Hi folks

I am new to the forum and to playing the clarinet. Have just bought myself a fairly cheap resin model. It feels pretty heavy and makes my supporting thumb really hurt quite soon after I start playing (admittedly I do not have rippling muscles).

Is this normal? Will my thumb get use to it/adapt? Is this an artifact of the resin clarinet?

Help much appreciated!

I think that happens to everyone. That's what happened to me at least. But yes, you will get used to it.

dont woory my thump used to turn blue but heres a secret my teacher told me take a pencil grip and cut it to fit and it will cushion i have 1 on my try im sure it'll work

You may actually need to have a new thumb rest placed on the back of your clarinet. Either that, or use a strap.

Apparently, certain people have thumbs that cannot handle the pressure on the thumb joint created by the weight of the clarinet.

Many friends who play clarinet have had larger thumb rests put on their clarinet, and they have had no problems ever since. This is because the new rest distributes the pressure across the thumb, rather than isolating it into a particular point.

Hope this helps.

ya i think its pretty normal. it happened to me too and it made my the skin on my thumb really thick and rough!!!! it was really bad

oh and also you can get a thumb rest cushion at most of the music stores ive been to. you should look for one. they feel soooooooooooo much better than the bare thumb rest!

As a previous poster said, cut up pencil grips make lovely cushions. Someone cut up a whole package and distributed them to our whole marching section last year

Neckstraps are also supposed to help- if your clarinet doesn't have a place to hook a standard strap, they make ones with a leather/rubber(I forgot) thing that slips around the thumb rest.

Also, try moving the rest up or down your thumb a bit, you might just have it resting in an awkward location, such as on a nerve or something.