backun Q series clarinet

Wondering about your thoughts on the Backun Bb professional Q series clarinet. It pinches my thumb. Any suggestions on how to extend the octave key? Picture did a buffet on left and backun on right

504 913 6912

It's possible that the posts got bumped out of alignment. A repair technician could get the ring centered properly.

In the picture, the thumb ring on the right does seem slightly misaligned with the hole post.

I'm going to say that the image just looks odd due to the angle and the fact that the thumb ring swings up and to the right.



As far as modification goes, my suggestion would be to modify your hand position. In this case it would be slight and may make a bunch of other things easier in the left hand. Ideally the left thumb should be angled, pointing to the right. The tip should fall handily in that space formed by the register key, thumb ring and the upper thumb ring post. Either you normally have your thumb too low, or too straight up and down, or both. You should be able to trigger the register with the upper left hand corner of you thumb. That position should also allow for your fingers to fall properly upon their respective tone holes with no strain or acrobatics.



Yes, any changes to ingrained habits will take some time (3-6 months) to get fully comfortable but I think in this case the change is small enough and the other benefits are make it worthwhile.





.............Paul Aviles

I experienced the same problem with a Selmer Signature. Just 1 mm of skin got caught between the edge of the key and the rubber pad it lands on when depressed.

This was fixed by cutting off part of the rubber pad.

Regards,

Luuk
Philharmonie Brainport
The Netherlands

Hi sometimes the key travel can be shifted. It does not take much to put a thicked pad, thinner cork and move the touch closer to the body. Try to maintain the venting. This often fixes the problem. Or bend touch a tad and thin out the cork. Obviously this may not be possible for all horns. For me the pinch is the end of the register key and ring key. If the above does not work let me know there are other options

If you choose the technique option. IMHO the thumb should angle up at about 40 degrees and fingers down at about 30 degrees. This should lay the fingers acoss the g# and a keys and allow rolling and minimise hand rotation to play a and g#and keep the fingers better located closer to the keys

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