Klarinet Archive - Posting 000248.txt from 1996/10

From: Richard Johnson <rjohnso@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: I think it may be time...
Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1996 11:27:54 -0400

On Tue, 8 Oct 1996, Daniel Abramovich wrote:

>
> Is it true the Vandoren's are graded especially hard? I recall needing a
> reed on the spot once, a fellow player gave a Vandoren; I forget the exact
> hardness, but it felt like I was playing on a tree trunk. I am fully aware
> it could have just been a bum reed, but first impressions tend to stick I
> guess.
>
My experience with VanDoren reeds was similar. I would describe it as a
two-by-four rather than a tree trunk, but whatever. I had a professor who
suggested that he believed that when no one is looking, Mitchell Lurie
probably plays on Van Doren reeds. I tried several VD's of different
strengths, and could never make a sound.
>
> I think I may give the Zonda's a try (why not?), but I'm curious... why
> don't *you* play on them? ;)
>

I may look into getting some Zonda reeds and see what they are like.