Klarinet Archive - Posting 000327.txt from 1996/10

From: David Blumberg <reedman@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: Reed water (was bass doubling)Re: bass doubling
Date: Sat, 12 Oct 1996 18:16:00 -0400

Ok,
Double Reed players have to use water because it is a double reed (the
underside would not get any moisture at all, only the outer surface). I heard
of a study done that concluded that there is no difference between the reed
having water, of saliva to wet it, in terms of it drying out later( given the
same wetness to start with). I heard it in College, I don't remember who did
it. I do think that water does get the reed wet a lot quicker, especially
with older reeds. Some say that the sound is not as good wetting it with water
(hey Dan L., any comments?). My sound is fine with either saliva, or water (as
long as neither get in the reed while playing).
David C. Blumberg
Reedman@-----.com

----------
From: Klarinet - Clarinettist's Network on behalf of David B. Niethamer
Sent: Friday, October 11, 1996 6:59 AM
Subject: Re: Reed water (was bass doubling)Re: bass doubling

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/