Doublereed Archive - Posting 000039.txt from 2004/10

From: "Don Gerue" <don@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [DR-L] Beginner Bassoon - Again - Reed Blues
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2004 14:19:59 -0400

Hello Doug:

Boy are you right. It is about 4500 feet here and dry as a bone. The
relative humidity hovers around 15 to 30 percent. I had not considered =
that
this might modify the instructions on soaking that I have read. A recent =
one
that really stuck in my mind was from a reed source on the internet that
said something to the effect " a couple minutes soaking should be enough =
to
make the reed responsive in the low register with very little lip =
pressure".
Maybe the altitude and humidity might be a reason to be more generous in
soaking the reeds before use.

Thanks=20
Don

Don Gerue
718-000 Desert Pine Trail
Milford,CA 96121
530 253 3978
don@-----.net
www.Gerue.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Douglas Huff [mailto:DM-Huff@-----.edu]=20
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 10:45 AM
To: doublereed@-----.org
Subject: Re: [DR-L] Beginner Bassoon - Again - Reed Blues

Don,

Herb is right --- you need help with reeds. Susanville is high desert =
(5,000
ft?), seasons are changing and so will your reeds (and your instrument). =
You
need to find someone who can help you adjust your reeds accordingly --- =
and
you need to really soak 'em --- in high desert they can dry out in a
measure's rest...

Doug =20

On 10/5/04 12:06 PM, "herb fawcett" <herbgosia@-----.net> wrote:

> Don,
> Your letter has tugged at my heart-strings; here is a guy doing all=20
> the right things (Weiatt/Herzberg etc) with a decent bassoon ( the=20
> 240). You are wise to seek a professional teacher. You need help with=20
> the reed! First, the easiest way to change response is with the wires. =
=20
> A flatter oval throat will result in a more lively and responsive,=20
> albeit possibly flatter, reed. Any cane removal will have more effect=20
> if done in the first 5mm of the tip, and can ruin the reed. I make=20
> reeds for several professionals, and would be happy to supply one to=20
> you if you desire. At least that way I can be sure that your troubles=20
> are not related to the reed, because these are the same as I use for=20
> myself. My website is www.herbsreeds.com
>=20
> Herb
>=20
>> From: "Don Gerue" <don@-----.com>
>> Reply-To: doublereed@-----.org
>> Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2004 09:51:25 -0700
>> To: <doublereed@-----.org>
>> Subject: [DR-L] Beginner Bassoon - Again - Reed Blues
>>=20
>> Good Morning List:
>>=20
>> I tried the bassoon in Santa Barbara in 1962 and 1989 for about 6=20
>> months each. In march I was contacted by the local Susanville=20
>> Symphony group and asked if I would please get going again as the=20
>> Pony express does not deliver many bassoonists to North Eastern=20
>> California. So I got a new bassoon (Fox
>> 240) and a good teacher in Reno ( Chris Hazlett-Stevens) and started
>> practicing again. I have now been at it for 6 months and I think for =
a
>> rather older student, (74) that I am doing pretty good ( Teacher says =
so
>> anyway) .
>>=20
>> All of this being said, there is one thing that I hope to get more=20
>> help with. The subject is reed adjustment. If there is a sure way to=20
>> make me sad for the day, it is to get up in the morning. Sit down to=20
>> practice and find that my reed (reeds) don't seem to be as good as=20
>> yesterday. I have read a good variety of instruction materials and=20
>> they all help but an area that seems to be recurring and distressing=20
>> is response in the low registers. The first practice I do in the=20
>> morning is the Long tones, Waite warm-up and then Hertzberg patterns. =

>> The Hertzberg patterns start on contra B and most days the notes just =

>> do not want to speak immediately. I then do what I can with wires=20
>> and scraping the reed at the top and slowly things start to improve.=20
>> I have been using several different types of reeds but the ones I am=20
>> using now are reasonably new and probably only have a few hours on=20
>> them.
>>=20
>> I am sure there must be a lot of people with equivalent problems. =20
>> Could you please give me some additional things to try or a strategy=20
>> that will help me cope with the morning "Reed Blues". I think I could =

>> write a poem on my frustration with the contrariness of Bassoon=20
>> Reeds.
>>=20
>> Thank you.
>>=20
>> Don Gerue
>>=20
>> Don Gerue
>> 718-000 Desert Pine Trail
>> Milford,CA 96121
>> 530 253 3978
>> don@-----.net
>> www.Gerue.com
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Lacy, Edwin [mailto:el2@-----.edu]
>> Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 9:29 AM
>> To: doublereed@-----.org
>> Subject: RE: [DR-L] I'm guilty... Re: [DR-L] beginner bassoon
>>=20
>>=20
>> From: Douglas Huff:
>>=20
>> <<<I am the person who required eight doublereed technique students=20
>> to subscribe to the doublereed listserv and post a message.>>>
>>=20
>> Ha! Busted! That's quite a coincidence, Doug, considering that you=20
>> and I spoke on the phone last night for the first time in a long=20
>> time, about an entirely different subject.
>>=20
>> I wasn't offended by the messages from your students. When I saw the =

>> first few questions I had an almost irresistible urge to write about=20
>> each one. But then, when they kept appearing, I think I despaired=20
>> about writing about all of them.
>>=20
>> Still, I think you had a good idea. The doublereed list is a=20
>> valuable resource. The plan probably would have worked if the=20
>> students had lurked a while to get the "lay of the land," so to=20
>> speak.
>>=20
>> In fact, I might steal parts of your idea and try something similar=20
>> with my woodwind techniques class next semester.
>>=20
>> Ed Lacy
>>=20
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>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
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>>=20
>=20
>=20
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