Klarinet Archive - Posting 000729.txt from 1997/03

From: Fernando Silveira <fersilv@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: reed adjusting
Date: Fri, 21 Mar 1997 13:58:50 -0500

Bob, I make it with my reeds!!
I close the tubes inside the reed puting nail polish on the reed's back.
The reed life is long and the tone quality is better.

Cheers

Fernando Silveira
Principal Clarinet - National Symphony - Brazil
Chamber Music Professor - Rio de Janeiro Federal University

At 16:38 20/03/97 -0600, you wrote:
>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
>
>