Klarinet Archive - Posting 000283.txt from 1996/10

From: "David B. Niethamer" <niethamer@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Reed water (was bass doubling)Re: bass doubling
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 1996 11:33:51 -0400

Jacqueline Eastwood asked:

>> >I'm just curious now... how many people out there use reed water? I have
>> >done so for MANY years and couldn't do without it! The reed soaks so
>> >much more evenly than sticking it in your (germ-filled) mouth and sucking
>> >on it! I also think that it's somewhat cleaner!

Scott Morrow replied:

>> Don't we PLAY the instrument with the reed in our germ-filled mouths?!!
>> What's your secret??!!!

and Jacqueline replied:

>Listerine. No seriously, I have been using water just like a double reed
>player does for, gosh, dare I admit, almost 20 years! The tip soaks
>evenly (no warpies), you don't have to worry about dry-mouth syndrome,
>and in my opinion, the reeds stay cleaner longer. Granted, I live in
>Arizona now, where reeds have an annoying tendency to dry out on the back
>(against the mouthpiece facing) if not kept moist. But I went to school
>in Chicago -- humidity capital of the MidWest - and used the same
>procedure. Probably on harder reeds, but I never had terrible difficulty
>with water-logging.

As I pointed out in another post, I also use the soaking technique for my
reeds, at least when it's convenient to do so - no little film cans on
stage in a concert, thank you. I do this in the *Mid-Atlantic* humidity
capital, Richmond VA, and Jacqueline, I've been in both places in the
summer, and on the whole, for humidity, I'd rather be in Chicago! I don't
have a serious problem with waterlogged reeds, but then I don't soak them
for long either - 5 minutes tops, which should be sufficient.

>Of course, you do have to change the water in the little bottle occasionally
too....

I had a fellow student at Manhattan School who would bring his shot glass
onto the stage, and at the end of the rehearsal or concert, *drink the
contents!!* - so much for hygiene! And you thought the CO2 posts were
gross!

David

David Niethamer
Principal Clarinet, Richmond Symphony
niethamer@-----.edu
dbnclar1@-----.com
http://users.aol.com/dbnclar1/