet support, invented and perfected over the last few years with leading UK players and in consultation with long term sufferers of thumb and wrist agonies, is the best answer available to provide relief from pain and eliminate this aggravating problem.

Forget making alterations to your instrument or thumbrest, complicated and fussy pegs requiring frequent adjustments, stands that can only be used when seated, this clever device takes all the weight of the instrument without compromising your optimum playing angle. It can be used seated or standing. Easy and quick to install and use, its neat design requires no modifications to the clarinet, no screws changed or holes drilled and can be transferred from one instrument to another without fuss.

Made from the finest materials, polished steel and rosewood contact support the Claritie is as elegant as it is effective.

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Once I became aware of the value of the Claritie I became so enthusiastic about it I wrote the following product review:

Product Review

A proven new support device for sufferers of aching thumbs and sore wrists as a result of playing the clarinet is now available. It has been my privilege to observe the development of this new product through my work at Woodwind & Reed in Cambridge, UK. It was here in this shop that Daniel Bangham, owner and innovative thinker about such matters, worked alongside visiting customers who had experienced problems ranging from minor occasional discomfort in their right hand thumbs to career-threatening pain that could have resulted in a forced cessation from all playing of the clarinet. Fortunately for these customers Daniel was able to create a device that really does make a clarinet feel virtually weightless allowing players to perform without complete comfort and at no sacrifice to their musical or physical experience.

I have performed with this device myself and IT REALLY WORKS.

When using this device the clarinet is suspended via a sprung wire triangulation attached to a hook slipped in-between the lower joint and the bell during assembly, a contact point on the abdomen (ever so comfortable) and a sling that, when properly adjusted, provides position and stabilisation to the device itself. The sling is not attached to the clarinet at all. No restrictions in holding position, no unwanted contact between a sling and the left hand thumb, no bulky or awkward tabs to get in the way of the right hand thumb and no fixed location contact points to chair or to the floor that so many stand based products require.

I have seen customers full of praise for this device and as a result of using the Claritie they have been able to return to regular pain-free playing for the first time in years. Not only is it a clever application of fundamental physics but it is so simple to use. It can be set-up in a matter of seconds, is lightweight as you would expect, and requires no alteration to the instrument itself. The experience of standing up playing an open G, with no contact of either hand at all required to hold the instrument, is so surprising and initially disorientating that it is hard to believe that it really is possible. With the clarinet support in use the amount of contact required in either hand is an absolute minimum to close the rings, cover the holes and depress keywork – nothing extra from the fingers to maintain the playing position.

I would recommend this device to any player suffering from pain as a result of holding their clarinet and for those who thought they would have to give up playing their beloved instrument I can quite honestly say – think again – help is truly at hand.

Thomas Dryer-Beers, staff member WWR (www.wwr.co.uk)

Woodwind Performer and Teacher

Consultant to Reeds Direct Cambridge (www.reedsdirect.co.uk)

Reed Strength Advice and Reed Blog

The question of what strength of reed to play and whether to change reed brands is well known to players and teachers at all levels. The following guide was originally prepared for Reeds Direct Cambridge (www.reeds-direct.co.uk) and has served as staff training guidance. I have altered it slightly for inclusion in this blog and I hope that it might be found useful. Thomas

Reed Strength Advice and Reed Blog

Starting at the beginning:

Welcome to playing your instrument. We recommend that beginner clarinettists and saxophonists start by using softer reeds, such as strength 1.5 reeds (or strength 1 for some), that are intended to be free blowing for ease of sound production. These reeds work well in the middle to lower registers and are ideal for initial learning. However, as a consequence of such reeds being thin in profile, the tone produced is often thin and “buzzy”, so moving up in strength is advised when players become more experienced.

Softer reeds work best on medium open and open tip mouthpieces – the type usually supplied by manufactures with their student level instruments – where the reed has a fair distance to travel before it closes upon the mouthpiece facing and must therefore be quite flexible. If the reed were stronger the effort required to produce a sound might be uncomfortable for the player when she/he starts. If the mouthpiece tip were closer/narrower the typical starter reeds would feel too soft. We feel that this is the best approach for the first year or two of playing (Exam Board Grade 1-3 approximately), though each player and every situation is different and other approaches can also be successful.

Take a moment to look at the RDC Strength Banding Selection to find recommendations (available from Wood, Wind & Reed, Cambridge). Do not be afraid to experiment with alternatives – this is all part of learning.

Then as one gets better:

As players learn more they will gain experience and confidence, develop their breathing and embouchure control and wish to sound better and to play into their instrument’s upper register. This means that the set-up that once worked well is actually likely to hold them back from making progress. It is time to move up in strength of reed! This is important to recognise as the need to change strengths is often overlooked and can cause such frustration that it can be a major factor in a player giving up their studies.

