Doublereed Archive - Posting 000042.txt from 2004/10

From: herb fawcett <herbgosia@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Beginner Bassoon - Again - Reed Blues
Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2004 18:34:13 -0400

Our rel. humidity here is often in the 30-50% range and I don't personally
find that to be near as much a challenge as the lighter density of the air
at altitude. When I played Santa Fe Opera (5 years) it was also high and
dry; the solution was the use of a lighter reed to respond in the lighter
air. At the time, my home in the winter was in Philadelphia where the air is
quite different. I have never been an advocate of overly soaked reeds, and
in fact never saw a "soaker cup" in the many years I played professionally.
I wet the reeds in my box before I leave for a gig, and then saliva is
adequate to keep them working. Rarely, after a long interval of rest, I will
wet them in a water fountain or something similar. For me, the soak is
mainly to assure a seal in the area between the wires.
The point is, you may be trying to play on a reed which is too heavy, has
too heavy a tip, has too much opening, or is just no good. Your Reno teacher
should be able to make an adjustment for you because he has similar
problems. Where do you get your reeds?
Herb

> From: "Don Gerue" <don@-----.com>
> Reply-To: doublereed@-----.org
> Date: Tue, 5 Oct 2004 11:11:41 -0700
> To: <doublereed@-----.org>
> Subject: RE: [DR-L] Beginner Bassoon - Again - Reed Blues
>
> 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
> 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]
> 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
>
>
> 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
>> the right things (Weiatt/Herzberg etc) with a decent bassoon ( the
>> 240). You are wise to seek a professional teacher. You need help with
>> the reed! First, the easiest way to change response is with the wires.
>> A flatter oval throat will result in a more lively and responsive,
>> albeit possibly flatter, reed. Any cane removal will have more effect
>> if done in the first 5mm of the tip, and can ruin the reed. I make
>> reeds for several professionals, and would be happy to supply one to
>> you if you desire. At least that way I can be sure that your troubles
>> are not related to the reed, because these are the same as I use for
>> myself. My website is www.herbsreeds.com
>>
>> Herb
>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>> Good Morning List:
>>>
>>> I tried the bassoon in Santa Barbara in 1962 and 1989 for about 6
>>> months each. In march I was contacted by the local Susanville
>>> Symphony group and asked if I would please get going again as the
>>> Pony express does not deliver many bassoonists to North Eastern
>>> 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) .
>>>
>>> All of this being said, there is one thing that I hope to get more
>>> help with. The subject is reed adjustment. If there is a sure way to
>>> make me sad for the day, it is to get up in the morning. Sit down to
>>> practice and find that my reed (reeds) don't seem to be as good as
>>> yesterday. I have read a good variety of instruction materials and
>>> they all help but an area that seems to be recurring and distressing
>>> is response in the low registers. The first practice I do in the
>>> 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
>>> and scraping the reed at the top and slowly things start to improve.
>>> I have been using several different types of reeds but the ones I am
>>> using now are reasonably new and probably only have a few hours on
>>> them.
>>>
>>> I am sure there must be a lot of people with equivalent problems.
>>> Could you please give me some additional things to try or a strategy
>>> 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
>>> Reeds.
>>>
>>> Thank you.
>>>
>>> Don Gerue
>>>
>>> Don Gerue
>>> 718-000 Desert Pine Trail
>>> Milford,CA 96121
>>> 530 253 3978
>>> don@-----.net
>>> www.Gerue.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----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
>>>
>>>
>>> From: Douglas Huff:
>>>
>>> <<<I am the person who required eight doublereed technique students
>>> to subscribe to the doublereed listserv and post a message.>>>
>>>
>>> Ha! Busted! That's quite a coincidence, Doug, considering that you
>>> and I spoke on the phone last night for the first time in a long
>>> time, about an entirely different subject.
>>>
>>> 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
>>> each one. But then, when they kept appearing, I think I despaired
>>> about writing about all of them.
>>>
>>> Still, I think you had a good idea. The doublereed list is a
>>> valuable resource. The plan probably would have worked if the
>>> students had lurked a while to get the "lay of the land," so to
>>> speak.
>>>
>>> In fact, I might steal parts of your idea and try something similar
>>> with my woodwind techniques class next semester.
>>>
>>> Ed Lacy
>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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