Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

My New Year's Resolution is to practice more on clarinet and recorders.

I am now finding that my right hand thumb is quite sore! Is this a common problem and one that I just haven't come across before now due to not practising as much?!

Do you mean sore as in the thumb rest has rubbed it, or strain as in the thumb aches? My thumb sometimes aches after a long practice session, but isn't sore.

I think that it is just a case of getting adjusted to the weight of the clarinet in your hand. If it persists you might consider a sling, which takes the weight off of your thumb.

You can also get little thumb rest cushions which make the rest less hard on the thumb.

Check your right hand hand position generally, the thumb should be on the thumbrest around about between the nail cuticle and the joint.

I have this on the oboe, due mainly to the weight of the oboe but probably made worse by general tension. I'm experimenting with various support mechanisms but I'd much prefer to be able to play the oboe free of them without pain.

Also check the position of the thumb rest. It should be resting as b-c says between the nail and 1st joint then as you look at the hand your fingers should be gently curved like a back to front c. The rest should be positioned so that the instrument is pretty well balanced when held at a playing angle so that it isn't rotating either forwards or backwards.

It does take time to get used to holding the weight of the instrument but getting your hands as relaxed as possible will pay off. There are alternative thumbrests that you can have fitted that shift the weight to closer to the base of the thumb. I don't use them but know folks that do who swear by them.

I get this with Sax (even with a harness taking the weight), but I've discovered it's usually down to tension/gripping too hard. Hope that helps