Klarinet Archive - Posting 000680.txt from 1997/03

From: Bob <laker29@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: reed adjusting
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 04:05:18 -0500

Cane Reeds are from a plant that is tubulor (full of tubes) I ask you to
wet a "new" reed, and then "BLOW" thru the reed from the BUTT end and
you'll see "LOTS OF AIR BUBBLES"! My "Reed Making" Professor back in l961,
always said you must RUB the REED to seal up those Holes! He also sanded
down the Flat side of the Blank until "Glass smooth" before making the
first cut - using emery paper or very fine sand paper! This Man was Dr.
Jon Moller at Univ. of Mich. I studied with him one year, and was
fortunate to spend many hours on Sat. A.M. working in his office with him
on Reeds!! I have used his techniques ever since! THEY WORK!! My Reeds -
like His - are hard to keep wet, and last for 6 Months! I USE NOW-- VIC
OLIVERIE "TEMPERED" REEDS.. #4 for me! And then I work with them as above!
You might want to try 3, or 3-1/2 ? (#4's are pretty stiff)

Bob Lake - Edina Band Teacher/Clarinet & Sax Player
Edina Public Schools
Edina, MN <laker29@-----.net>

At 10:00 PM 3/19/97, Roger Lewis & Denise Gulliver-Lewis wrote:
>Daniel Paprocki wrote:
>> Denise,
>> I see your point, but what about the time that the reed is being
>> played? I usually will play a reed for 15 to 20 minutes (sometimes longer)
>> before I re-wet it or switch to another reed. Isn't the 2 or 3 minutes of
>> water soaking quite minor compared to the time it's on the mouthpiece in
>> your mouth?
>..................
>
>I had the same question at first. After some thought, this is what I
>came up with.
>When you put the reed in water, it is completely dry. As it dries out
>and needs to be re-soaked, the interior fibres are still wet. We only
>re-wet the outer layers. The interior fibres have soaked up all the
>water they can, and are less likely to absorb large amounts of saliva.
>Therefore, less saliva is absorbed by the reed. This is the only
>semi-scientific reason I can think of. Other explainations are
>welcome. Of course, I could be all wet....
>
>Denise Gulliver-Lewis
>Principal Clarinet
>Elkhart Symphony

   
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