Klarinet Archive - Posting 000049.txt from 1996/10

From: Jonathan Cohler <cohler@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: odd comment (acoustics)
Date: Thu, 3 Oct 1996 12:09:07 -0400

Roger,

When you say intonation adjustment is "easier" on a hard reed, I believe
you are mixing up two things: stability and actual ability to adjust. A
hard reed is certainly more stable, but definitely more difficult to
adjust. The laws of physics (mass, momentum, etc.) dictate it.

On a hard (i.e. thicker, more massive) reed it is more difficult (i.e.
requires greater blowing pressure and greater embouchure pressure) to make
the reed vibrate in any way. To change the way in which the reed is
vibrating is also correspondingly more difficult.

On the other hand, this can be interpreted as being "easier", because the
sound is more "stable" (i.e. difficult to change). Stability of sound
forced by the stiffness of the reed is often misinterpreted by clarinetists
as being a good sound. Because even if the embouchure and air pressure are
not handled very carefully, the sound doesn't change much, and the player
is fooled into thinking they have good steady support and a good steady
embouchure.

With a lighter reed, it is much easier to make changes in pitch and sound
quality with smaller adjustments of air pressure and embouchure pressure.
Therefore, one must also exert greater control to maintain a nice sound at
all times.

So, yes lighter reeds do require more control, but they offer much greater
"controlability." There is much more intonation control on a soft reed
than on a hard reed. For example, as you reduce embouchure pressure on the
reed, the pitch drops more rapidly and further on a soft reed than on a
hard reed.

Hard reeds are a false security blanket for those that do not wish to
develop real control. Also, the harder the reed, the worse the
articulation response.

----------------------------
Jonathan Cohler
cohler@-----.net

At 9:29 AM 10/3/96, Roger Shilcock
<roger.shilcock%modern-languages-l wrote:

>I wouldn't want to contradict Jonathan C., who is much more experienced
>than I am. However, an advantage of using a hard reed seems to me to be
>that adjustment of intonation is much easier - it's easier to hit the
>right degree of adjustment because less physical movement is needed.
>If Gary changes to a hard reed using the *same mouthpiece*, then he has a
>fair chance of having air noise, shortness of breath, restricted dynamic
>range, etc., etc. I would be interested to know what players in the States
>consider to be a hard reed. Various contributors to this list have
>reported playing on strength "4" or "5" reeds as a maatter of course -
>over here, they would be considered as ultra-hard reeds. As an aside,
>I've been trying to get to grips with a "4" currently, which gives a
>considerable tonal improvement compared with the previous reed I was
>using, but takes rather too much effort on the B flat or the A; however,
>it was amazingly easy to blow on a Noblet C.
>(I don't know anything about the mouthpiece which was on it, though). I
>haven't been getting air noise - presumably the (Hite) mouthpiece I
>usually use is reasonably compatible with a hard (?) reed.
>Roger Shilcock