Klarinet Archive - Posting 000190.txt from 1998/01

From: avrahm galper <agalper@-----.com>
Subj: Positioning the reed
Date: Tue, 6 Jan 1998 08:17:55 -0500

Positioning the reed on the mouthpiece

I think that the reason so many players slide the reeds on and off the
mouthpiece is because that is what their teachers told them to do at the
beginning. It's very easy to jam the ligature into the reed if one is
not careful.
There is a simple technique of putting on the ligature, once the reed is
on.

One holds the ligature with the thumb and the first or second finger of
the hand that manipulates the ligature. As one gets closer to the
mouthpiece, the little finger should lean on the mouthpiece.
Then it's easy to position and guide the ligature down the mouthpiece.

As for moving the reed around, once on the mouthpiece, one needn't take
the ligature off everyone time you want to shift the reed. You slacken
the ligature screws if you have to move the reed around, up or down.

It's at the beginning of the playing or practicing that one shouldn't
slide the reed onto the mouthpiece too many times, especially if you're
looking for that good reed.

Avrahm Galper