Klarinet Archive - Posting 000229.txt from 1997/04

From: Bob <laker29@-----.NET>
Subj: Re: Reed Contradictions
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 08:56:00 -0400

Thanks - Nick for you're response!

I'm Sorry if my Capital Letters Etc. made my message offensive to 1, or more!

My experience was to work with My Professor on numerous Sat. A.M.'s in his
office as he MADE REEDS FROM BLANKS! I'm sure that I spent more than 100
hours working with him on reed making! I cannot thank him enough for that
Experience!
He sanded them down to a certain mm thickness on the bottom! There-by
sealing the bottom of the BLANK!
Then, he proceeded to Make the Cut's necessary in the Blank to make the
Reed! I watched him do that. Then, he proceeded to work with Each Reed to
Seal the Face of the Reed!! Rubbing each Reed! I worked with him! You
could play his reeds "all day" and they did not change! I mean 4-6 hours on
one reed! That's what so many of us are Talking about! They last for
months, and you can "Count" on them every Day! They sound GOOD and don't
give out!

Now! 1997! I start with Vic Oliveri "tempered" Reeds! I wet them with
Siliva, and put them on GLASS, then Wet them AGAIN & put them on GLASS
again! I do this 3 times before I first play them! Then I play them and
Most of the time I find 6-10 very playable on my J&D Hite Mouthpiece.
If??? a reed is a bit Dull (not vibribrant) I RUBB the Reed with
fore-finger! I have also heard that the "Brownpaper Bag" is Good - "like
below" (Nick Shackelton) ALSO many of my friends in Minneapolis take their
best reeds & sand the bottom on VERY FINE Emery paper for a "glass smooth"
surface that also "I have found too" makes them more "Responsive" MAYBE to
some that makes them too Reedy? Not with my reeds that I start with! My
sound is not REEDY!

I'm Glad to SHARE with You my Experience over 40 years of Playing! Take it
as you Will - use it as you WANT! Please FORGIVE ME for thinking that this
is the BEST way I have found to make 30 reeds last & play WELL for 12
months! I am only trying to Pass on to You as I do to my students what I
have found to work FOR ME! You need to take this & Gleen from this what
works for each of you!!

To MAYBE save time in my EXPLANATION: All of this Reed Making is explained
in the BOOK: THE ART OF CLARINETISTRY - a Book by William F. Stubbins (I
have a copy - & I'm sure the Univ. of Mich. would have a Copy to give you a
reference on REEDS, MOUTHPIECES, and Much More!
The book was/is? published by Ann Arbor Publishers, 610 Forest Ann Arbor,
Michigan 48104 Copyright 1965 Dedicated to Frank L Kaspar!
I would be willing to look thru the book to try to answer Questions if you
E-Mail me in person!

My Teacher was/maybe still is at U of Mich.- Dr.John Mohler, Prof. of
Clarinet at Univ.of Mich. Ann Arbor! He was my Clarinet Teacher at Drake
University in 1961! He also was Solo Clarinetist with the Wash. D.C.
Marine Band for 4 years before 1960!

Sincerely, Bob Lake - Edina,Minn. Musician/Educator <laker29@-----.net>

At 2:57 PM 4/7/97, Nick Shackleton wrote:
>As a professional scientist I'd say "don't waste my time with science, help
>my to make reeds last better for me on my mouthpiece". This is not a
>question where a scientist can say one method is wrong and the other right.
>I was first shown how to seal a reed by Gervase de Peyer about 30 years ago,
>at which time he advocated using the thumb and the grease along the side of
>the (his) nose. Having tried the side of the (my) nose I've preferred cream
>from the top of a bottle of milk. I prefer using brown paper instead of the
>skin of my thumb.
>I remember that de Peyer (then one of the busiest and most successful
>players around) said that he could work over a dozen good reeds and they'd
>last him a year! At the other end of the spectrum: French players would walk
>into the Vandoren factory and try a few reeds and pick one out for the
>concert that night and buy that one only. Some people like one approach,
>some the other.
>One thing is certain: Bob Lake is right that a reed maker knows that some
>polishing of the surface is necessary: for most readers of Klarinet the
>question is whether Vandoren have done enough or whether they need to carry
>on the process. In my experience commercial German reeds need more work on
>the surface than Vandoren reeds and need polishing with dutch rush or
>something similar before you start with thumb work.
>Nick

Bob Lake
Musician/Educator
Edina, MN
<laker29@-----.net>

   
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