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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000030.txt from 2007/10
From: "Edward B. Flowers" <flowerse@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [DR-L] Re: Plastic reeds (oboe)
Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2007 08:51:05 -0400
Phil,
Wouldn't a carbon fiber reed be something like arundo donax?
Could your "scrape" a carbon fiber reed?
Edward B. Flowers
philfrei@-----.com wrote:
> 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
>> >
>
>
> Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail!
> - http://mail.aol.com
>
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