Klarinet Archive - Posting 000273.txt from 1994/05

From: Clark W Fobes <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Reeds. . . a general observation for your comments
Date: Tue, 17 May 1994 15:52:44 -0400

On Fri, 13 May 1994 00smgeidel@-----.EDU wrote:

>
> Now that I am in my second career as an administrator in an academic library,
I
> find I have no time to devote to reeds. I simply try out the reeds as they
come
> from the box. I ENCOUNTER VIRTUALLY THE SAME RATIO OF USABLE REEDS VERSUS
> UNUSUABLE REEDS THAT I EXPERIENCED WHEN I DEVOTED HOURS AND HOURS
> TO WORKING ON THEM. THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT I'VE GIVEN UP WORRYING ABOUT
> THEM. And, it's my belief that since I no longer worry about them, I
> concentrate simply on PLAYING THEM. To me, concentrating on PLAYING reeds
means
> developing flexibility. I feel this has made a signifcant difference for me
> in that I no longer need to find the reed that suits me; I can successfully
> play reeds of differing characteristics.
>
> Your comments, please!
>

> Stan Geidel

A few weeks ago when I made the comment that I "slap a reed on and go" I
may have been misinterpreted,understandably.I made my reeds from blanks
for about 4 years and came up with some wonderful reds, but my experience
is very much the same as Stan's. My point, and I think Stan's as well, is
that LIFE IS TOO SHORT TOO GET HUNG UP ON REEDS!!. One of the reasons I
stopped making my own reeds was that Van Doren came out with the "V-12"
and my life changed. They are not always great, but I get enough good reeds
from 2 boxes to keep me very happy through an opera run or rehearsals and
concerts with the symphony orchestra I play in.

I don't want to belittle the importance of knowing how to work on reeds
and the information I gained from making reeds was invaluable. However, I
must repeat myself, if you are spending hours on reeds your problem may
be that your mouthpiece is defective. I have encountered many. many
players who come to me complaining about reeds and in measuring their
mouthpieces I very often find significant problems.

Clark W Fobes "Striving to make the world a better place for
clarinetists and those who live with them"