Klarinet Archive - Posting 000458.txt from 1997/03

From: Tom Ascher <U15310@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: reed adjusting
Date: Fri, 14 Mar 1997 11:20:29 -0500

I just read the Digest for yesterday's posts so may be a little late or
out of sync with this reply, but here goes:

I've read a number of books, pamphlets, tried various tools for reed
adjusting and have finally worked out the following principals/practices:

I purchase reeds that tend to be slightly on the stiff side. So out of a
box of 10 I'll get 2-3 that are just right, the rest tend to be a bit stiff
so will sound a bit fuzzy/thin especially in the low notes as I don't have
quite the embouchure to blow them.

I keep small sheets of #400 wet/dry sandpaper in my case. I'll fold and tear
until I have a piece about 1" square which I'll fold in half once again. I'll
place the too stiff reed on a piece of white paper on top of a flat, hard
surface, (to protect the surface from the sandpaper!)
and gently rub on the reed with the sandpaper in the area just back
of the tip, sanding pretty evenly this area, maybe a little heavier on the
sides than on the central spine. After rubbing on this area for about 10
seconds, I'll give a more gentle rub to the entire cut area of the reed.
Then rub the dust off and try and in most cases it becomes a fine blowing
reed!. In the case of a way too stiff reed where the gentle sanding doesn't
do it, I'll take a piece of reed rush and rub the central spine area about
3/4" back from the tip quite hard to reduce the thickness a bit, sort of
using the reed rush like a file. Actually, a very fine, small, round file
would probably work as well or better. Then do the bit with the #400
sandpaper. In most cases I can then play all 10 reeds out of a box! This
is a simplistic, no-brainer approach that doesn't rely on an understanding
or application of sanding, cutting to specific areas of the tip, which I
find almost impossible todo anyway, unless I get myself a 20x dissecting
microscope and surgeons tools - - which I might eventually try!:)
=====================================================================
Tom Ascher Internet: u15310@-----.edu
University of Illinois at Chicago Phone: (312) 413-3665