.You can get more information at http://www.ridenourclarinetproducts.com/Thumb.htm

I hope this helps

Dave Cox

Sometimes too much tension is put on the right hand as that thumb pushes up on the thumbrest. whenever you can, try to hold up the clarinet with the left hand fingers a bit. This’ll remove strain on the right hand a bit, and might give you a better time.

“Try this, sit or stand in your normal playing position, hold the horn in your left hand at the base of the top joint. Bend your right arm upwards at the elbow 90 degrees. From the wrist to your fingertips, let them hang completely limp. Next, give it five or six good deliberate shakes to get all the kinks and stiffness out. Your right hand shaken out it should be naturally somewhat shaped in a squashed backwards C. Moving just the fingertips at the first and second knuckles slowly bend them slightly inward duplicating playing position, again release any remaining hand tension, wrist and arm. You should notice your fingers should have stayed where you moved them. Keeping the hand perfectly still, rotate your hand parallel to the right so your thumb is at a 45-degree angle (you want to approach the thumb rest at that angle and not right to left). With your left hand guide the lower joint INTO your right hand and playing position like you�re slipping on a glove. Balance and rest the right thumb under the thumb rest at its most top and outside left corner but squarely on the knuckle so you could make a “thumb print” on the bore (if you already have calluses all the better). With your left hand, begin shifting and supporting the weight of the horn slowly to your right hand until you achieve a comfortable “right in the pocket” feel. Still, not disturbing the hand and fingertip position you established deliberately and slowly position your middle three fingers resting them slightly on top of the ring keys, rest your right pinkie between the Ab/Eb and F/C right lower cluster keys not on top of one or the other.”

This comes from a post from “Ken” which you may find at http://test.woodwind.org/clarinet/BBoard/read.html?f=1&i=53674&t=53489.

With all due thanks to Ken and Sneezy it is the best piece of advice I read in 50 years.

The whole key is relax.

To relieve tension your hand must be in the most natural position possible and almost everyone will find that their natural grip say to hold a can etc. your thumb will be in line with your pointer finger. However most clarinets are designed to have your thumb inline with your middle finger. Even clarinets with adjustable thumb rest often can’t be adjusted high enough, causing much strain on your thumb, fingers and wrist.

Professional instrument repairers can raise the high of your thumb rest (and of course fill the holes from the previous position) in both wooden and plastic clarinets. If you don’t have an adjustable thumb rest already ask for one (jupitor is good because it has a hook for neck straps).

Neck straps are also great because they mean you don’t have to support as much weight and you can place your fingers over the holes rather than gripping them, which causes tension.