A step-up strength of reed (strength 2 or 2.5), used on the same starting-level mouthpiece, should help the meet the needs of the player trying for control of the higher register and wishing to improve the overall sound particularly when articulating (tonguing). To test if you are ready for this change try placing your present reed ‘too high’ on the mouthpiece (leaving a visible 1mm or so extending over the tip when viewed from the ‘back’ or 'top') and secure with your ligature as usual. Then try blowing a legato (slurred) passage into the register(s) notes that concern you and see if you notice an improvement in the sound quality and in the way the reed feels to blow. You can also try some tonguing and see how the instrument speaks (though this may be a bit tough on the tip of your tongue – take it easy). If you like the results and can hear an improvement in tone quality then you are ready to change! Reed strengths at this level are usually satisfactory for the next year or so while progress is continuing and commitment grows. (Exam Board Grade 4-5 approximately).

Take a moment to look at the RDC Strength Banding Selection to find recommendations (available from Wood, Wind & Reed, Cambridge). Do not be afraid to experiment with alternatives – this is all part of learning.

Further refinement:

By the time a number of years of learning have passed you should no longer consider yourself a beginner (of course this point could arrive sooner with lots of good practice) but certainly by the equivalent of Grade 5 level of achievement several important changes are likely to be desirable.

Clarinet players will, in many cases, have outgrown their starter mouthpiece and possibly their instrument as well. They are by now ready to be rewarded with a greater depth of sound, a more interesting and personal sound quality and the greater musical reward available from an upgrade to a quality ebonite mouthpiece and wooden clarinet. When changing such fundamental elements the reed match will also need to be examined. Most players will find that a newly selected mouthpiece will now have a medium or medium close tip opening and will perform best with strength 2.5 or 3 reeds. Congratulations – this is where many players correctly stay for a lifetime of playing. (Exam board Grade 5–8+ approximately).

Saxophone players have another level of consideration as they progress upwards as they may well wish to play both classical and jazz styles of music and it is time to discover what a great help and inspiration can be found in an appropriate choice of mouthpiece suited to these different styles. Not surprisingly the reeds that will work best on two such different concept mouthpieces are rarely the same.

Reeds suitable for classical playing (strengths 2.5 or 3 usually) are designed to offer stability, consistency of attack, roundness of tone colour and subtle control of dynamics on the medium close and close tip opening mouthpieces most often preferred. Many jazz players find themselves competing for volume and will choose medium open or quite open tip openings to allow for aggressive blowing, exciting tone colours and flexibility of attack. Reeds suitable for jazz playing (could be anywhere from strength 2, 2.5, 3 or 3.5) need to offer a suitable resistance match to the mouthpiece and provide an attractive sparkle and ‘edge’ for presence in an ensemble or small group setting. Reeds described as ‘Jazz’ will generally offer these characteristics and one must experiment to find just the right match for their choice of mouthpiece.

Take a moment to examine the RDC Strength Banding Selection to discover popular reeds from around the world. You are now ready to make the most of your musicianship and discover the musical pleasure a well-selected reed can provide. For further background on available jazz reeds see the RDC Reed Category Guide. Remember - do not be afraid to experiment – it is part of learning and becoming the best you can be.

Advanced and Professional considerations:

By now you know the type of sound you are looking for and how you wish your instrument to play in the practice studio, in the pit, on the stage and in the concert hall. Hopefully you have a clear understanding of what has worked well in the past and what may still be missing. You may be engaged in the search for ‘the perfect reed’ and perhaps becoming frustrated that what you have been playing seems to have ‘changed’ or is simply no longer good enough. In that case you may wish to explore what some of the ‘boutique options' available from smaller and more custom reed makers. Their businesses are founded on satisfying the needs of the most discerning customers and they pride themselves on  product consistency and the ability to provide what the mass manufactures do not. Make sure that you understand the subtle differences between a reed manufacturer’s ranges of offerings. Many designs have been introduced to offer genuine performance differences even at the same strength. Alternatively you may wish to take more responsibility for adjusting your reeds and sympathetically ‘breaking in’ reeds over time so that you are in greater control of the ‘settling in’ process. You may also wish to review reed options that you may have overlooked in the past, i.e. filed or unfiled profile reeds, thick blank reeds and even synthetic reeds, to find just the right combination for your requirements. (Exam board Grade 8+ and beyond).

Take a moment to see the RDC Strength Banding Selection to find a number of options that might be of interest. Remember - do not be afraid to experiment – it is now a vital part of your music making and your satisfaction as a performing musician. If you are teaching as well it is important that you know what is available so that you can knowledgeably and sympathetically advise your own pupils.

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The tips and comments above are the result of many years of providing help and advice, my personal interest and study, and the teaching that I have done during my career. I have many colleagues and teachers to thank for sharing their thoughts and suggestions on this and other topics. In addition I am indebted to Woodwind & Reed, Cambridge ( www.wwr.co.uk ) where, in the course of helping customers, many of these concepts have been refined and have proven helpful.

Thomas Dryer-Beers Consultant to Reeds Direct Cambridge
Compiler of the Reeds Direct Cambridge Reed Strength Comparison Chart
www.reeds-direct.co.uk