Klarinet Archive - Posting 000081.txt from 1996/04

From: Bill Fogle <bfogle@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: reed tip
Date: Thu, 4 Apr 1996 16:06:00 -0500

I have always found the messages posted to this list both helpful and
informative. I must say that I find the following posting derisive.
Obviously, Mr. Paprocki is making a sardonic comment about clarinetists
who have chosen to pigment their own reeds. Some years ago, dissatisfied
with results I was obtaining with traditional Vandoren reeds, and with
the help of numerous books and monographs obtained after long searches
into unprofitable establishments, I colored my first reed. Of course, the
alizarin crimson highlight I was after was not present, even under a
200-watt light, but I was aware of having taken the first step toward my
own playing style: chromatic. I mean no personal attack to Mr. Paprocki
and his "Easter Bunny" shenanigans. However, he should be aware that his
comments are hurtful to instrumentalists who have chosen to change the
color of the reeds they perform with----and their musical fates.
````````````````````````````````
Bill Fogle
Washington, DC
bfogle@-----.edu
````````````````````````````````
With the Easter Bunny a week away, I made a startling discovery by
accident. As I was practicing in the kitchen while coloring easter eggs,
I accidentally droped my best reed into the green coloring. Not wanting
to waste $1.29 reed I thought I'd at least try the lime green reed to see
if it was salvageable. To my amazement it was better. The responce,
tone, tuning, everything - better.

I immediately ran and got my bag of old reeds that I'd saved since 1977
(when Vandoren ran out of "real" cane and started using old bambo lawn
furniture for the reeds shipped to the USofA). They all came to life! I
tried mixing colors - red, green, and purple seem to give the best mix of
tone, tuning, and a pleasing altisimo register.

The only drawback seems to be the vinegar taste that I continually
have in my mouth after playing (and my tongue is the color of whatever reed
I'm using) but hey who cares what it tastes like, when I can play the
Brahms the way it was meant to be played.

Dan
P.S.
Please send all unwanted chocolate easter bunnys to me (they don't
need the heads). Swiss milk chocolate prefered.

******************************************************************************

Daniel A. Paprocki
dap@-----.us

******************************************************************************