Klarinet Archive - Posting 000504.txt from 1997/03

From: ROBERT SALTIEL <robert.saltiel@-----.COM>
Subj: Re: reed adjusting
Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 00:40:33 -0500

Tom Ascher, you wrote:

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

I am glad you came forward and replied, as you were not at all late or
out of sync. Sometimes the one wondering whether to reply may be one
of the few who WILL reply! Thank you!

I took your advice, and tried this on a few of the reeds that I had
considered quite mediocre or even unsatisfactory -- hissy reeds and
also a fuzzy-sounding one, and it really made an instant difference!
Two out of three reeds I worked on became nearly as good as the best
reed in the box, and it made them all playable. I don't know what this
did specifically, except that I first placed the reed on glass and felt
for high areas and rough spots on the vamp back of the tip, and
generally aimed to settle these down slightly, favoring each side of
center, followed by a bit of overall smoothing.

Mostly I just did exactly as you recommended, and afterward, gave the
underside of the heel a VERY very light and gentle smoothing -- that's
all! It _definitely_ made them much more playable. Surprisingly
effective for a simplistic approach, as you put it. I gave some of the
softer reeds a gentler version of the same treatment, but am waiting to
try them after the ones I did try have dried in my reed case first. I
did not really aim to soften any of the reeds, so I think this may work
for the softer ones in the box as well -- to be seen..

_To Frauke:_ As you say I had voiced _your_ concern, I urge you to
try this out! It seems to work wonderfully! (Though I will likely go
for the reportedly better Grand Concert Thick Blanks next, this is
_still_ a neat trick to have in one's armamentarium!) Thank you,
Tom!!

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

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

TA> I keep small sheets of #400 wet/dry sandpaper in my case. I'll
TA> fold and tear until I have a piece about 1" square which I'll fold
TA> in half once again. I'll place the too stiff reed on a piece of
TA> white paper on top of a flat, hard surface, (to protect the
TA> surface from the sandpaper!) and gently rub on the reed with the
TA> sandpaper in the area just back of the tip, sanding pretty evenly
TA> this area, maybe a little heavier on the sides than on the central
TA> spine. After rubbing on this area for about 10
TA> seconds, I'll give a more gentle rub to the entire cut area of the
TA> reed.

TA> Then rub the dust off and try and in most cases it becomes a fine
TA> blowing reed!. In the case of a way too stiff reed where the
TA> gentle sanding doesn't do it, I'll take a piece of reed rush and
TA> rub the central spine area about 3/4" back from the tip quite hard
TA> to reduce the thickness a bit, sort of using the reed rush like a
TA> file. Actually, a very fine, small, round file would probably work
TA> as well or better. Then do the bit with the #400 sandpaper. In
TA> most cases I can then play all 10 reeds out of a box! This is a
TA> simplistic, no-brainer approach that doesn't rely on an
TA> understanding or application of sanding, cutting to specific areas
TA> of the tip, which I find almost impossible to do anyway, unless I
TA> get myself a 20x dissecting microscope and surgeons tools - -
TA> which I might eventually try!:)

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