One issue that seems to come up more and more teaching clarinet, recorder and sax is that these are always played with the left hand on top. Now the catch. So many seem to naturally put their right hand at the top, resulting in a few weeks of 'left hand please' etc. I even remember playing the penny whistle that way for a year and was flummoxed going to clarinet.

So, can anyone explain why the agreed standard has always been left hand above, and instruments are designed that way? I have seen it reversed on the whistle in some Celtic bands - don't know if that is standard or just preference.

I remember reading somewhere that once you have got past the beginner stage, it is actually the right-hand that does most of the work.

The weight is supported by the right arm and this is the strongest arm and most natural position.

Of course, the really light instruments like the penny whistle can be played any old way, but why add more confusion?



Work in pure physical terms, or in agility?

With both clarinet and oboe, I reckon the left hand is the most important.

At least judging from how my left hand fingers have been prodded by my oboe teacher!

Steve

I think it was in terms of agility - that your left hand fingers don't move while you're using the right-hand ones.

Although, thinking about it a little more, the left-hand little finger keys are more fiendish than the right-hand ones. Have you played the third octave notes which involve using two left-hand little finger keys simultanously yet?

On clarinet I would definately say that right hand does more work. Not only does it hold the instrument, but has a lot more side keys and little finger keys. Same one flute - both the trill keys are right hand keys.

I believe the left hand on top was standardised before the key work got so complicated...

So may be the right hand did have a lot more work then.

No, not yet, but I assume it will be soon. The highest I'm using in lessons is high Eb, ie the D fingering with left hand G# key added. I could easily experiment with the higher notes myself, but for the oboe, I decided to strictly follow the lessons and not make the same mistakes I made with the clarinet, ie running before you can walk!
I must say, I'm looking forward to using this mysterious 3rd octave key!
This new teacher I've found is simply amazing, but he also plays the italian prestini system (left hand C# etc) so we sometimes have to check which fingerings are best.

A few questions - assuming you play a european oboe and not one of those with funny thumbplate thingies. When you play 2nd octave G (LH 3 fingers + thumb oct key), then continue to A, B or C, do you/can you keep your thumb on the key? I thought that most semi automatic models allowed this, but my teacher thinks it best to remove the thumb when using the side octave key.

For altiss D, do you add your RH middle finger? It does make a slight difference, but it would be so much easier without!

Steve

There are actually alternate fingerings for E and above so that you can sometimes use both little fingers to press the relevant keys - Eb and G# keys - (but not if the previous, or following note is a D). The third octave key opens so little that at first I thought mine was badly adjusted!


I do have a European oboe (and a thumbplate cor). If it is semi-automatic you don't have to take the thumb off for A and above. You can easily check this when not playing by keeping your thumb on and pressing the side octave key and seeing if the first octave key shuts. That said, my teacher tends to leave his on almost all the time beacause in fast passages you don't have time to take the thumb off and, according to him, after a while you just get into the habit of leaving it there.


I don't usually add any right-hand fingers on my oboe for high D. You only really need extra fingers if it is sharp and it doesn't have to be the middle finger - it can also be the ring finger. Even if it is sharp, you (or an oboe technician) can solve the problem by slightly changing the height of the half-hole key. Although, if you do this you have to make sure it is not altering the intonation of any other note.

With apologies to Neil for hi-jacking his thread!

On the bassoon the left thumb is busier than just about any other digit!