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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000014.txt from 2007/10
From: philfrei@-----.com
Subj: [DR-L] Re: Plastic reeds (oboe)
Date: Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:40:39 -0400
Has Mr. Legere made progress with plastic oboe reeds?
I remember tracking down his patent, a couple years ago, on the
processing he does for the plastic to get something approaching arundo
donax. There was a lot of interesting background information on this
document, which can be found online at the US gov site for patents.
From what I recall of the background info on the patent, arundo donax
has a unique amount of resilience for its mass. My "science" may be a
little off on this. But the main point was that there aren't any other
known substances that can match its unique combination of properties.
Plastic (was it polyurethane that he was using?) normally would not do,
but Mr. Legere has come up with a way of creating strands or some such
structure in the plastic such that it is much closer to a.donax. But as
of a couple years ago, if I remember correctly, clarinet players I
talked to said the clarinet reeds still didn't quite make it as a
"concert" substitute -- rather they was being used mostly as a reliable
backup practice reed. If these reeds are now being used in concerts,
then I am guessing he has continued to make advances with the
technology.
Other plastic reeds are hopeless, very difficult to get any pitch
stability at all (on the plastic oboe reeds). The Legere plastic
process seems to me to be the only one that offers some promise.
I hadn't heard of allergies to arundo donax, but have heard of
allergies to different types of rubber and plastic. It seems to me that
would be devastating for a reed player. Is there any way to leech out
the allergens without destroying the reed? Or to coat the reed without
destroying its playability? (Or convince the immune system it doesn't
have to be quite so vigilant?)
By the way, what are "plastic cover" clarinet and sax reeds? Do they
have a thin layer of plastic between the cane and the player? Could
that process be used on an oboe or bassoon reed? (Could such a process
extend the life of a good reed?)
- Phil Freihofner
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2007 12:01:01 -0400
To: <doublereed@-----.org>
From: "geraldcorey" <geraldcorey@-----.ca>
Subject: Re: [DR-L] Plastic reeds (oboe)
Message-ID: <000b01c8050d$6e0c6940$0a02a8c0@homec8g9semhjm>
Dear John (et al) I had a visit not long ago from the designer/maker of
Legere reeds for single reed instruments. These are completely plastic
reeds
now used by James Campbell, one of the world's most exceptional clarinet
virtuosi and others in classical orchestra (recently one played Bassett
Horn
I in Mozart's Requiem with my National Arts Centre Orchestra,
beautifully
using a Leger reed for bassett horn). No one would have guessed that his
reed was not made from arundo donax.
When Mr. Legere visited my home in Ottawa he asked me many questions
about
oboe and bassoon reeds, because he has been working on the design of
oboe
and bassoon reeds made entirely of plastic. John, if you google Legere
Reeds, Toronto, Canada, you will find the URL of Legere products and
will be
able to ask Mr. Legere in an email if he has made progress on finishing
the
design of oboe reeds in his plastic material. I would recommend them
over
any other type of plastic reed I have tried in the past. Sincerely,
Gerald
Corey, Ottawa
----- Original Message -----
From: "David Crispin / Crispin's Creations"
<crispinscreations@-----.net>
To: <doublereed@-----.org>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 10:58 AM
Subject: Re: [DR-L] Plastic reeds (oboe)
> John,
>
> I know of a decent orchestra in which the principal oboist uses
hand-me-down
> reeds from the second oboist. I'd say they were "has been" reeds, but
> actually they're more like "has-never-been" reeds.
>
> I know this oboist pretty well, and he would never even consider
using a
> plastic reed.
>
> My wheels are turning on this. I'll mess around with some thoughts
now going
> through my head.
>
> -David Crispin
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John Worrall" <john.worrall@-----.ca>
> To: <doublereed@-----.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 7:22 AM
> Subject: [DR-L] Plastic reeds (oboe)
>
>
> >I have a colleague who feels he has developed an allergy to reed
cane. He
> >is experimenting with fibrecane reeds. Does anyone know of a case
where a
> >decent orchestra has managed with a principal oboe using plastic
reeds? Or
> >is this the impossible dream?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > John
> >
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